Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Round Rock (5:05 p.m. PT)
April 12, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Today's scheduled Tacoma starter RHP Darren McCaughan was selected to Seattle's MLB roster this morning. RHP Riley O'Brien will spot start.
- LHP Brennan Bernardino was DFA...RHP Jose Rodriguez optioned to Tacoma...RHP A.J. Puckett joins Tacoma from Double-A Arkansas
Tacoma Rainiers (5-4) @ Round Rock Express (6-3)
Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 5:05p.m. PT | Dell Diamond: Round Rock, TX
RHP Riley O'Brien vs. RHP Cole Winn
BACK, MIH-CACK, DO IT AGAIN: RHP Darren McCaughan's contract selected from Tacoma to Seattle's roster on Wednesday. Primed for his third MLB appearance, on 7/21/21 at Colorado, McCaughan became only the seventh player since 1901 to throw at least 5.0 hitless IP in his MLB debut. His first MLB strikeout came on 7/26/21 vs. Houston at T-Mobile Park...of 2017 AL MVP Jose Altuve (swinging, to begin game). McCaughan has started 61x for Tacoma since 2018, the 16th-most GS in franchise history.
WALK ME, WALK ME: Tacoma is scoring 7.8 runs a game through nine games, in large part to the 67 walks they've drawn thus far (7.4/game), second among Triple-A clubs only to El Paso's 77 walks over 10 games. Tacoma's Triple-A best .427 OBP is .016 higher than second place El Paso (.411). The Rainiers make the opposition pay dearly for the copious free passes; of their 15 homers, *seven* have been of the three-run variety. Tacoma hit *six* three-run homers while winning the first three games of last week's homestand against Reno (won four of five). The Rainiers and El Paso will square off next week in Tacoma, their first of two six-game series in '23.
IT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY FORD, LATELY: 1B/DH Mike Ford has opened the season on an eight-game RBI streak, (5 multi-RBI efforts), with his only time off so far the front end of last Friday's doubleheader. Ford's 15 RBI lead the Pacific Coast League alongside Salt Lake outfielder Jo Adell, who homered in six consecutive games through Sunday. Ford, batting .382, is tied for sixth in the PCL in hits (13), total bases (25) and extra-base hits (6) during a torrid start.
THEN BRIAN COMES IN...: During catcher Brian O'Keefe's club-long seven-game hit streak to open the season, he's posted the highest BA in the PCL (.444) with 4 homers (T-4th); his 11 runs scored are second on the circuit only to Albuquerque's Nolan Jones (13). His .963 SLG and 1.494 OPS each rank second in the league entering today's action, trailing only Jo Adell (Salt Lake) and Buddy Kennedy (Reno), respectively. O'Keefe's 11 RBI, .531 OBP, 6 XBH and 26 total bases each rank in the PCL's top eight.
TIMES CHANGE: In 2022, the Rainiers went 17-19 outside of the Pacific time zone and are 1-3 this season after the opening weekend at OKC and yesterday's series-opening loss. This is Tacoma's first visit to Round Rock since September 23-27, 2021, where they went 2-3.
ROUND-LY DEFEATED: Round Rock is one of four current PCL locales that the Tacoma franchise (est. 1960) has an all-time non-losing record against. The Tacoma Giants/Cubs/Twins/Yankees/Tugs/Tigers/Rainiers are 50-30 (.625) vs. Round Rock (since 2005), 378-364-1 vs. Salt Lake (since 1960), 294-289 vs. Las Vegas (since 1983) and 85-85 vs. Oklahoma City (since 1963).
CASH CAB: Through the first seven games of his Triple-A debut, Rainiers infielder Jose Caballero has proven to be one of the toughest outs in the Pacific Coast League. Third in the PCL with a robust .571 OBP, he's drawn nine walks and is hitting .333 with a 1.127 OPS (6-for-18, 28 PA). Caballero, 26, has flown a bit under the prospect radar while limited to only 39 Double-A games the last two seasons due to injury. He was acquired on 7/31/19 from Arizona, in a trade for RHP Mike Leake.
R SPECIAL SAUCE: With 3.2 IP of scoreless work so far (3 G, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K), lefty reliever and local product Tayler Saucedo has now pitched for both Tacoma Community College and the Tacoma Rainiers. Saucedo spent his freshman season at TCC (2013), a Maple Valley native and graduate of Tahoma High School. Saucedo appeared in 33 MLB games (all in relief) with Toronto in 2021 and 2022.
IN-CADE-ABLE: Mariners outfield top prospect Cade Marlowe will likely return to the Rainiers from the injured list/extended spring training during this series, rebounding from an oblique strain. He's achieved consecutive 20/20 seasons with 100 runs driven in. Marlowe was the Seattle Mariners Minor League Player of The Year in 2021 (Ken Griffey, Jr. Award), after homering 26 times (24 SB) with 107 RBI over 106 games split between Class A Modesto, High-A Everett and one game with Tacoma.
Over 120 games with Double-A Arkansas and 13 with the Rainiers last season, Marlowe totaled 23 home runs with 42 stolen bases and 102 RBI. Marlowe hit his first three career Triple-A homers in three consecutive games, September 21-23 at home against Round Rock.
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 12, 2023
- Rainiers Call on 'Pen to Halt Express - Tacoma Rainiers
- Rainiers Slow Down Express on Wednesday Night - Round Rock Express
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Round Rock (5:05 p.m. PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- Whitley Strikes out Seven in 7-3 Space Cowboys Victory - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Kauffmann, Montes Lead Isotopes to 7-2 Victory - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Albuquerque Surges past El Paso 7-2 - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Bats Remain Cold as Dodgers Fall to Sugar Land - Oklahoma City Comets
- Reno Aces Announce Promotions for May of the 2023 Home Schedule - Reno Aces
- OKC Dodgers and Integris Health to Honor Oklahomans' Health Triumphs During "Home Run for Life" Celebrations - Oklahoma City Comets
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 12, 2023 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Isotopes Hold off El Paso, 13-12 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Aces' Bullpen Slips in 14-4 Series Opener Loss to River Cats - Reno Aces
- River Cats Walk To 14-4 Win In Series Opener - Sacramento River Cats
- Albuquerque Edges El Paso - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Bees Score 11 Unanswered Runs in Victory Over Aviators - Salt Lake Bees
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