Late homer sinks Tacoma

West Sacramento, CA (7/20/23) – The Tacoma Rainiers (46-47, 9-9) lost for the first time on this road trip (2-1) on Thursday evening, by an 8-5 final to the homestanding Sacramento River Cats (41-51, 7-11). SAC snapped a season-worst seven-game losing streak with a tie-breaking three-run homer by Isan Diaz, during a five-hit eighth inning.

TACOMA MULTI-HIT: CF Taylor Trammell (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R), RF Zach DeLoach (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, R, BB)
TACOMA STARTING PITCHER: LHP Kyle Hart (3.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR)

SACRAMENTO MULTI-HIT: 3B Tyler Fitzgerald (3-for-4, 2 2B, R, BB), RF Heliot Ramos (3-for-4, 3B, 2B, RBI, 2 R), 1B Armando Alvarez (3-for-4, 2 RBI, R)
SACRAMENTO HOME RUNS: CF Bryce Johnson (5, solo, 1^st inning), PH Isan Diaz (6, 3-run, 8^th inning, game-winner)
SACRAMENTO STARTING PITCHER: RHP Sean Hjelle (5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR)

But wait, there’s more:

• Sacramento starter Sean Hjelle retired 10 straight batters between the second and fifth innings, and River Cats pitching set down 12 straight Rainiers through two out in the sixth.
• Rainiers reliever Logan S. Allen retired all six batters he faced in the fourth and fifth innings (2 K), and has logged 5.2 scoreless IP over two appearances since joining Tacoma (1 H, 3 BB, 6 K).
• Tacoma lefty Blake Weiman worked an 11^th consecutive scoreless outing (0.2 IP), and is on a streak of 13.2 scoreless IP with only one walk and 13 strikeouts.
• Rainiers utility man Mark Mathias (DH) had his current club-long seven-game hit streak end (0-for-4), following a 4-for-5 afternoon on Wednesday.

This weeklong series will continue with game four on Friday at Sutter Health Park. RHP Marcus Walden will toe the rubber for Tacoma, opposite Sacramento RHP Kai-Wei Teng. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PT.

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.