Vegas slugs way to doubleheader sweep on Saturday

Tacoma, WA (8/13/22) –The Tacoma Rainiers (49-61) were swept in a doubleheader at Cheney Stadium by the Las Vegas Aviators (55-55) on Saturday afternoon/evening, by final scores of 9-4 and 5-3. The single-admission double-dip made up a May 28 rainout. All Rainiers runs were scored via home run in both games (seven innings apiece).

A bright spot was the 2022 season debut of LHP Matthew Boyd for Tacoma on an MLB rehab assignment. Acquired at the trade deadline from San Francisco despite not having pitched this year, Boyd tossed a perfect seventh inning in game one of the twin-bill, his Mariners organization debut as well. He struck out two swinging, before a groundout to end the frame.

Game 1
Las Vegas began the second inning with three consecutive hits, punctuated by Billy McKinney’s three-run homer to right field, his ninth of the season. In the home second, Drew Ellis lofted his sixth home run with Tacoma to left, making the score 3-1.

It was 4-1 in the fourth when McKinney hit his second homer, a solo shot with one out. Vegas extended the league to 6-1 in the fifth; A’s top catching prospect Shea Langeliers singled to lead off, before Dermis Garcia hit his 10th home run, to left. An RBI fielder’s choice later in the fifth made it 7-1 visitors, and then Tacoma native Nate Mondou scorched an RBI double into the right field corner, capping an eight-batter inning.

Mason McCoy stroked a three-run homer to left in the home fifth, his 12th. Ellis (walk) and Forrest Wall (single) were on base. Las Vegas led 9-4 with a second RBI FC in the sixth, rounding out the early game scoring.

Aviators right-hander Adrian Martinez tossed a complete game in victory: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 K.

Game 2
Las Vegas resumed the onslaught early on in the night cap. In plating five runs over the first two innings, Luis Barrera tripled and scored, and Beau Taylor and Garcia each had RBI singles.

Zach Green had the Rainiers on the board in the fourth, with his club-leading 17th homer of the season, a solo shot to left. Two batters later the Aviators lead was trimmed to three runs, after Joe Odom hit a 431-foot bomb off the video board in left-center, his 10th home run and the first time in his career he’s hit double-digits in a season. Wall joined the solo shot parade in the fifth, yanking a 420-foot tape measure to right, his sixth. The score was 5-3, but it was all Tacoma could muster.

The finale of the weeklong series will be on Sunday afternoon, a 1:35 PT first pitch at Cheney Stadium. RHP Konner Wade will start for Tacoma in an attempt to halt a three-game losing streak, opposite RHP Parker Dunshee for Las Vegas.

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.