PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Sacramento (6:45 p.m. PT)

Published on August 5, 2022 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (45-56) at Sacramento River Cats (43-59)

Friday, August 5, 2022, 6:45 p.m. PT | Sutter Health Park: West Sacramento, CA

RHP Darren McCaughan vs. RHP Sean Hjelle

#DarrenDay: Rainiers right-hander Darren McCaughan (98 K) ranks sixth in the PCL in strikeouts. McCaughan's 107.0 IP are fourth-most on the circuit entering today's action, and his 1.19 WHIP is third-lowest in the league.

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 batting average against. In four spot starts: 12.0 IP, 6 H (.154 BAA), 2 ER (1.50), 4 BB, 14 K.

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.

MITCH, PLEASE: Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger is 11 games into his rehab assignment with High-A Everett (Northwest League) and Tacoma (since 7/22), as he returns from a high-ankle sprain suffered during his most recent Major League game on 4/29 at Miami.

Haniger is batting .267 for the two M's PNW affiliates (8-for-30), with a .488 OBP (10 BB) and .567 SLG (3 HR), for a 1.055 OPS. Haniger has scored six runs and driven in eight 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): Buffalo of the International League has re-taken the Triple-A lead in stolen bases (130) 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 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 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.

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 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.

CLEAN SHEETS: In the ninth inning on Friday at Cheney Stadium against El Paso, the Rainiers committed their first error in 85 innings, and have only four defensive miscues in their last 160 innings. Tacoma leads the PCL in fielding % (.985), and their 56 errors are equal to Reno for fewest in the league. The Mariners have the fewest errors (by seven) in the Majors entering today's action, with only 35 (St. Louis- 42).

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics

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