PCL Tacoma Rainiers

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

Published on May 5, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (15-14) @ Salt Lake Bees (13-17)

Friday, May 4, 2023, 5:35p.m. PT | Smith's Ballpark: Salt Lake City, UT

RHP Nick Davila vs. LHP Jake Kalish

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: The four full-season Mariners affiliates enter today's action with a combined 57-42 record, equal with the Marlins farm for third-best; only Cubs (57-40) and Dodgers affiliates (67-33) are winning at a higher percentage than Seattle's .576 as an organization. Arkansas (AA) is 15-8, Everett (A+) is 11-12 and Modesto (A) is 16-8 along with the 15-14 Rainiers. The Astros (38-59, .392) have the lowest affiliate win percentage.

CADE PARADE: A first inning homer yesterday extended OF Cade Marlowe's hit streak to nine games (since 4/23), equaling Brian O'Keefe's 2023 Tacoma high (3/31 to 4/13). Marlowe is batting .349 during the streak (15-for-43, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 11 R, 8 RBI, .998 OPS).

JOHNNY, BACK ON THE SPOT: When Manager John Russell took the reins of the Rainiers for this season, it marked his return to the Pacific Coast League after 21 years; he managed the 2002 Edmonton Trappers (Minnesota Twins) to an 81-59 regular season record, and the PCL Championship. That Edmonton club clinched their title in Salt Lake City at Smith's Ballpark. Coincidentally, Minnesota's Triple-A affiliation had shifted from Salt Lake to Edmonton before the prior season in 2001. The Bees franchise has been affiliated with only the Angels since 2001, parting company with the Twins following 2000.

RUN IT BACK: In 2022 Tacoma led Triple-A (by 13) with a franchise record 205 stolen bases. This year, they're atop the PCL again; 39 steals trail only Las Vegas (43) for the league lead; the Rainiers have been caught only 8x (82.98%)...Las Vegas has evaded capture only 5x (89.58%). At six swipes apiece, Mason McCoy (0 CS) and Cade Marlowe (14 GP, 1 CS) lead the club and are PCL top 10. Cooper Hummel has 5 SB (0 CS) in just 10 games played.

ON THE WONG SIDE: Rainiers infielder Kean Wong, the younger brother of Mariners second baseman Kolten Wong, was a frequent thorn in Tacoma's side as a member of the Salt Lake Bees (LAA) the last two seasons. Wong was a .352 hitter against Tacoma in 2021 and 2022 (50-for-142), homered 2x and drove in 21 runs against the Rainiers over 34 games the last two years. Kean signed with Seattle on 2/18/23 as a non-roster invitee to MLB Spring Training, and is currently on a seven-game hit streak.

AMERICAN HONEY: Salt Lake (City) is one of four current Pacific Coast League locales that the Tacoma Triple-A franchise (est. 1960) has an all-time winning record against. The current iteration of the franchise joined the PCL in 1994, and has also been known as the "Buzz" and "Stingers" prior to Bees. Tacoma is 379-366-1 against all teams from SLC since 1960. The Tacoma Tigers (Oakland Athletics) played against the Buzz in 1994 (10-6), before the Rainiers era/Seattle affiliation began in 1995.

IT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY FORD, LATELY: With three more homers and 11 RBI since last Tuesday, Mike Ford sits atop the PCL leaderboard with 41 RBI already (27 GP); Las Vegas's Cody Thomas is second with 36. Ford leads the league in slugging at .724 with a robust 1.187 OPS (2nd) and nine home runs, which tie him for second in the PCL with three others including teammate Jake Scheiner; the Bees' Jo Adell (12 HR) tops all of pro baseball. At .347, Ford has 18 extra-base hits and 71 total bases, each third in the PCL. Ford's career-high 86 RBI came in 2017, over 126 games between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre while in the New York Yankees organization.

YOU DOWN WITH OBP?: Tacoma ranks second in Triple-A with a .399 team on-base percentage (Reno, .402). Tacoma's 200 walks in 29 games (6.90 BB/game) lead all of Triple-A baseball, by *25* (Oklahoma City, 175).

ET TU BB?: Tacoma infielder Cesar Hernandez already has four 3-BB games this year, is sporting a .466 OBP (24 GP), and leads all of Triple-A with 29 walks.

BRIAN O'FFENSE: Rainiers catcher/DH Brian O'Keefe has reached base safely in 18 of his 21 games thus far. O'Keefe ranks top 10 in the PCL in home runs (8), slugging (.646) and OPS (1.060).

RILEY ZERO'BRIEN: RHP Riley O'Brien (0.73 ERA) has gone 10.1 IP without allowing an earned run over his seven most recent appearances. He's let up only six hits while striking out 18 during this stretch (4 BB). He's allowed only one earned run over 12.1 IP this season (9 G, 3 GS).

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