PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. ABQ (7:05 PT)

Published on August 18, 2022 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (51-62) vs. Albuquerque Isotopes (51-61)

Thursday, August 18, 2022, 7:05 p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium: Tacoma, WA

LHP Justus Sheffield vs. RHP Zach Neal

TURN-R-OUND: Tacoma began this season 9-23 (through May 11), but is 42-39 since. The Rainiers' low-water mark was 16 games under .500 at 28-44 on June 28. They're 23-18 since, 13-11 post-break and 21-18 in the second half.

TOP SHEFFS: Rainiers starting LHP Justus Sheffield is joined during 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 (Dodgers) out of Vanderbilt.

BARRELED KELENIC: In 60 total games this season with Tacoma, outfielder Jarred Kelenic has 74 hits (.295 AVG). 39 of those knocks have gone for extra bases (12 HR), a staggering 52.7% of his Triple-A hit total this season (.566 SLG, .927 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.

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 16 homers over their last six games, and the Rainiers have homered in 13 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. Nine of the 13 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.

JUST NICKED 'EM: Rainiers LHP Nick Ramirez has worked eight straight scoreless outings dating to July 28, six of which were save opportunities, emerging 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 quickly climbed to third in PCL saves (10). Ramirez has 64 games of MLB experience between Detroit (2019-20) and San Diego (2021).

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.

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 8-for-30 with three walks, three doubles and two homers (7 RBI) over his first eight PCL games...he hit a three-run homer in his first professional at bat at Cheney Stadium in the first inning Tuesday. Toglia had previously homered at Cheney while in high school.

PIERCE COUNTY VS. THE WORLD: Bonney Lake Little League, led by Brody Santman, nephew of Tacoma Rainiers VP of Ticket Sales Shane Santman, opened the Little League World series in Williamsport, PA with an 11-1 setback to Honolulu, HI on Wednesday. The team will be back in action on Saturday against an opponent to be determined. Rainiers infielder Drew Ellis played in the 2008 LLWS for Jefferson, Indiana.

STEAL A BASE, STEAL A TACO(MA): The Rainiers lead the PCL in stolen bases with 140. Forrest Wall ranks second in the PCL with 33 SB, and is the first to steal 30 bases for the Rainiers since Ian Miller (33) in 2018. Wall is striving to be the first Tacoma player to steal 40 since Lance Blankenship of the 1988 Tacoma Tigers (OAK).

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 18, 2022


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