MEJIA VU: Rainiers walk off again in extras

Tacoma, WA (6/30/22) – The Tacoma Rainiers (30-44) walked off the Salt Lake Bees (35-40) for a second straight night on Thursday at Cheney Stadium, a 5-4 final score in 10 innings. Tacoma has taken a 2-1 lead in the weeklong series through Sunday.

It was the second consecutive game with Erick Mejia at the plate for a walk-off win in extras, after his 12th inning sac fly on Wednesday beat Salt Lake 6-5. It was also the third straight Tacoma walk-off win with Mejia at-bat to end it; his RBI single in the bottom of the ninth on June 12 vs. Round Rock won it 6-5 for the Rainiers on that day as well. Thursday marked the halfway point of the Triple-A season, and Tacoma already has six wins by walk-off at Cheney in 2022.

Salt Lake took the lead in the first inning with a one-out single from Jose Rojas that scored Michael Stefanic, who doubled for the Bees’ first hit.

In the fourth Salt Lake added on with a two-run homer by Jake Gatewood (4), with Magneuris Sierra (fielder’s choice) on base, extending the Bees lead to 3-0.

Salt Lake tacked on another in the sixth on two hits. Chad Wallach was thrown out at second base trying to extend a single, and Sierra followed up with a single of his own. Sierra stole second base and third, eventually scoring on a ball to the backstop, extending the visitor lead to 4-0.

Tacoma would find some offense against Bees starter Mike Mayers in the sixth. A leadoff walk and a Jarred Kelenic one-out double put two runners in scoring position. With a sac fly, Alex Blandino drove in the first run of the game for the Rainiers (Trey Amburgey, BB). Kelenic came across the plate for the second Rainiers run on a strikeout/wild pitch, and the Bees’ lead was cut in half, 4-2, after six innings.

The Rainiers would wait until the ninth inning to get back on the scoreboard, but they did it in style. Mejia curved his 10th homer of the year just inside the right field foul pole, shrinking the Salt Lake lead to one. Immediately following, Brian O’Keefe would copy his teammate with a homer of his own to right; his seventh tied the game 4-4. It was the sixth time the Rainiers have hit back-to-back round trippers this season, and the second time Mejia and O’Keefe have teamed up to do so (May 24 at home vs. Las Vegas).

In extras, Rainiers RHP Matt Koch stranded the free runner on second base in the 10th and worked a scoreless inning with a strikeout. In the home 10th, Kelenic and Blandino began the inning by loading the bases on a pair of walks. The winning run would score off the bat of Mejia, after Bees pitcher Brian Moran couldn’t handle a ground ball tapped back to the mound (E1), which allowed Mason McCoy (auto runner) to cross the plate.

Tacoma will battle the Bees again on Friday, a 7:05 p.m. PT first pitch at Cheney Stadium. RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon will take the ball for the Rainiers, and Federal Way, WA native Janson Junk (RHP) will pitch for Salt Lake.

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.