Salt Lake sneaks by Tacoma in the 9th, 3-2

Salt Lake City, UT (5/4/22) – Following a night where the clubs combined for 24 runs and 33 hits, the Tacoma Rainiers (8-18) and Salt Lake Bees (13-13) had only six hits each on Wednesday, as their series was squared at a game apiece. Tacoma’s bad breaks in one-run games (3-7) continued with the 3-2 defeat, as the Rainiers slipped to 3-5 on this season-long 12-game road trip.

The first hit of the game scored the first run of the game, in the third inning for Salt Lake. Michael Stefanic dropped a one-out triple into centerfield, scoring Magneuris Sierra who reached on a fielder’s choice after a leadoff walk.

With Tacoma trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Brian O’Keefe led off with a single, moved to third base on an Erick Mejia base hit, and scored on a Zach Green sac fly to even the score. The Bees took back the lead in the home half however, on a Sierra RBI single.

Rainiers right-hander Darren McCaughan turned in his second quality start of the season: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. Salt Lake lefty Jake Kalish matched him with six complete innings of his own: 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. McCaughan threw 96 pitches and 66 strikes, as neither starter factored into the decision.

In the ninth, Tacoma tied the game for a second time, on Green’s second sac fly. Bees reliever Wander Suero walked Marcus Wilson and O’Keefe to begin the inning, and each moved over on a Mejia groundout. Wilson scored when Green lifted the ball to right, as the Rainiers equaled the score 2-2 without a base hit in the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth Salt Lake struck back, also scoring without a hit to win in walk-off fashion. Kean Wong reached on an error (Green throw, 1B), and scored from second base when Orlando Martinez reached on a miscue as well (Sam Haggerty fielding, 2B). The two errors to end it were the only two errors of an otherwise clean ballgame.

The series will continue on Thursday at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, when Seattle Mariners 40-man roster LHP Nick Margevicius starts for the Rainiers. The Bees will counter with lefty Jhonathan Diaz.

Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto will have full coverage on TacomaRainiers.com. All 2022 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.

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 at WeRTacoma.com, or by following the Rainiers on Twitter (@RainiersLand), Instagram (@tacomarainiers) and liking the team on Facebook.