PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Sacramento (6:37 p.m. PT)

August 6, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (46-56) at Sacramento River Cats (43-60)

Saturday, August 6, 2022, 6:37 p.m. PT | Sutter Health Park: West Sacramento, CA

LHP Austin Warner vs. RHP Luis Ortiz

YOU'VE BEEN WARNER-ED: Since 5/19, Rainiers LHP Austin Warner has posted a 1.71 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP over 26.1 IP (15 G, 4 GS). Warner has struck out 25 in that span, with a .182 BAA. In four spot starts: 12.0 IP, 6 H (.154 BAA), 2 ER (1.50), 4 BB, 14 K.

ASSIGNMENT BASED: Catcher Curt Casali enters the second day of a rehab assignment with Tacoma that began with Sacramento before a trade deadline deal with San Francisco on 8/2 (Casali and LHP Matthew Boyd for RHP Michael Stryffeler and catcher Andy Thomas).

When Casali and newly-acquired Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo were together with the Cincinnati Reds (2018-2020), Casali caught the right-hander in 27 games, with these numbers: 169.0 IP, 2.61 ERA, 59 BB and 202 K. The Casali-Castillo battery limited hitters to a .191 average, a .269 OBP and a .571 OPS.

NICK OF TIME: LHP Nick Ramirez has emerged as Tacoma's primary ninth inning option; his last four appearances have all been successful save opportunities dating to 7/28. The Rainiers are 8-5 post-break, and Ramirez has finished four of Tacoma's last six wins with very little drama: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, .143 BAA, 0.50 WHIP (0 BB), 4 K.

SIX IN VARIOUS CITIES: A win tonight/Sunday would give Tacoma their second six-game series win in as many trips to Sacramento this season. The Rainiers have won four of six against a single opponent three times thus far in 2022: May 17-22 at Sacramento, June 28-July 3 at home vs. Salt Lake, and July 26-31 vs. El Paso during the most recent homestand at Cheney Stadium. Tacoma is 5-9-4(split) in series of any length.

JOE ROAD-OM: Rainiers catcher/first baseman Joe Odom has been more than comfortable away from Cheney Stadium this season, and is OPSing .946 (.362/.584) in 29 games played on the road. He's homered eight times and drawn 14 walks away from home (116 PA), with 17 RBI.

STEAL A BASE, STEAL A TACO(MA): Buffalo of the International League has re-taken the Triple-A lead in stolen bases (131) from Tacoma (125). Rainiers outfielder Forrest Wall is third in the Pacific Coast League in steals with 29. Last season, Wall stole 35 bases for Buffalo while in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, third-most in the IL (Triple-A East).

Wall is poised to be the first Rainiers player to steal 30 bases in a season since Ian Miller in 2018 (33), and if he were to reach 40, would be the first Tacoma Triple-A player to do so since Lance Blankenship swiped 40 for the 1988 Tacoma Tigers (Oakland A's)...four players are tied at 40 for the fourth-most steals in a single season in franchise history. Jimmy Sexton (56, 1981 Tigers), Rusty McNealy (43, 1983 Tigers) and Del Alston (43, 1979 Tugs) own the top three stealing seasons in Tacoma's Triple-A history.

BERN BABY BERN: After being plucked out of the Mexican League on 6/28 (Tijuana), LHP Brennan Bernardino has pitched eight times for Tacoma: 12.1 IP, ER (0.73 ERA), 17 K, 3 BB (0.89 WHIP)...he has a .158 BAA his last seven games.

Bernardino, 30, was selected to the Major League roster by Seattle last Saturday, optioned to Tacoma on 8/1 and appointed as the "27th man" for today's Mariners doubleheader. He became the fourth to make his MLB debut with the Mariners after playing for the Rainiers this season (RHP Penn Murfee, LHP Danny Young, OF Marcus Wilson). Prior to joining Tacoma, Bernardino had not been with an affiliate since Double-A Akron (Cleveland) in 2019. A professional since 2014, he was drafted that year in the 26th round by Cincinnati out of Division II Cal State Dominguez Hills; Bernardino is the second player from the 2014 CSDH team to reach the Majors; RHP Bubby Rossman (Phillies), also 30, debuted with 1.0 IP on 7/13 at Toronto.

EVERY DAY PATTY: RHP Patrick Weigel's 38 appearances are already one shy of his career-high, lead Tacoma and tie him for sixth-most in the PCL. He's limiting batters on the offensive circuit to a .209 BAA and striking out well over a batter per inning (51 K/44.0 IP). Weigel's best stretch was from 5/20 to 6/3, when he worked five consecutive appearances without a run...or a hit (4.1 IP). He compiled five straight scoreless appearances again from 6/22 to 7/4 (5.0 IP).

A former starter drafted in the seventh round by Atlanta in 2015, Weigel's career-high in games was last season, appearing in 36 for Triple-A Nashville and in three more Major League games with Milwaukee.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 6, 2022


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