Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. ABQ (7:05 PT)
August 17, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma Rainiers (51-61) vs. Albuquerque Isotopes (50-61)
Wednesday, August 17, 2022, 7:05 p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium: Tacoma, WA
RHP Darren McCaughan vs. RHP Brandon Gold
TURN-R-OUND: Tacoma began this season 9-23 (through May 11), but is 42-38 since. The Rainiers' low-water mark was 16 games under .500 at 28-44 on June 28. They're 23-17 since, 13-10 post-break and 21-17 in the second half.
#DarrenDay: Rainiers right-hander Darren McCaughan (110 K) ranks fourth in the PCL in strikeouts. McCaughan's 117.2 IP are third-most on the circuit entering today's action, and his 1.20 WHIP is third-lowest in the league.
BARRELED KELENIC: In 59 total games this season with Tacoma, outfielder Jarred Kelenic has 72 hits (.291 AVG). 38 of those knocks have gone for extra bases (12 HR), a staggering 52.8% of his Triple-A hit total this season (.555 SLG, .914 OPS).
MEJIA MASH: Tacoma INF/OF Erick Mejia is 14 for his last 39 (.359) with a homer (12), triple, four RBI, seven runs and four walks. Mejia currently has a 14-game on-base streak dating to July 28, during which he's hitting .327 (16-for-49), with an .831 OPS (56 PA). He's on a current club-high nine-game hit streak.
JUST NICKED 'EM: Rainiers LHP Nick Ramirez has worked eight consecutive scoreless outings dating to July 28, six of which were save opportunities as he's emerged as Tacoma's primary ninth inning option. Ramirez has posted a 0.50 WHIP over his last 8.0 IP: 4 H (.143 BAA), 0 BB, 9 K. He's suddenly climbed to third in the PCL in saves, with 10.
THE O'B RELIEVER: Rainiers RHP Riley O'Brien (Seattle-born, Shorewood High School) has struck out 52.38% of batters faced over his last five appearances (5.2 IP); he's K'd 11 of the last 21 hitters he's faced.
LOCAL GIG: Albuquerque's roster features Gig Harbor, WA native Michael Toglia, a Rockies top 1B/OF prospect and Colorado's first round pick in 2019 out of UCLA (23rd overall selection). Toglia was promoted from Double-A Hartford to ABQ with a week to spare for his homecoming, on August 9; the switch hitter blasted a solo homer on that date in ABQ against Reno, in his Triple-A debut. Toglia is 7-for-26 with two walks and two homers over his first six games of PCL action...he hit a three-run homer in his first professional at bat at Cheney Stadium in the first inning on Tuesday. Toglia had previously homered at Cheney while in high school.
At the moment, three of Tacoma's final four home series of the season will have featured a local: Oakland A's INF Nate Mondou (Tacoma/Lake Tapps) was here last week with Las Vegas, and Round Rock INF Nick Tanielu (Federal Way) has spent this season with the top Texas Rangers farm club (at Tacoma Sept. 20-25). Federal Way's Janson Junk (LAA RHP) pitched his first career professional game at Cheney Stadium on April 5, when he started for Salt Lake against the Rainiers on Opening Day.
R HOUSE CAN'T HOLD 'EM: From August 12-14, with a doubleheader on 8/13, the Rainiers scored 16 consecutive runs via home run over a four-game span against Las Vegas despite Cheney Stadium's pitcher-friendly dimensions. Tacoma has 14 homers over their last five games, and the Rainiers have homered in 12 straight games dating to August 4 at Sacramento, a season-high, surpassing 11 straight from April 13-24, which included five games at the famously mountainous and offensive Albuquerque. Eight of 12 games during this streak have come in Tacoma amidst this season-long 13-game homestand, where Cheney Stadium is known as a pitcher's park...but not lately.
TIM THE 'TOPE: Tacoma Rainiers first-year manager Tim Federowicz is managing against the club he appeared most with as a player. As a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate, Federowicz played in 239 games for Albuquerque between 2011 and 2014, while being summoned to the Majors in each of those four seasons, for a total of 89 games with L.A. Overall as an Isotope, he hit .320 (279-for-873) with 39 HR and 166 RBI, appearing in more games for ABQ than any other franchise during his 13-season playing career.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Tacoma starting LHP Justus Sheffield will be joined this series by his older brother Jordan Sheffield, a right-handed reliever assigned to Albuquerque by Colorado on Tuesday. The elder Sheffield has appeared in 32 MLB games for the Rockies (all in relief), making his debut last season (31.1 IP, 3.16 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, .198 BAA). Jordan was the 36th pick of the 2016 draft (LAD) out of Vanderbilt.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 17, 2022
- El Paso Evens the Series with 7-5 Win over Round Rock - Round Rock Express
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. ABQ (7:05 PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- Space Cowboys Game Notes vs. Oklahoma City - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Aces Capture Stone Garrett's the Call to the Majors - Reno Aces
- Shea Langeliers Called up, Makes MLB Debut with the A's in Texas - Las Vegas Aviators
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 16, 2022 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Aviators Host Sacramento (August 19-21) & Sugar Land (August 23-28) in 9-Game Homestand at Las Vegas Ballpark - Las Vegas Aviators
- Reno Aces Announce Promotions for Final Month of the 2022 Home Schedule - Reno Aces
- Salt Lake Wins Series Opener 10-2 - Salt Lake Bees
- Chihuahuas Lose 9-4 - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Space Cowboys Get 8-7 Win Over Dodgers - Oklahoma City Comets
- Pereda Plates Jackson, Rodriguez Strikes Out 3 As River Cats Fall To Aviators - Sacramento River Cats
- Tacoma Cruises Past Albuquerque in Series Opener - Tacoma Rainiers
- Canzone Goes Deep in Aces' 10-2 Loss to Bees - Reno Aces
- Round Rock Takes Game One over El Paso with 9-4 Final - Round Rock Express
- Justin Dirden Sends Space Cowboys to Comeback Walk-Off Win - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
