Tacoma Snaps Brief Losing Streak, Rainiers Hitting and Pitching Shines on 4th of July
July 4, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
The Tacoma Rainiers celebrate at home following a home run
(Tacoma Rainiers, Credit: Jeff Halstead)
TACOMA, WA - Playing their first home game on the 4th of July since 2001, the Rainiers put on a dominant display as they took game four against the Aces, 7-3, on Sunday afternoon at Cheney Stadium. Six Tacoma bullpen pitchers held the volatile Reno offense in check, holding them to three runs and four hits on the day. After scoring four runs over their last two games, the Rainiers bats flipped the narrative as they tallied seven runs, including home run number nine on the season for top prospect Jarred Kelenic.
First baseman José Marmolejos notched Tacoma's (27-23) first hit when he lead off the 2nd inning with a triple to center field. Playing in his first game since June 28, third baseman Ty Kelly opened the scoring as he drove Marmolejos home with a two-out infield single.
Reno (34-18) responded the next half inning as second baseman Camden Duzenack tagged and scored off of center fielder Jake McCarthy's sacrifice fly. The Aces tied the game 1-1, but that would not last long.
Top prospect and center fielder Jarred Kelenic smoked a frozen rope over the right field wall, giving the Rainiers a 2-1 lead that they would not relinquish for the remainder of the ball game.
Aces southpaw Tyler Gilbert (4-2) was pulled with two outs in the 5th as Tacoma added two additional runs via a sacrifice fly from second baseman Donovan Walton and an RBI single from Marmolejos. The Rainiers kept their foot on the gas pedal in the 6th, posting another crooked number on the scoreboard. Shortstop Jack Reinheimer's sacrifice fly knocked in Ty Kelly, while Walton recorded his second and third RBIs on the afternoon with a two-run double.
Reno tacked on two runs in the 9th, but at that point it was too little too late for the Aces as the final score read 7-3 in Tacoma's favor.
Righty Zack Weiss (2-2) earned his second win of the campaign as he pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing one unearned run and a base hit. The entire bullpen was successful in limiting the Reno bats, as the only four hits the Aces tallied were all singles. As a staff, Tacoma struck out eight in the contest.
Kelenic bounced back from his hitless outing Saturday night to go 2-for-4 with a home run, double, two runs, RBI, and a walk in his five plate appearances. Marmolejos also stood out as he went 3-for-3 with a walk, run, and RBI.
The Rainiers will look to keep this momentum going as they square off against the Aces Monday night at Cheney Stadium in the fifth game of their six-game series with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. PT.
Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto will have full coverage on TacomaRainiers.com. All 2021 Rainiers games, home and away, can also be heard for free on the MiLB First Pitch app. HD video broadcasts of every home game can be viewed with an MiLB.TV subscription. (Use code: RAINIERS to save $10 on an annual subscription.)
Images from this story
 The Tacoma Rainiers celebrate at home following a home run (Jeff Halstead) |
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