PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. Reno (5:05 PT DH)

Published on April 7, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


SEEING IT: Last season the Rainiers walloped a franchise-record 216 home runs, and are off to a similar start in 2023 despite the chilly weather and without yet playing a game at high altitude. Tacoma's 11 homers trailed only Norfolk (12) of the International League among Triple-A clubs after five games.

Catcher Brian O'Keefe (1.913 OPS) has homered 4x in three games and 1B/DH Mike Ford (1.382 OPS) had homered in three consecutive games Saturday-Tuesday. O'Keefe and Las Vegas's Kevin Smith stood atop the PCL's early homer leaderboard with four after five games; O'Keefe, Ford and Smith were equal atop the league in RBI (11) through five. If O'Keefe goes deep in his next game, he'll be the first to homer in four straight GP for Tacoma since Kevin Padlo from Sept. 5-13, 2021, around a call-up to Seattle.

DAILY DOUBLE (DIGIT RUNS): The Rainiers have scored 52 runs in five games, and lead Triple-A with a robust .472 OBP, thanks to 44 walks drawn. Only El Paso (SDP) had worked more free passes (45) thus far among Triple-A clubs, but their second-place OBP was 36 points behind on Thursday (.436). Tacoma has connected on four 3-run homers in two games to begin this homestand (O'Keefe x2, Ford, Moran).

BLING, BLING: Tacoma's 2023 home schedule commences with a matchup of the two most recent Pacific Coast League Champions. In 2021, the Rainiers were crowned champs via best regular season record, with the playoffs cancelled due to a delayed start to the season (May 4, COVID-19 pandemic). Last year, Reno won the West Division and defeated El Paso 6-2 for the league title (one-game playoff), before falling 10-6 to Durham (International League) in the Triple-A National Championship Game (both games at Las Vegas).

MAKE IT A DOUBLE: During Wednesday's first shutout victory of 2023 (12-0), the Rainiers turned four double plays against Reno, all involving an up the middle duo of Mason McCoy (SS) and Kean Wong (2B). It equaled last season's DP-high; Tacoma also turned four in a 9-1 home win at Cheney Stadium on 8/14/22 vs. Las Vegas.

"RUN" IT BACK: A season ago, Tacoma led all of Triple-A Baseball in stolen bases (by 13), with a franchise record 205. Through the first five games of this campaign, the Rainiers led the PCL once again with nine swipes (tied with Las Vegas). Jose Caballero (3), Delino DeShields (2), Zach DeLoach, Cesar Hernandez, Mason McCoy and Evan White have the early pilfers. Tacoma has been caught 3x.

R SPECIAL SAUCE: With 1.2 perfect IP of relief on Saturday at OKC and another scoreless inning on Wednesday vs. Reno, lefty reliever and local product Tayler Saucedo has now pitched for both Tacoma Community College and the Tacoma Rainiers. Saucedo spent his freshman season at TCC (2013), a Maple Valley native and graduate of Tahoma High School. He had 33 MLB appearances with Toronto in 2021 and '22.

SEA US RISE: On the respective second and third day of each club's season Saturday, left-handed reliever Gabe Speier was recalled and became the first Tacoma to Seattle promotion of 2023. Last season, 29 players were moved to the Mariners from the Rainiers in some fashion, beginning with RHP Matt Koch on April 13, and ending with catcher Brian O'Keefe on Sept. 30. Speier has not yet pitched for Tacoma.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 7, 2023


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