Road woes continue in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT (9/9/23) – The Tacoma Rainiers (72-65, 35-27) lost for the fifth time in six games and dropped to 1-4 on this road trip, after being walked off for a second time during their weeklong series with the Salt Lake Bees (63-73, 26-36) on Saturday (5-4 final). Tacoma’s struggles in one-run games on the road continued; they’re 5-18 in such contests this season (10-5 in one-run games at home).

The Bees took the first lead in the first inning, when Zach Neto and Michael Stefanic (RBI) opened the game with back-to-back doubles. Tacoma went ahead 3-1 in the third, after Pedro Severino walked and Ryan Bliss extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single. Jarred Kelenic (MLB rehab) singled to right scoring Severino, and both Bliss and Kelenic scored on a Cooper Hummel two-RBI single to center. Hummel has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, and reached base three times on Saturday (2 BB).

In the fifth, Neto lifted his second homer with Salt Lake, a two-run shot to left that tied the game 3-3 (Jose Gomez single). The Rainiers went back in front in the sixth, on a Robbie Tenerowicz RBI single to left; Adam Engel scored after doubling to right a batter earlier. Tenerowicz had a game-high three hits, his third effort of three or more hits at Triple-A in 2023.

LHP Kyle Hart logged a quality start for Tacoma, tossing 101 pitches (62 strikes) over six complete innings. Hart struck out five and walked only one, the three runs against him were earned. RHP Robinson Pina went 5.0 IP (85 pitches) for the Bees: 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K.

Salt Lake tied it and won it with a run in the eighth and ninth. With two out and the bases empty in the eighth, the rally started with a Livan Soto single, and he scored all the way from first base when Zach Humphreys gapped a double. In the ninth, Jared Oliva led off with an infield single and moved to second on a sac bunt. With two down, Stefanic drove in his second run of the night with a drive to the right field wall, easily scoring Oliva to walk it off by a 5-4 final. Oliva joined Stefanic and Neto with multiple hits for the home side.

The weeklong series will conclude on Sunday, as the Rainiers complete the first half of this 12-game road trip. Lefty Tommy Milone is scheduled to start for Tacoma, against Salt Lake RHP Carson Fulmer. It’ll be a 12:05 PT/1:05 MT first pitch at Smith’s Ballpark.

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.