Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. El Paso (7:05 PT)
April 20, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
Tacoma Rainiers (9-7) vs. El Paso Chihuahuas (6-11)
Thursday, April 20, 2023, 7:05p.m. PT | Cheney Stadium: Tacoma, WA
Rainiers Bullpen vs. RHP Angel Sanchez
WALKING DOGS: The Chihuahuas and Rainiers have drawn a combined *41* walks through the first two games of this series. (Editor's note: Temps have mostly been in the 40s during game play, not exactly conducive to grip/control.)
While a notable number, perhaps not a total surprise, considering the clubs entered this weeklong set as the two "walkingest" teams in Triple-A; El Paso and Tacoma have drawn 110 and 100 free passes respectively, with the Rainiers having played one fewer game. Tuesday's series-opening 11-7 Tacoma win (25 total BB) was their longest nine-inning game this season, at 3:08-shout out to the pitch clock.
EVE-R-Y DAY PLAYERS: INF/OF Jake Scheiner (.897 OPS) and INF Mason McCoy (.864 OPS) remain the only Rainiers to have played in all 16 games entering today's action (started and finished all games). Scheiner and Brian O'Keefe are equal for the club lead in homers (6), tying them for fifth in the PCL.
FRENEMIES: The El Paso Chihuahuas' roster has several names that could make fans double-take this week at Cheney Stadium. Five current/recent Chihuahuas are former Rainiers; UTIL Tim Lopes (95 G, 2019), RHP Domingo Tapia (5 G, 2021) and three players who ended the 2021 season with the PCL Champion Rainiers: INF Jantzen Witte (104 G), OF Luis Liberato (87 G) and LHP Ray Kerr (12 G), who was recalled by San Diego on Wednesday. Lopes is the most recent Rainier to hit four doubles in a game, four years ago today at Albuquerque.
FIVE-HITTE WITTE: Former Rainiers third baseman Jantzen Witte enjoyed a career-year during his only season with the club, Tacoma's 2021 PCL Championship campaign. He hit .299 over 104 games (.364 OBP, .856 OPS) with 19 homers, and was named Team MVP by Tacoma's coaching staff and front office. Witte also has the most recent five-hit game for the Rainiers, on 8/16/21 at Cheney Stadium vs. Las Vegas-- in a 7-3 defeat. Current El Paso teammate and fellow 2021 Rainier Luis Liberato was named club Defensive Player of The Year that season, as he routinely dazzled in centerfield.
Witte spent last season with the Seibu Lions in Japan's Major Leagues (Nippon Professional Baseball); Liberato made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres on 9/10/22 (home vs. LAD, 7 total MLB GP), in his 10th pro season.
THE O' STANDS FOR OFFENSE: Having hit safely in 11 of 13 games played, Tacoma catcher Brian O'Keefe is top five in the PCL in home runs (6), slugging (.784), OPS (1.234) and extra-base hits (10). His 40 total bases are sixth-most.
SPENT A MONTH THERE ONE NIGHT: The Rainiers have won six of eight against El Paso dating to last season, and have rallied to tie the all-time series between the two at 58-58 (since 2014). There are now five current PCL locales that the Tacoma franchise (est. 1960) has an all-time non-losing record against: Salt Lake (378-374-1, since 1960), Las Vegas (294-289, since 1983), Round Rock (52-33, since 2005) and OKC (85-85, since 1963), in addition to El Paso.
JAY-DED: Tacoma has two players rostered who were once traded 1-for-1 for OF Jay Bruce. On 8/9/17 RHP Ryder Ryan was moved from Cleveland to New York-NL (waiver deadline), going from Class A Lake County (Midwest League) to Class A Columbia (South Atlantic League). On 6/2/19, Seattle traded Bruce and cash to Philadelphia in exchange for INF/OF Jake Scheiner, as Scheiner went from High-A Clearwater (Florida State League) to High-A Modesto (California League). Bruce, 36 and now retired, played in 14 MLB seasons from 2008 through 2021 (CIN, NYM, CLE, SEA, PHI, NYY).
UNI-WATCH: The 2023 Tacoma Rainiers have the following record by uniform top...
Home White (4-1), R Red (3-3), Road Grey (1-0), Navy Blue (0-3), 1960 Fauxback (0-0), La Familia de Tacoma (1-0), Special Auction (0-0).
April 22-23 is "Throwback Weekend" at Cheney Stadium...
Saturday: 1960 Fauxback makes its season debut (cream-colored jersey and pants with red caps/trim, "Slammin Sam The South Sound Salmon" sleeve patch). The uniforms imagine how the club would've looked if the "Rainiers" moniker were in use during Cheney Stadium's opening season and the inaugural year of Triple-A PCL Baseball in Tacoma.
Sunday: "Northwest Green" throwback jerseys, which pay homage to the 1995 Rainiers and the first year of the organization's affiliation with the Seattle Mariners. Game-worn jerseys will be available for bid in a silent auction on the concourse.
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