PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. Sacramento (7:05 PT)

Published on September 2, 2022 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


Tacoma Rainiers (58-68) vs. Sacramento River Cats (57-69)

Friday, September 2, 2022, 7:05 p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium: Tacoma, WA

LHP Roenis Elias vs. RHP Ronnie Williams

TURN-R-OUND: Tacoma began this season 9-23 (through May 11), but is 49-45 since. The Rainiers' low-water mark was 16 games under .500 at 28-44 on June 28. They're 30-24 since, 20-17 post-break and 28-24 in the second half.

TAMED: Tacoma is 28-17 against the River Cats dating to the beginning of last season, and have won 17 of their last 27 games against Sacramento at Cheney Stadium. Triple-A clubs from Tacoma and Sacramento first played in 1960; the Tacoma Giants and Sacramento Solons, who were affiliated with the Milwaukee Braves. The Triple-A Giants (81-73) went 13-9 against Sacramento (73-81) during Tacoma's inaugural Pacific Coast League season.

WHITE, OUT: After two homers on Wednesday, Tacoma first baseman Evan White has gone deep six times in 14 games dating to August 10. His OPS is 1.146 in that span (57 PA) while slugging .760 (.386 OBP)...13 RBI...10 runs scored. White is 15-for-50 (.300) during this stretch, with 11 of those hits going for extra bases.

MEJIA MASH: Rainiers INF/OF Erick Mejia has hit safely in 17 of his last 19 games. Mejia compiled the second-longest hit streak for Tacoma this season, 12 games from August 4-21 and has hit safely in five of six dating to August 25; only Jarred Kelenic (13 games, May 24-June 8) has had a longer streak. In his last 21 games played, Mejia is batting .296...6 XBH (2 HR, 2 3B, 2 2B)...7 RBI...14 runs scored. The Rainiers are 13-8 in the last 21 games Mejia has appeared in.

BIG WILLY STYLE: Since right-handed reliever Taylor Williams joined the Mariners org for a second time from San Francisco/Sacramento on July 22, he's worked 13 scoreless outings in 14 for Tacoma: 15.1 IP, 12 H (.222 BAA), 2 ER (1.17) with four walks and 17 strikeouts. His strikeout rate is 28.3% (60 batters faced).

THE O'B RELIEVER: Rainiers RHP Riley O'Brien (Seattle-born, Shorewood High School) has struck out 40.5% of batters faced over his last seven appearances (10.1 IP); he's K'd 17 of the last 42 hitters he's faced.

DEFENDERS OF THE DIAMOND: The Rainiers have committed the fewest errors in the PCL entering today's action (65), and the second-fewest in Triple-A (Nashville, 63). Tacoma is tied with Nashville at a .986 fielding percentage.

FELINE FRENEMIES: A flurry of transactions between the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners this season have seen infielders Alex Blandino (trade), Mike Ford (trade/waivers), Kevin Padlo (waivers) and Donovan Walton (trade) all suit up for both Sacramento and Tacoma this season, but none are currently rostered by either club. The River Cats did have catcher Andrew Knapp until his MLB promotion on Wednesday (started 19 games for Tacoma earlier this season before being selected by Seattle on June 27 and DFA on July 9). LHP Aaron Fletcher, a member of the 2021 Triple-A West Champion Tacoma Rainiers, has pitched in seven games out of the Sacramento bullpen.

Sacramento Manager Dave Brundage led the Rainiers for one season, skippering a 74-70 campaign in 2006. On Tacoma's active roster, former River Cats include LHPs Fernando Abad (2019) and Tommy Milone (2014), infielder Zach Green (2019) and RHP Taylor Williams (2022). Milone pitched for Sacramento during their Oakland Athletics affiliation.

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics

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