PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Salt Lake (5:35 PT)

July 22, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


This weekend begins Tacoma's post-break schedule.

Tacoma Rainiers (38-51) @ Salt Lake Bees (42-48)

Friday, July 22, 2022, 5:35 p.m. PT | Smith's Ballpark: Salt Lake City, UT

LHP Justus Sheffield vs. RHP Mike Mayers

NO DOG DAYS: Tacoma's post-All-Star Break schedule begins today at Salt Lake. A season ago amidst the pandemic-shortened schedule (130 games beginning on May 6), Triple-A took no such break, but the Rainiers went a scorching 43-21 beginning on July 22. That run catapulted Tacoma to the 2021 Triple-A West (PCL) regular season championship (no playoffs, 78-52). Tacoma opened this stretch of home games 3-3 against OKC, who are currently tied with El Paso (52-38) for the PCL's best record.

NO PLACE LIKE: July 12 vs. Oklahoma City began a stretch of 12 of 15 and 25 of 34 games at home for the Rainiers, which will include their longest homestand of the season from August 9-21 against Las Vegas and Albuquerque (13 games, 12 openings, one off day on 8/15). The 13-game homestand will include a single-admission doubleheader on Saturday, August 13 against Las Vegas, to make up the Saturday, May 28 rainout at Cheney Stadium.

A FAMILIAR BUZZ: Salt Lake (City) is one of three current PCL member locales that the Tacoma franchise (est. 1960) has an all-time winning record against (373-360-1, since 1960). Tacoma is 200-216 against the Salt Lake Buzz ('94-'00), Stingers ('01-'05) and Bees ('06-pres.), who were affiliated with the Minnesota Twins ('94-'00) prior to partnering with the Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim) in 2001. Tacoma's 373 wins over Salt Lake (City) are second only to their 383 since 1960 against teams from Portland (383-352). Tacoma has nine more games against Salt Lake this season, all on the road, and are slated to play the Bees a schedule-high 30 times, or one out of every five games this season.

VANILLA MISSILE: The Seattle Mariners spent three of their top four picks on high school players during the 20-round MLB First Year Player Draft earlier this week: INF Cole Young (North Allegheny HS, PA), INF Tyler Locklear (Virginia Commonwealth University) and RHP Walter Ford (Pace HS, FL) were drafted 21st, 58th and 74th overall. Ford's social media presence drew attention thanks to his handle/nickname: The @Vanilla_Missile. After selecting RHP Ashton Izzi (Oswego East HS, IL) in the fourth round with pick 126, Seattle proceeded to draft an NCAA Division I player with 14 of their final 16 picks, including RHP Stefan Raeth in the 17th round (516th overall), from the University of Washington (native of Lafayette, California).

IN KEL'S KITCHEN: Tacoma outfielder Jarred Kelenic is batting .322 over his last 20 games, hitting safely in 17. His OPS is 1.042 (.398/.644) in that span (since June 22), thanks to nine doubles, five home runs and two triples (20 RBI, 14 R). Earlier this season, Kelenic compiled the longest Tacoma hit streak of 2022, 13 games between May 24 and June 8. Since being optioned on May 13, Kelenic has 57 hits for the Rainiers (.294 AVG), 31 for extra bases, a staggering 54.4% of his Triple-A hit total this season (113 total bases in 46 GP, .582 SLG).

MEJIA MASH: Tacoma INF/OF Erick Mejia is 25-for-72 (.347) during his last 18 games (3 HR, 9 doubles). Mejia is OPSing 1.004 during this span (dating to June 22), as he's slugging .597 over his last 81 plate appearances (8 BB, .407 OBP). Mejia's 19 doubles tie him for sixth-most in the PCL; San Diego Padres prospect Eguy Rosario (El Paso) leads the league with 25.

EVERY DAY PATTY: RHP Patrick Weigel's 33 appearances lead Tacoma and tie him for fifth in the PCL. He's limiting batters on the notoriously offensive circuit to a .207 average, and striking out well over a batter per inning (44 K/38.1 IP). Weigel's best stretch was from May 20 to June 3, when he worked five consecutive appearances without a run- or a hit (4.1 IP). He strung together five straight scoreless appearances again from June 22 through July 4 (5.0 IP). A former starter drafted in the seventh round by Atlanta in 2015, Weigel's career-high in games came last season, appearing in 36 for Triple-A Nashville and three more in the Majors with Milwaukee.

DARREN MKKAUGHAN: Rainiers right-hander Darren McCaughan (88 K) ranks sixth in the PCL in strikeouts. McCaughan's 94.0 IP are second-most on the circuit, and his 1.21 WHIP is third-lowest in the league.

LEAD-R-BOARD: With four stolen bases on Sunday, Tacoma has re-taken the Triple-A lead in steals (115) from Buffalo (114). Rainiers outfielder Forrest Wall is third in the PCL in stolen bases, with 27. Tacoma's 122 home runs are fifth-most among the 30 Triple-A clubs (fourth in the PCL).

UNI WATCH: The 2022 Tacoma Rainiers have the following win-loss record by uniform top: Home white (11-13), red (16-21), navy blue pullover (4-4), road grey (5-7), "La Familia de Tacoma" (2-2, Copa de la Diversion), specialty auction (0-4).

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics



Pacific Coast League Stories from July 22, 2022


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