Ford drives Rainiers to second straight 15-hit performance
Oklahoma City, OK (4/1/23) – The Tacoma Rainiers (1-1) collected 15 hits for a consecutive night to open the new season, despite suffering their first loss of the year, in extra innings. The Oklahoma City Dodgers (1-1) walked it off in the 10th to set up the rare Pacific Coast
Oklahoma City, OK (4/1/23) – The Tacoma Rainiers (1-1) collected 15 hits for a consecutive night to open the new season, despite suffering their first loss of the year, in extra innings. The Oklahoma City Dodgers (1-1) walked it off in the 10th to set up the rare Pacific Coast League rubber match on Sunday afternoon.
Tacoma took the first lead for a consecutive night. When Mason McCoy (SS) led off the third inning with a double, he trotted home on a Mike Ford (DH) RBI double. Jacob Nottingham (C) later drew a bases loaded walk for a 2-0 lead.
OKC rallied for three in the home third; the eight-batter inning included a Luke Williams (SS) RBI triple. Williams has tripled on consecutive nights to open the season.
Trailing 3-2 in the fourth, Kean Wong (2B), McCoy and Zach DeLoach (RF) strung together three straight singles to tie it, with DeLoach driving in the run. The Dodgers again went ahead in the bottom half with three singles of their own (Drew Avans RBI).
The game was re-tied 4-4 in the fifth when Ford connected on his first homer, a majestic 392-foot solo shot pulled to right field.
Rainiers RHP Easton McGee (Seattle 40-man roster) logged 4.1 IP in his Mariners organization debut (88 pitches): 7 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K in a no-decision. McGee was relieved by lefty Tayler Saucedo, the Maple Valley, WA native and Tahoma High School graduate, who pitched his freshman season at Tacoma Community College (2013). Saucedo worked a flawless 1.2 IP and did not allow a base runner (one strikeout).
Ford’s monster night continued in the eighth, when he ripped his fourth hit, a two-out single to left with the bases loaded for a 5-4 lead. Pat Mazeika’s RBI single in the bottom of the eighth tied it once again, 5-5.
Jahmai Jones (2B) pushed across the winning run in the 10th with a two-out RBI single, scoring the automatic runner from third base for the 6-5 final score.
RHP Taylor Dollard is scheduled to make his Triple-A debut on the hill tomorrow for Tacoma. He’ll oppose OKC lefty Robbie Erlin for a 12:05 PT/2:05 CT first pitch at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
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 an MiLB.TV subscription.
About the Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The Rainiers are a member of the Pacific Coast League and have been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the Rainiers moniker in 1995.
The most up-to-date news and notes about the Tacoma Rainiers and Cheney Stadium can be found by following the Rainiers on Twitter (@RainiersLand), Instagram (@tacomarainiers) and liking the team on Facebook.