Rainiers rally with three bombs in the eighth, cage the Cats

Tacoma, WA (7/27/21) – The Tacoma Rainiers (39-33) returned to their high-water mark of six games over .500 on Tuesday evening at Cheney Stadium, by unleashing a barrage of three home runs in the eighth inning to defeat the unsuspecting Sacramento River Cats (30-42) by a 6-4 final in the series finale. Taylor Trammell’s game-winning, three-run shot with two out sent the home crowd into a frenzy as the Rainiers concluded their longest homestand of 2021 at 8-6.

A pair of Giants MLB rehabbers batting 2-3 jumped on the Rainiers in the first inning; Tommy La Stella walked and moved over on a Jaylin Davis single, before each scored on a two-run double by San Francisco top prospect Heliot Ramos, his first Triple-A RBI.

Tacoma got one back in the second, when Dillon Thomas led off with a rocket of a home run to right field, his ninth of the season.

Still leading 2-1 in the seventh, Sacramento scored twice with a pair of unearned runs (passed balls).

River Cats right-hander Gerson Garabito spun a quality start, despite striking out only one. He pitched six innings, the only run on the Thomas homer, and otherwise scattered four hits and four walks.

Trailing 4-1 in the eighth, Wyatt Mathisen tightened things up with his second homer as a member of the Rainiers, an opposite field solo shot to begin the inning. Jack Reinheimer (one out) and Thomas (two outs) managed to work walks, setting the table for Trammell, who promptly drilled a three-run homer to left-center, his eighth with Tacoma this season, putting the Rainiers ahead for the first time all night, and for good, 5-4. Brian O’Keefe then homered to left a batter later after a Sacramento pitching change, marking the fifth time this year the Rainiers have hit back-to-back homers, and the second time Trammell has been involved.

In a bullpen affair for the Rainiers, Tacoma used seven arms, and Darin Gillies (1.2 IP), Yohan Ramirez, Williams Jerez, and Taylor Guerrieri (win, 3-1) each tossed scoreless frames, with Aaron Fletcher earning his second save in the ninth, working around a one-out single to end the game with a strikeout and a pop out.

Tacoma will next be in action on Thursday following an off day, beginning at 12-game road trip at Las Vegas. Scheduled starters are RHP Penn Murfee for the Rainiers, against RHP Miguel Romero.

Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto will have full coverage on TacomaRainiers.com. All 2021 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 an MiLB.TV subscription. (Use code: RAINIERS to save $10 on an annual subscription.

About the Tacoma Rainiers

The Tacoma Rainiers are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The Rainiers are a member of Triple-A West. Tacoma has been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the Rainiers moniker in 1995.

Single-game tickets for all remaining 2021 Rainiers home games are now available. Questions regarding season tickets can be directed to [email protected].

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.