Four-homer Friday
Reno, NV (6/9/23) – The Tacoma Rainiers (30-31) equaled a season-high on Friday by smacking four home runs (third time), slugging their way to a 9-5 win over the Reno Aces (34-27). Tacoma is 2-2 on this road trip, and 8-8 against their division rival this season. The Rainiers went
Reno, NV (6/9/23) – The Tacoma Rainiers (30-31) equaled a season-high on Friday by smacking four home runs (third time), slugging their way to a 9-5 win over the Reno Aces (34-27). Tacoma is 2-2 on this road trip, and 8-8 against their division rival this season.
The Rainiers went ahead 1-0 in the second inning on Brian O’Keefe’s 11th home run, a towering solo shot to straightaway centerfield that traveled an estimated 436 feet over the batter’s eye, the evening’s furthest-traveling baseball. The Aces swiftly tied it in the home second, when Tristin English homered to right field with the bases empty, his fifth.
Tacoma tacked on three runs in the third, with a two-out, nobody on rally. Sam Haggerty got things started with a single, leading to a Taylor Trammell walk and Cade Marlowe’s fourth homer, yanked to right.
Leading 4-1 in the fifth, the Rainiers racked their fourth and fifth homers of the night. Kean Wong (4) pulled a solo shot to right, before Haggerty walked and stole second base. Trammell then homered to right as well, his fourth of the year with Tacoma, and the score was 7-1.
Tacoma improved to 4-0 in starts made by Marcus Walden, since the veteran right-hander debuted as a Rainier on May 23. Walden fired 93 pitches over six complete innings, spinning a quality start by allowing only two (earned) runs on six hits (3 BB, 4 K). Reno righty Slade Cecconi lasted only 4.2 IP, surrendering all four Tacoma homers (5 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 6 K).
The second and third Reno runs both came off the bat of Dbacks prospect Alek Thomas, an RBI single in the fifth and a seventh inning fielder’s choice.
Ahead 7-3 in the eighth, the Rainiers added their eighth run on Wong’s second hit, an RBI single, bringing home Adam Engel, who doubled to left. The final visiting tally of the ballgame scored in the ninth, on a two-out single from Colin Moran, plating Zach DeLoach (double). DeLoach, who walked earlier in the game, has reached base safely in each of his last 25 games; he’s had a hit in 22 of his last 24 outings.
Reno rallied for two runs in the ninth but the threat ended with two left on base; Thomas’s third RBI came on a double, and he scored when 2022 Rainier Kyle Lewis lined a single. Rainiers RHP Riley O’Brien entered to fan the final batter, notching his third save in as many opportunities.
The penultimate game of this weeklong series will be on Saturday at Greater Nevada Field, commencing with a 6:35 PT first pitch. RHP Darren McCaughan is scheduled to start for Tacoma, opposite Reno RHP Bryce Jarvis.
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.
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.