Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. El Paso (7:05 p.m.)
July 28, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma Rainiers (40-54) vs. El Paso Chihuahuas (53-42)
Thursday, July 28, 2022, 7:05 p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium: Tacoma, WA
RHP Konner Wade vs. RHP Reiss Knehr
DOG DAYS: This weeklong series is the first - and is 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 before the series ends on Sunday (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.
SPENT A MONTH THERE ONE NIGHT: Due to the new-look, 10-team PCL's unbalanced schedule, Tacoma will not travel to El Paso this season, despite the two being former "Pacific Conference" rivals in the 16-team PCL. The El Paso franchise relocated from Tucson for the 2014 season, and played the Rainiers 16 times each year through 2019, prior to Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minors. Tacoma is 27-27 all-time at El Paso. The Chihuahuas are 30-26 all-time at Cheney Stadium.
"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.
NO PLACE LIKE: 7/12 began a stretch of 12 of 15 and 25 of 34 games at home for the Rainiers. R longest homestand of 2022 will be from August 9-21, 13 games against Las Vegas (DH on 8/13) and Albuquerque. Tacoma is 4-4 against OKC and El Paso at home during this stretch, who currently have the two best records in the PCL.
MIGHT AS WELL BE WALKING ONLY ONE: As five Tacoma pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout on Tuesday, the Rainiers issued only one walk, the fourth time in their last eight games the pitching staff allowed just a single free pass (two BB on 7/23). R pitching has walked a lone batter 18 times this season, but has not had a game with zero walks...twice in this stretch the lone walk came in the ninth inning. Tacoma is top-10 in Triple-A in fewest walks issued, 342 BB over 94 games (3.64 per game).
YOU'VE BEEN WARNER-ED: Since 5/19, Rainiers left-hander Austin Warner has posted a 1.16 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP over 23.1 IP (14 G, 3 GS). Warner has struck out 20 (7 BB) in that span, with a .182 batting average against.
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.
EVERY DAY PATTY: RHP Patrick Weigel's 36 appearances are already three shy of his career-high, lead Tacoma and tie him for fourth-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.
BARRELING UP TO KEL'S KITCHEN: Since being optioned on 5/13, Jarred Kelenic has 64 hits for the Rainiers (.295 AVG) and 34 for extra bases, a staggering 53.1% of his Triple-A hit total this season (123 total bases in 51 GP, .567 SLG).
STEAL A BASE, STEAL A TACO(MA): Tacoma has re-taken the Triple-A lead in stolen bases (120) from Buffalo (118) of the International League. Rainiers outfielder Forrest Wall is third in the Pacific Coast League in steals, with 29.
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 28, 2022
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- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. El Paso (7:05 p.m.) - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 28, 2022 - Oklahoma City Comets
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- Gatewood Has 7 RBI in Bees Blowout - Salt Lake Bees
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- El Paso Holds Off Rainiers - El Paso Chihuahuas
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- Reno's Offense Stymied in a 16-6 Loss to Salt Lake - Reno Aces
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