PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Round Rock (5:05 PT)

Published on April 14, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (6-5) @ Round Rock Express (7-4)

Friday, April 14, 2023, 5:05p.m. PT | Dell Diamond: Round Rock, TX

RHP Taylor Dollard vs. LHP Cody Bradford

QUITE THE O'STREAK: Brian O'Keefe's nine-game hit streak to begin his season is already approaching Tacoma's season-long streak from last year; Jarred Kelenic hit in 13 consecutive games (5/24 to 6/8). O'Keefe still has a ways to go to reach the longest hit streak by a Rainiers catcher of recent vintage however; Cal Raleigh hit in 23 straight in 2021 (5/15 to 6/17). The longest hit streaks in Tacoma's Triple-A history belong to Rex Johnston (1965 Giants) and Chad Akers (1999 Rainiers), each at 26 games.

Entering today's action, O'Keefe leads the PCL in both slugging (.943) and OPS (1.455). His eight extra-base hits, five homers and .429 BA each rank third (or T-3rd) in the league. His 33 total bases are tied for the fourth-most.

DON'T BE EXTRA: Thursday's 2-1 Rainiers loss at Round Rock was just the fourth extra-inning game in the league this season over the first two weeks, and the first that did not involve Oklahoma City. OKC walked-off Tacoma 6-5 in 10 innings on day two of the season (4/1), and won consecutive 10-inning games at Las Vegas (4/9) and vs. Sugar Land (4/11). An 11th inning has not yet been played in the PCL in 2023.

(WALK)OFF-PUTTING: Thursday's 2-1 loss at Round Rock on a Yoshi Tsutsugo RBI single in the 10th inning was already Tacoma's third walk-off loss in five defeats this season, which also accounts for the Rainiers' 0-3 record in one-run games (0-2 in extras). Oklahoma City walked off Tacoma 2x to conclude the opening weekend of the schedule (April 1-2).

STILL MAKIN' IT RAIN(IERS): Thanks in part to the expanded 150-game schedule, last season the Rainiers hit a franchise record 216 home runs. Despite being held homerless in two of the first three games of this road trip at pitcher-friendly Round Rock, Tacoma is on an early pace for 218 round trips this year, with 16 in 11 games.

BACK, MIH-CACK, DO IT AGAIN: RHP Darren McCaughan was 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.

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 51-31 (.622) 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).

GO EAST TO GO WEST: The Rainiers are halfway through their first series this season against a fellow American League West affiliate (1-2). Last season, Tacoma went 34-41 against AL West Triple-A clubs Las Vegas (Athletics), Round Rock (Rangers), Salt Lake (Angels) and Sugar Land (Astros).

TIMES CHANGE: In 2022, the Rainiers went 17-19 outside of the Pacific time zone and are 2-4 this season after a 1-2 opening at OKC and a 1-2 start to this series. This is Tacoma's first visit to Round Rock since September 23-27, 2021, where they went 2-3.

CASH CAB: Through the first nine games of his Triple-A debut, Rainiers infielder Jose Caballero has proven to be among the toughest outs in the PCL. His early .583 OBP is second in the league only to Reno's Blaze Alexander (.618) and his 12 walks are third-most on the circuit. Batting .348 with a 1.105 OPS (8-for-23, 36 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 by Seattle on 7/31/19 from the Arizona Diamondbacks, in a trade for RHP Mike Leake.

R SPECIAL SAUCE: With 5.2 IP of scoreless work so far (4 G, 1 H, 2 BB, 6 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. He appeared in 33 MLB games (all in relief) with Toronto in 2021 and 2022. (2.0 IP, 0 H, 3 K on Wednesday.)

UNI-WATCH: The 2023 Tacoma Rainiers have the following record by uniform top... Home White (3-1), R Red (2-2), Road Grey (1-0), Navy Blue (0-2), 1960 Fauxback (0-0), La Familia de Tacoma (0-0), Special Auction (0-0). Tacoma will wear special "Northwest Green" jerseys on 4/23 (Throwback Weekend), paying homage to the 1995 Rainiers/first year of Seattle affiliation.

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics

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