Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Sacramento (6:45 p.m. PT)
August 2, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma Rainiers (43-55) at Sacramento River Cats (42-57)
Tuesday, August 2, 2022, 6:45 p.m. PT | Sutter Health Park: West Sacramento, CA
LHP Justus Sheffield vs. RHP Tristan Beck
MITCH, PLEASE: Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger is eight games into his rehab assignment with High-A Everett (Northwest League) and Tacoma, as he returns from a high-ankle sprain suffered during his most recent Major League game on 4/29 at Miami.
Haniger is batting .304 for the two M's PNW affiliates (7-for-23), with a .484 OBP (5 BB) and .696 SLG (5 HR), for a 1.180 OPS. Haniger has scored five runs and driven in six during his latest sojourn through the minor leagues; he's been hit by three pitches during the assignment. Haniger homered twice for the Rainiers during their most recent home series vs. El Paso: A sixth-inning opposite field solo shot on 7/28 and a three-run liner in the second inning on Sunday, which proved to be the game-winner.
STEAL A BASE, STEAL A TACO(MA): Tacoma has re-taken the Triple-A lead in stolen bases (122) from Buffalo of the International League (121). 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 Chad Meyers in 2003 (37), 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.
EVERY DAY PATTY: RHP Patrick Weigel's 37 appearances are already two shy of his career-high, lead Tacoma and tie him for fourth-most in the PCL. He's limiting batters on the offensive circuit to a .213 BAA and striking out well over a batter per inning (50 K/43.0 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 three more Major League games with Milwaukee.
THE OPEN-R: The Rainiers are 12-6 in series-opening games this season, and are 7-2 in such games on the road. That number includes an 8-3 victory on 5/17 to begin Tacoma's most recent visit to Sacramento, where they won four of six. The 12 wins in series openers represent 27.9% of Tacoma's win total this season.
BERN BABY BERN: After being plucked out of the Mexican League on 6/28 (Tijuana), LHP Brennan Bernardino has pitched seven times for Tacoma: 11.1 IP, ER (0.79 ERA), 17 K, 3 BB (0.97 WHIP)...he has a .171 BAA in his last six games.
Bernardino, 30, was selected to the Major League roster by Seattle on Saturday, and 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.
SEA US RISE: The promotion of outfielder Jarred Kelenic to the Mariners on Sunday made him the 26th player this season to be recalled or selected by Seattle. Last season, 24 players were promoted from the Rainiers to the Mariners (each total excludes rehab assignments).
After being optioned on 5/13, Kelenic had 66 hits for the Rainiers (.288 AVG) and 35 for extra bases, a staggering 53% of his Triple-A hit total this season (126 total bases in 54 games played, .550 SLG).
CLEAN SHEETS: In the ninth inning on Friday, the Rainiers committed their first error in 85 innings, and have only three defensive miscues in their last 133 innings. Tacoma leads the PCL in fielding percentage (.984), and is equal to Reno for fewest errors in the league with 55. The Mariners have the fewest errors in the Major Leagues entering today's action, with only 35.
UNI WATCH: The 2022 Tacoma Rainiers have the following win-loss record by uniform top: White (14-14), red (16-22), navy blue (5-4), road grey (5-8), "Familia de Tacoma" (2-3, Copa de la Diversion), specialty auction (1-4).
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 2, 2022
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- Chihuahuas Win Over Isotopes, 13-9 - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Díaz, Dean Homer as River Cats Drop Crawford's Rehab Debut to Rainiers - Sacramento River Cats
- Lance McCullers Jr. Makes 3rd Rehab Start in Space Cowboys' Win - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Salt Lake Opens Homestand with Close Loss to Oklahoma City - Salt Lake Bees
- Dodgers Earn 2-1 Victory - Oklahoma City Comets
- Wall's 3-Run Homer Wins It to Start Rainiers' Week on the Road - Tacoma Rainiers
- Nelson's Homecoming Grounds Aviators in Aces' 4-1 Victory - Reno Aces
- Space Cowboys Game Notes vs. RR - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Sacramento (6:45 p.m. PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 2, 2022 - Oklahoma City Comets
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