PCL Tacoma Rainiers

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

Published on May 14, 2022 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (11-23) vs. Reno Aces (16-18)

Saturday, May 14, 2022, 5:05 p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium, Tacoma, WA

RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon (3-1, 4.50) vs. RHP Dan Straily (1-2, 6.43)

WILSON'S WORLD: The Rainiers won consecutive games for the first time this season on Friday, with their second walk-off win (and walk-off homer) of 2022, defeating Reno 8-6 to even this series at two games apeice.

Tacoma had two-out, three-run homers in consecutive innings; Miguel Perez in the third and Marcus Wilson in the fourth. The table was set with a pair of walks on both occasions; with the game tied 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth, Wilson collected his fourth and fifth RBI of the night with his second homer, and with seven on the season, pulled within one of Zach Green for the club lead. It was the third two-homer game and the first five-RBI game for a Rainiers player this season.

Tacoma did not allow a hit after the sixth inning; a Rainiers relief tandem of Patrick Weigel (2.0 IP) and Matt Koch (1.0 IP, win) combined to strike out four over the final three frames.

COULDN'T ROLL ME A SEVEN: Despite the Rainiers winning the division by five games over second-place Reno last season, at 82-121 (.404) since 2009, the Aces are by far Tacoma's worst matchup in that span, since the Reno franchise relocated from Tucson, Arizona following the 2008 season. The Rainiers are 40-42 at home against the Aces all-time.

IT AIN'T EASY BEING...: Tacoma corner INF Zach Green has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games dating to April 24, with five homers, a triple, two doubles, 16 RBI and an .839 OPS (.551 SLG), while scoring 11 times. His eight home runs lead the club, and tie him for fifth-most in the league. Green also has the fifth-most RBI in the PCL, with 26. He has the fourth-most extra-base hits in the league (16), and the sixth-most total bases (66). He's batting .275 since 4/24 and has homered in four of six games.

THE REAL: Rainiers middle infielder and defensive wizard Mason McCoy is on a heater offensively as well; by going 2-for-4 (double, run) on Thursday he extended his on-base streak to 15 games, and he's hit safely in 14 of those contests. His season-long hit streak was also extended to nine, surpassing Zach Green for Tacoma's longest this season. In those 15 games dating to April 20, McCoy is batting .310 (18-for-58), with two homers, eight RBI, five walks, 13 runs scored and three stolen bases. His OPS is .858 (.375/.483) during that stretch.

EXPLORING FOR HITS: Tonight's Tacoma starting pitcher Daniel Ponce de Leon is holding PCL batters to the fourth-lowest average among qualified arms (.204), and is tied for seventh in the league in ERA (4.50) among those qualified. His three winning decisions are one off the league pace (Ryan Feltner, Albuquerque and Cesar Valdez, Salt Lake); the Rainiers are 4-2 this season when Ponce de Leon pitches.

SEA US RISE: With the selection of outfielder and Puget Sound native Steven Souza to Seattle's roster from Tacoma yesterday, it marked the 10th player to wear both a Rainiers and Mariners uniform this season. Last season, 24 players appeared in at least one game for both Seattle and Tacoma. Of the current Mariners 26-man Major League roster, 1B/DH Mike Ford, RHP Penn Murfee, RHP Wyatt Mills, catcher Cal Raleigh and Souza represent recent Rainiers from earlier this season.

R SPEED: The Rainiers have stolen 58 bases in 34 games, and lead all of Triple-A in steals by eight; the Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays) of the International League are second with 50. Caught only 11 times as a club so far, the Rainiers are stealing bases at an 841 .clip, while swiping 1.71 bags per game. Tacoma outfielder Forrest Wall is second in the PCL in steals with 13 (Round Rock's Bubba Thompson has 16); last season, Wall had the third-most steals in the IL with 35, for Buffalo.

Rainiers infielders Sam Haggerty (3rd, 11 SB) and Erick Mejia (T-6th, 8 SB) are on the league leaderboard as well. It's a fast start to the season throughout the organization, as Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez is currently tied with Baltimore's Jorge Mateo for the Major League lead in stolen bases, with 10 entering today.

DARREN MC(K)AUGHAN: Rainiers starter Darren McCaughan's 35 strikeouts tie him for fifth in the PCL among active players (Jared Koenig, Las Vegas, 42), and the right-hander leads the league in innings pitched with 39.1 entering today's action. McCaughan's seven starts thus far tie him for most in the league.

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics

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