PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. El Paso (1:35 PT)

Published on April 23, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (11-8) vs. El Paso Chihuahuas (7-13)

Sunday, April 23, 2023, 1:35p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium: Tacoma, WA

RHP Easton McGee vs. RHP Pedro Avila

I GOT FIVE ON IT: Yesterday was the first 5-0 Mariners organization sweep from A-ball through the big leagues this season. Class A Modesto won at Lake Elsinore (8-5) in a simultaneous M's-Padres matchup, High-A Everett beat Vancouver at home (7-3) and Double-A Arkansas improved to 10-4 by nipping Frisco in a road game (3-1). The perfect day was capped off by a 2-1 Tacoma win over El Paso (RHP Darren McCaughan: 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K) before Seattle clinched a series win vs. St. Louis with a 5-4 triumph at T-Mobile Park, aided by a Jarred Kelenic homer.

WHAT LEAGUE IS THIS?: A dead ball era has arrived suddenly and without warning...In six Pacific Coast League games yesterday, on the notoriously offensive circuit, only 31 total runs were scored, 12 of which came during a Reno at Salt Lake doubleheader. Salt Lake's 4-3 victory in the first game was Saturday's highest-scoring PCL affair. Tacoma's 2-1 win over El Paso was the lowest.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?: At three games over .500 (11-8), Tacoma's +26 run differential leads the PCL, by 10, entering today's action. This is despite a 19-4 home loss to Reno on 4/8. Sacramento is +16 in runs, but is 10-10. The top two records in the league are +11 (Oklahoma City, 14-6) and +14 (Round Rock, 12-7).

FIVE-HITTE WITTE: Former Rainier and current El Paso third baseman Jantzen Witte enjoyed a career-year during his only season with the club, Tacoma's 2021 PCL Championship campaign. He hit .299 over 104 games (.364 OBP, .856 OPS) with 19 homers, and was named Team MVP by Tacoma's coaching staff and front office. Witte also has the most recent five-hit game for the Rainiers, on 8/16/21 at Cheney Stadium vs. Las Vegas-- in a 7-3 defeat. Current El Paso teammate and fellow 2021 Rainier Luis Liberato was named club Defensive Player of The Year that season, as he routinely dazzled in both corners and centerfield. Witte spent last season with the Seibu Lions in Japan (Nippon Professional Baseball); Liberato made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres on 9/10/22 (home vs. LAD, 7 total MLB GP), in his 10th season as a professional.

SPENT A MONTH THERE ONE NIGHT: The Rainiers have won eight of 11 against El Paso dating to last season, and have rallied to lead the all-time series between the two, 60-59 (since 2014). There are now five current PCL locales that the Tacoma franchise (est. 1960) has an all-time non-losing record against: Salt Lake (378-364-1, since 1960), Las Vegas (294-289, since 1983), Round Rock (52-33, since 2005) and OKC (85-85, since 1963), in addition to El Paso.

IT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY FORD, LATELY: DH Mike Ford hit three home runs during Saturday's 10-2 victory over El Paso at Cheney Stadium (8 RBI), including a 2nd inning grand slam. Please see the appendage on page two for full notes and historical context. Luminaries such as Aaron Judge and A.J. Zapp make an appearance. After last night's game-winning base hit in the eighth inning (2-RBI single), Ford has driven in 10 of the last 12 Rainiers runs.

ET TU BB: Tacoma infielder Cesar Hernandez walked 3x in consecutive games on Thursday and Friday, and has drawn nine walks through the first five games of this homestand. He's already had three 3-BB games this year, is sporting a .457 OBP (16 GP), and leads the Pacific Coast League with 21 walks (by three).

JAY-DED: Tacoma has two players rostered who were once traded 1-for-1 for OF Jay Bruce. On 8/9/17 RHP Ryder Ryan was moved from Cleveland to New York-NL (waiver deadline), going from Class A Lake County (Midwest League) to Class A Columbia (South Atlantic League). On 6/2/19, Seattle traded Bruce and cash to Philadelphia in exchange for INF/OF Jake Scheiner, as Scheiner went from High-A Clearwater (Florida State League) to High-A Modesto (California League). Bruce, 36 and now retired, played in 14 MLB seasons from 2008 through 2021 (CIN, NYM, CLE, SEA, PHI, NYY).

UNI-WATCH: The 2023 Tacoma Rainiers have the following record by uniform top...

R Red (4-3), Home White (4-1), Road Grey (1-0), Navy Blue (0-3), 1960 Fauxback (1-0), La Familia de Tacoma (1-0), Special Auction (0-1).

TODAY: Throwback Weekend concludes with "Northwest Green" jerseys, paying homage to the 1995 Tacoma Rainiers and the first year of the organization's Seattle Mariners affiliation. Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey, Jr. wore this design during a one-game rehab assignment with Tacoma at Cheney Stadium, on 8/13/95 vs. Edmonton; it was both Junior's Triple-A debut, and finale. Griffey went 0-for-3 with a strikeout on his one day as a Rainier.

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