Rainiers draw low card in Reno opener
Reno, NV (6/6/23) – In their third chance to claw back to .500 since May 25, the Tacoma Rainiers (28-30) fell short again with a 12-5 setback to the Reno Aces (33-25) in Tuesday’s series opener. The Rainiers piled up 11 walks and nine hits, but left 14 on base;
Reno, NV (6/6/23) – In their third chance to claw back to .500 since May 25, the Tacoma Rainiers (28-30) fell short again with a 12-5 setback to the Reno Aces (33-25) in Tuesday’s series opener. The Rainiers piled up 11 walks and nine hits, but left 14 on base; they were a walk shy of a season-high. Tacoma slipped to 6-7 against their division rival this season.
A P.J. Higgins sac fly put Reno ahead 1-0 in the first inning. It was 2-0 in the second after Diego Castillo doubled and stole third base. Castillo scored on another sac fly, this time by former Rainier Jake Hager.
Jake Scheiner tied the game 2-2 with his first career Triple-A triple in the fifth, mashed 364 feet to the opposite field in right-center. Cooper Hummel and Brian O’Keefe each scored after singles. Scheiner and Hummel each had two hits.
Reno rallied back for three runs in the home fifth. The Aces accumulated four hits and a walk; Carson Kelly and Dominic Canzone each had RBI doubles in the frame.
Left-hander Kyle Hart was solid in his Tacoma and PCL debut, on a pitch count in only his second appearance this season. He allowed two earned runs over 4.0 IP and 69 pitches. Hart’s southpaw counterpart Konnor Pilkington worked five innings for Reno, also letting up two ER on seven hits (86 pitches).
The Aces tacked on two more in the sixth. Castillo doubled, and Hager and Dominic Fletcher (RBI) singled. Fletcher later scored on a Kelly sac fly, Reno’s third of the night. Fletcher ended the night with a game-high four hits.
Tacoma trimmed the lead to 7-5 in the seventh with three runs…on one hit. The knock was Cooper Hummel’s second homer in four games, his first against his former club. The leadoff solo shot preceded five consecutive two-out walks by suddenly wild Reno relievers, forcing in two runs.
Reno put it away for good with five in the bottom of the seventh, on five hits. Canzone’s second double scored a run, a Hager single plated two. Arizona Diamondbacks top prospect Alek Thomas also had an RBI base hit in the inning (3 H, 2 RBI).
Rainiers right fielder Zach DeLoach extended his on base safely streak to 22 games, with a walk and a single.
The second contest of this weeklong series is scheduled begin with a 6:35 p.m. PT first pitch on Wednesday at Greater Nevada Field. RHP Konner Wade will start for Tacoma, against Reno RHP Brandon Pfaadt.
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.