Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. ABQ (7:05 PT)
August 19, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma Rainiers (52-62) vs. Albuquerque Isotopes (51-62)
Friday, August 19, 2022, 7:05 p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium: Tacoma, WA
LHP Austin Warner vs. RHP Karl Kauffman
TURN-R-OUND: Tacoma began this season 9-23 (through May 11), but is 43-39 since. The Rainiers' low-water mark was 16 games under .500 at 28-44 on June 28. They're 24-18 since, 14-11 post-break and 22-18 in the second half.
YOU'VE BEEN WARNER-ED: Since 5/19, Rainiers LHP Austin Warner has posted a 1.49 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP over 36.1 IP (17 G, 6 GS). Warner has struck out 36 in that span, with a .192 BAA. In six starts: 22.0 IP, 14 H (.184 BAA), 3 ER (1.23), 6 BB, 25 K.
BARRELED KELENIC: In 61 total games this season with Tacoma, outfielder Jarred Kelenic has 76 hits (.298 AVG). 41 of those knocks have gone for extra bases (13 HR), a staggering 53.9% of his Triple-A hit total this season (.573 SLG, .938 OPS).
MEJIA MASH: Tacoma INF/OF Erick Mejia is 15 for his last 43 (.349) with a homer (12), eight runs scored and five walks. Mejia currently has a 15-game on-base streak dating to July 28, during which he's hitting .321 (17-for-53), with an .836 OPS (61 PA). He's on a current club-high 10-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 seven games. The Rainiers had homered in 13 straight beginning August 4 at Sacramento and ending on August 18 at home vs. Albuquerque, 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 the streak came in Tacoma amidst this season-long 13-game homestand, where Cheney Stadium is known as a pitcher's park...but not lately.
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 12-for-35 with three walks, four doubles and three homers (9 RBI) over his first nine PCL games...he hit a three-run HR in his first pro at-bat at Cheney Stadium in the first inning Tuesday. Toglia had previously homered at Cheney while in high school. Last night he went 4-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, R.
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 Davenport, IA at Noon PT on ABC. Rainiers INF Drew Ellis played in the 2008 LLWS for Jefferson, Indiana.
JUST NICKED 'EM: Rainiers LHP Nick Ramirez has worked nine 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 0.56 WHIP over his last 9.0 IP: 5 H (.156 BAA), 0 BB, 10 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).
THE O'B RELIEVER: Rainiers RHP Riley O'Brien (Seattle-born, Shorewood High School) has struck out 50% of batters faced over his last six appearances (6.2 IP); he's K'd 13 of the last 26 hitters he's faced.
TIM THE 'TOPE: Tacoma Rainiers first-year manager Tim Federowicz is managing against the club he appeared with most 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.
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).
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 19, 2022
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