Tacoma Starts Second Half With Another Comeback Win Brian O'Keefe
June 28, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma Rainiers' Brian O'Keefe at bat
(Tacoma Rainiers, Credit: Jeff Halstead)
Tacoma, WA- The Tacoma Rainiers (38-38, 1-0) started off strong in the second half of the season with an 11-6 comeback win over the Salt Lake Bees (37-38, 0-1) at Cheney Stadium on Wednesday. The Rainiers erased an early 4-run deficit to record their 20th come from behind win this season.
The Bees stung early, as Daniel Murphy hit a 3-run homer in the first inning to score Jordyn Adams (2B) and Jo Adell (BB) to get Salt Lake a 3-0 lead.
The Rainiers started to chip into that lead in the home half of the first frame with an RBI double from Brian O'Keefe to score Cade Marlowe (BB). Marlowe stole his 16th base of the season, which is third-most for Tacoma (Mason McCoy 19 SB, Cooper Hummel 18 SB), to put himself in scoring position with O'Keefe at the plate.
Salt Lake added a run in the third inning to get their lead up to three runs, but the Rainiers kept themselves within striking distance. With Taylor Trammel and Jake Scheiner in scoring position in the fourth frame, Adam Engel laced a 2-RBI single to cut the deficit to one run and put the score at 4-3.
Tacoma took its first lead of the game off a 2-run shot from O'Keefe in the fifth inning, plating Marlowe (1B) and putting the Rainiers up 5-4. O'Keefe has a homer in three straight games and is hitting .429 (6-for-14) during that stretch. Pat Valaika kept it going for Tacoma with a bases loaded, 2-RBI single in the sixth inning, which ended up clearing the bags as Adam Engel scored on the throw back to the infield to get the lead up to four.
Jake Scheiner (3-run HR) and Jake Lamb (2-run HR) traded home runs in the eighth inning to get to the final score of 11-6.
Stephen Kolek, Blake Weiman, Diego Castillo and Taylor Williams all came out of the bullpen to lock down the game for Tacoma. The four relievers did not give up any earned runs across 5.1 IP as Kolek was credited with the win.
The Rainiers had two extra-base hits with runners in scoring position on Wednesday, continuing a strong season in that department. Tacoma's .919 OPS and .408 OBP in such situations are both second best in Triple-A.
The Rainiers play their second game of the second half against Salt Lake at Cheney Stadium on Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Tacoma's starting pitcher will be RHP Darren McCaughan. RHP Chase Silseth is scheduled to start for the Bees.
Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto will have full coverage on TacomaRainiers.com. All 2023 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 a MiLB.TV subscription.
Images from this story
 Tacoma Rainiers' Brian O'Keefe at bat (Jeff Halstead) |
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