Rainiers reeling on rough road trip
Oklahoma City, OK (9/12/23) – The Tacoma Rainiers (72-67, 35-29) dropped to 1-6 on their 12-game road trip Tuesday, with a 5-4, series-opening loss in 11 innings to the Oklahoma City Dodgers (85-52, 35-29). The Rainiers have lost seven of eight overall, and with 11 games to play are seeing
Oklahoma City, OK (9/12/23) – The Tacoma Rainiers (72-67, 35-29) dropped to 1-6 on their 12-game road trip Tuesday, with a 5-4, series-opening loss in 11 innings to the Oklahoma City Dodgers (85-52, 35-29). The Rainiers have lost seven of eight overall, and with 11 games to play are seeing their chances at the Pacific Coast League’s lone second half playoff spot dwindle; Tacoma is 3.0 games back of Round Rock and Las Vegas in the second half standings (both 38-26).
Tacoma has lost four straight and has been defeated via walk-off by a single run in four of the six losses on the trip; the Rainiers are 5-20 this season in one-run games on the road (10-5 at home).
The Rainiers scored first on Tuesday though, in the fourth inning on an Isiah Gilliam RBI double ripped down the left field line. Cade Marlowe scored easily after a single and a two-base error. It was 2-0 Tacoma in the fifth, after Pedro Severino (single) eventually scored on a wild pitch.
OKC tied it in the home seventh, when Yonny Hernandez led off with a single and Miguel Vargas smacked his eighth home run in the next at-bat, to the alley in left.
Tacoma lefty Logan Allen logged a season-high 7.0 IP and 97 pitches (61 strikes), the only real blemish the Vargas homer. Allen allowed just three hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four as he retired 21 of 24 batters faced. Both runs against him were earned. Dodgers left-hander Robbie Erlin countered with 6.0 IP (87 pitches): 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K.
Hernandez came up big again in the eighth, and lined a two-out RBI single to center. His second knock of the night gave OKC their first lead, 3-2. In the ninth, the Rainiers were down to their last out with two strikes twice, but Robbie Tenerowicz singled and Riley Unroe – on a check swing – dropped a double down the line in left, scoring pinch runner Connor Hoover all the way from first base, evening the score 3-3 and sending the game to extra frames.
With the bases loaded in the visiting 10th, a Taylor Trammell swinging bunt in front of the plate gave Tacoma back the lead, when Trammell beat the play at first. OKC held serve and beyond however, tying it in the home 10th on a Bryson Brigman single. The Dodgers held the Rainiers scoreless in the 11th, and walked it off with an Oscar Mercado sac fly.
The weeklong series will resume shortly on Wednesday at 12:05 CT, a 10:05 a.m. PT first pitch at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. RHP Adam Oller (Tacoma) and RHP River Ryan (OKC) are the scheduled starting pitchers; Ryan is the younger brother of Tacoma reliever Ryder Ryan, and slated to make his Triple-A debut.
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.