Rainiers drop series opener to River Cats

Tacoma, WA (5/30/23) – The Tacoma Rainiers (25-27) held the Sacramento River Cats (24-28) below their season scoring average of 5.33 runs, but the bats could not do enough, leading to a 4-1 loss on Tuesday at Cheney Stadium. Tacoma scored a run in the ninth inning to avoid the shutout and remain the only PCL West Division team yet to go scoreless in a game this year.

The River Cats struck early, hitting three singles and then drawing a bases-loaded walk in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Rainiers pitcher Ryder Ryan limited the damage in the opening frame, retiring three straight batters to get out of the jam and keep it a one-run deficit. Ryan opened the game in place of scheduled starter Darren McCaughan, who was called up to Seattle just hours before first pitch.

In what became a bullpen game because of McCaughan’s absence, Tacoma pitchers put on a clinic of pitching with runners on the base paths. In the first three innings, Sacramento had eight hits but only the one run to show for it. Ryan and lefty Rob Kaminsky (2.0 IP, 0 R) recorded eight of the first nine outs with runners on, including an inning-ending double play in the second. The Rainiers used seven pitchers total, with Nolan Blackwood (1.0 IP) and southpaw Blake Weiman (1.0 IP, 1 K) also contributing scoreless outings.

Sacramento padded their lead in the fifth inning, scoring two runs off a double from Ricardo Genoves to make it 3-0, and added an insurance run in the ninth.

New faces made strong first impressions for the Rainiers. Adam Engel, who was signed on Tuesday, had two of Tacoma’s three hits, and the rehabbing Andres Munoz, making his first Tacoma appearance since 2021, struck out two River Cats in a scoreless inning of work.

Zach DeLoach lost his 14-game hit streak, but extended his on-base streak to 16 games with an eighth inning walk. A Mason McCoy double and Cesar Hernandez RBI single accounted for the only Rainiers run, in the final frame.

3,608 fans attended the game, pushing Tacoma over 100,000 in home attendance on the season.

The Rainiers just started the second series in a 12-game homestand at Cheney Stadium. Game two of the series and eight of the homestand will be on Wednesday against Sacramento, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. PT. Tacoma’s starting pitcher will be LHP Tommy Milone. RHP Sean Hjelle is scheduled to start for the River Cats.

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.