Tacoma cruises past Albuquerque in series opener

Tacoma, WA (8/16/22) – The Tacoma Rainiers (51-61) defeated the Albuquerque Isotopes (50-61) 8-4 on Tuesday afternoon in front of 6,066 faithful at Cheney Stadium. The Rainiers slugged four home runs en route to their 14th series opening win this season. All together the teams combined for six homers, which accounted for nine of the total runs scored in the game.

The Isotopes got to Rainiers RHP Chris Mazza immediately. In the top of the first, Ryan Vilade and Carlos Perez reached on walks, setting the stage for Albuquerque right fielder Michael Toglia. Toglia, a Gig Harbor native who celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, blasted a ball over the wall in right for a three-run home run.

Tacoma and Albuquerque traded homers in the second and third. In the bottom of the second, after Rainiers designated hitter Erick Mejia led off the frame with a walk, Mason McCoy slugged an opposite-field homer to right, bringing the Rainiers within one. However, the Isotopes responded in the third. Left fielder Sean Bouchard took Mazza deep to left, making it a 4-2 game. Jarred Kelenic single handedly got the run back in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot of his own, cutting the deficit to one.

The Rainiers took the lead with solo shots in the fourth and fifth. With two out in the fourth, Derek Hill crushed a ball over the wall in left, good for his first homer as a member of Tacoma. Then, Evan White hammered the first pitch of the fifth inning for a home run, giving the Rainiers a 5-4 lead. The longball was White’s third in his last five games.

After the explosive early innings, the end of the game was uncharacteristically quiet until the eighth inning. In the bottom of the frame, with Kelenic and Drew Ellis on (both walks) and two out, Mason McCoy ripped a double down the line in left, scoring Kelenic. Hill then drove in Ellis and McCoy on a double of his own, increasing Tacoma’s lead to four.

On the other side of the ball, the Rainiers bullpen continued their usual dominance. LHP Matthew Boyd, RHP Phillips Valdez and RHP Taylor Williams threw scoreless sixth, seventh and eighth innings, surrendering a combined three baserunners while striking out three. LHP Nick Ramirez threw a perfect ninth to secure the 8-4 Rainiers victory, his ninth straight appearance without allowing a run.

The second game of the series will be played on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. PT at Cheney Stadium. Tacoma RHP Darren McCaughan makes his 22nd start of the season (second in the Pacific Coast League) and is set to face RHP Brandon Gold for Albuquerque.

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 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.