Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. El Paso (1:35 p.m. PT)
July 31, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Today concludes the only series of 2022 between the Seattle and San Diego Triple-A affiliates. Following an off/travel day Monday, Tacoma will open a series at Sacramento Tuesday evening.
Tacoma Rainiers (42-55) vs. El Paso Chihuahuas (54-44)
Sunday, July 31, 2022, 1:35 p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium: Tacoma, WA
LHP Austin Warner vs. RHP Matt Waldron
DOG DAYS: This weeklong series is the first - and the only - meeting between the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres) and the Rainiers this season. El Paso had not made a trip to Cheney Stadium since the opening series of 2021. Last season, Tacoma clinched the Triple-A West Regular Season Championship at El Paso on September 18 with a 7-3 win; Taylor Trammell's bases loaded triple into the left field gap in the ninth inning was the winning hit in that game, and Trammell is expected to begin a rehab assignment with the Rainiers today as their designated hitter (hamstring). On 8/31/20, Trammell was traded by San Diego along with 1B Ty France, RHP Andres Munoz, and C Luis Torrens to Seattle in a seven-player deal.
"RING"-ERS: El Paso's current active roster has two players who were members of Tacoma's 2021 title squad: LHP Ray Kerr and OF Luis Liberato. Kerr was traded to the Padres on 11/27/21 along with OF Corey Rosier in exchange for 2B Adam Frazier. Kerr made his MLB debut on 4/24 in San Diego against the Dodgers with a perfect ninth inning and a swinging strikeout of Max Muncy. Liberato spent the first nine years of his career (2013-21) with the Mariners before signing with the Padres in the offseason, and continues to strive for his MLB debut.
Tacoma has a pair of relievers who spent time with both El Paso and San Diego last year: LHP Nick Ramirez and RHP Taylor Williams. Ramirez appeared in 13 MLB games a season ago (20.1 IP) and Williams pitched five times for San Diego (5.1 IP), around their time in El Paso.
CLEAN SHEETS: In the ninth inning on Friday, the Rainiers committed their first error in 85 innings, and have only two defensive miscues in their last 124 innings. Tacoma leads the PCL in fielding percentage (.985), and is equal to Reno for fewest errors in the league with 54.
ALEX ON BASE: Dating to 7/4 (11 GP, 45 PA), Tacoma infielder Alex Blandino has an OBP of .489. He's drawn 14 walks to only six base hits in that span, scoring eight runs. Blandino reached base four times as the leadoff batter on Friday, singling twice with a pair of walks.
Against left-handed pitching during his 26 games played and 48 total plate appearances for Tacoma this season, Blandino has an OBP of .521. He's batting .343 against lefties (12-for-35), with a 1.035 OPS against southpaws.
YOU'VE BEEN WARNER-ED: Since 5/19, Rainiers left-hander Austin Warner has posted a 1.16 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and .182 BAA over 23.1 IP (14 G, 3 GS). In three spot starts, he has not allowed a run over 9.0 IP (4 H, 1 BB, 9 K).
BERN BABY BERN: After being plucked out of the Mexican League on 6/28 (Tijuana), LHP Brennan Bernardino has pitched seven times for Tacoma: 11.1 IP, ER (0.79 ERA), 17 K, 3 BB (0.97 WHIP)...he has a .171 BAA in his last six games.
Bernardino, 30, was selected to the Major League roster by Seattle on Saturday, and is poised to be the fourth to make his MLB debut with the Mariners after playing for the Rainiers this season (RHP Penn Murfee, LHP Danny Young, OF Marcus Wilson). Prior to joining Tacoma, Bernardino had not been with an affiliate since Double-A Akron (Cleveland) in 2019. A professional since 2014, he was drafted that year in the 26th round by Cincinnati out of Division II Cal State Dominguez Hills; Bernardino becomes the second player from the 2014 CSDH team to reach the Majors; RHP Bubby Rossman (Phillies), also 30, debuted earlier this month (1.0 IP on 7/13 at Toronto).
EVERY DAY PATTY: RHP Patrick Weigel's 36 appearances are already three shy of his career-high, lead Tacoma and tie him for fifth-most in the PCL. He's limiting batters on the notoriously offensive circuit to a .212 BAA, striking out over a batter an inning (47 K/42.0 IP). Weigel's best stretch was from 5/20 to 6/3, when he worked five consecutive appearances without a run- or a hit (4.1 IP). He compiled five straight scoreless appearances again from 6/22 to 7/4 (5.0 IP). A former starter drafted in the seventh round by Atlanta in 2015, Weigel's career-high in games was last season, appearing in 36 for Triple-A Nashville and three MLB games with Milwaukee.
STEAL A BASE, STEAL A TACO(MA): Tacoma has re-taken the Triple-A lead in stolen bases (122) from Buffalo of the International League (120). Rainiers outfielder Forrest Wall is third in the Pacific Coast League in steals with 29. Last season, Wall stole 35 bases for Buffalo while in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, third-most in the IL (Triple-A East).
UNI WATCH: The 2022 Tacoma Rainiers have the following win-loss record by uniform top: White (14-14), red (16-22), navy blue (5-4), road grey (5-8), "Familia de Tacoma" (2-3, Copa de la Diversion), specialty auction (0-4).
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 31, 2022
- Bees Claim 3rd Consecutive Series - Salt Lake Bees
- Aces Edged by Bees in 6-4 Defeat - Reno Aces
- Isotopes Claim Series Victory with 6-5 Triumph over Aviators - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Dodgers Eran 5-4 Win - Oklahoma City Comets
- Tacoma Wins Over El Paso - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Mitch Haniger Drills 2nd HR with Tacoma During Rehab Assignment - Tacoma Rainiers
- Knapp Homers 4th Straight Game, River Cats Drop Series Finale in Round Rock - Sacramento River Cats
- Enmanuel Valdez and Pedro León Homer in Space Cowboys' Road Trip Finale - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Round Rock Takes Series over Sacramento with 9-4 Win - Round Rock Express
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 31, 2022 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Lance McCullers Jr. to Make Rehab Start Tuesday at Constellation Field - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. El Paso (1:35 p.m. PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
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