Rainiers stop skid in Round Rock on Saturday, 13-10 in extras

Round Rock, TX (9/25/21) – The Triple-A West Champion Tacoma Rainiers scored their first eight runs with two out on Saturday during a 13-10 win over the Round Rock Express (63-59, 2-1), and 12 of their 13 runs total crossed with two away. The victory improved Tacoma to 74-49 this season, and 1-2 during the Triple-A Final Stretch.

The Rainiers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, after Jose Marmolejos led off with a walk. With two down, Dillon Thomas crushed his 11th homer this season, to right-center.

Round Rock rallied for one run in the home second though (Davis Wendzel double) and two more in the third (Domingo Leyba two-run double), going in front 3-2.

The Express lead was brief however, as Tacoma sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth, and got five hits with two out to take an 8-3 lead with the aid of two Round Rock errors. Thomas (two-run single), Alen Hanson (RBI double), Donovan Walton (RBI single) and Jantzen Witte (RBI double) drove in runs.

It was 8-4 when Wendzel led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot, his first Triple-A homer. A Josh Jung RBI single in the fifth trimmed Tacoma’s lead to three runs. The Rainiers went back up by four when Witte led the visiting seventh with his 18th homer, an extension of his career-high number (left-center).

Tacoma starter Darren McCaughan scattered eight hits and five (earned) runs over six innings, but avoided any major damage relative to the score. The right-hander struck out seven, and did not walk a batter.

Leyba continued to be a problem into the seventh, ripping his second homer of the series, this one for three-runs, drawing Round Rock within a run at 9-8. The Express tied it an inning later, when Jack Kruger tripled with a man on first base. The ninth inning was one of two in regulation without a run scored (sixth), and the contest headed to extras.

In the 10th, Tacoma compiled four RBI singles with two down (Jose Godoy, Hanson, Luis Liberato and Walton), surging ahead 13-9. In the bottom half, lefty Daniel Zamora allowed only the automatic runner at second base to score (unearned run), the game’s final tally.

Game 10 of this 11-game Texas road trip, and game four of the Triple-A Final Stretch will be on Sunday at Round Rock, a 4:05 PT first pitch. RHP Logan Verrett (Tacoma) and RHP David Kubiak (Round Rock) are the scheduled starting pitchers.

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.

About the Tacoma Rainiers

The Tacoma Rainiers are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The Rainiers are a member of Triple-A West. Tacoma has been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the Rainiers moniker in 1995.

Single-game tickets for all remaining 2021 Rainiers home games are now available. Questions regarding season tickets can be directed to [email protected].

The most up-to-date news and notes about the Tacoma Rainiers and Cheney Stadium can be found at WeRTacoma.com, or by following the Rainiers on Twitter (@RainiersLand), Instagram (@tacomarainiers) and liking the team on Facebook.