BRIAN O'THREEFE:  R catcher hits 3 homers, game-winning single in 10th

Tacoma, WA (7/2/22) – The Tacoma Rainiers (31-45) defeated the Salt Lake Bees (36-41) 5-4 in 10 innings on Saturday night at Cheney Stadium, walking-off in extras for the third time in four games. Catcher Brian O’Keefe played hero, driving in all five runs for the Rainiers, who already have seven home wins in their final at-bat this season. With the first three-home run game of his career, O’Keefe registered the sixth four-hit game for Tacoma of 2022. O’Keefe had most recently hit multiple homers in a game on September 16 of last season at El Paso, for Tacoma.

The Rainiers, who had not scored before the fifth inning in any of the previous four games of this series against the Bees, got off to an early 2-0 lead in the first. Alex Blandino reached on a double and two batters later, O’Keefe hit a no-doubt homer to left (108.4 mph exit velocity).

Salt Lake responded immediately. In the away second, Jake Gatewood lined a shot over the wall in right off RHP Darren McCaughan, bringing the Bees within one. In the third, Salt Lake outfielder Jo Adell doubled, scoring Kean Wong and Jack Mayfield. Dillon Thomas then singled to left, bringing in Adell and giving the visitors a 4-2 lead. McCaughan settled down quickly, retiring nine of the final 10 men he faced. He went six innings, surrendering four (earned) runs on seven hits while striking out seven (1 BB).

Tacoma got one back in the sixth. O’Keefe crushed another homer to left (106.6 mph exit velocity, 436 feet), snapping a Rainiers hitless streak at the hands of Salt Lake starter Cesar Valdez that went back to O’Keefe’s first home run. Valdez matched McCaughan’s six strong innings, allowing three (earned) runs on only three hits (4 BB, 5 K).

O’Keefe’s career night continued in the eighth however, when he smashed a solo shot to right for his third home run, tying the game 4-4. It was O’Keefe’s 10th dinger of the year (in 39 games, returned from a hamate bone injury on 4/27), and his fifth in four games. Saturday was the first three-homer game by a Rainiers batter since Justin Ruggiano went deep thrice on June 27, 2015 against El Paso, also at Cheney Stadium in a 14-4 win. O’Keefe has reached base safely in 34 of the 39 games he’s played this season, and is batting .304 with a .988 OPS.

The Rainiers bullpen held the Bees scoreless in the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th innings. The combination of LHP Nick Margevicius, RHP Patrick Weigel, RHP Matt Brash and RHP Matt Koch (stranded auto-runner in 10th) allowed only two hits and struck out eight over the four frames, holding the game at 4-4.

In the home 10th, with Jarred Kelenic (auto-runner) on third base and two out, O’Keefe lined a single up the middle, winning the game 5-4 and sending the 5,312 fans in attendance home with an early celebration on this holiday weekend.

Tacoma and Salt Lake will conclude the series on Sunday at 6:05 p.m. PT at Cheney Stadium. Rainiers RHP Konner Wade will face LHP Kenny Rosenberg on the hill, as Tacoma (ahead 3-2) strives for a series win.

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.