Rainiers split Sunday twin bill with Sacramento

 

July 25 was a beautiful day to play two at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma.

The Tacoma Rainiers and Sacramento River Cats split a doubleheader at Cheney Stadium on Sunday, July 25. The Rainiers won the opener 4-0 and the River Cats took the nightcap 3-2.

Ian McKinney

The game 1 starter was southpaw Ian McKinney, who also had a strong outing in our last Rainiers game, a 4-0 loss to Salt Lake the previous weekend. This time McKinney wasn't quite as sharp but came away with a win. He pitched five innings and allowed just one hit, walked four and struck out six. Wyatt Mills and Jimmy Yacabonis each pitched a scoreless inning as the Rainiers combined for a two-hitter in the seven-inning affair. Left fielder Jantzen Witte was the hitting star of the game. His leadoff home run in the second proved to be all Tacoma needed, and the Rainiers added three in the sixth on a rally started by Witte's one-out single that included an RBI double by Sam Travis and a run-scoring single by Jack Reinheimer.

Game 1 box score

We never get to see a no-hitter, not even a fake one

Readers of Weisenheimer are no doubt familiar with our lament that my Sweetie, the official scorer, and I have never seen a no-hitter despite having seen hundreds of games together over the last 30 years. We didn't see one today, either, though we got closer than usual. 

There wasn't much suspense on the River Cat side, as the first batter of the game, former Rainier Braden Bishop got a single on the first pitch of the game from Tacoma starter Brian Schlitter. The Rainiers didn't get a hit until Taylor Trammell's leadoff double in the fourth. Neither team scored early in the "bullpen" game for both clubs, and it was 0-0 through four. The Rainiers finally broke through in the fifth. Wyatt Mathisen led off with a hit by pitch and, after two outs, Luis Liberato cracked a home run for a 2-0 lead.

Sacramento answered with a run in the top of the sixth. Bishop led off with a triple and scored on a fly ball to Trammell in deep center. Sacramento took the lead in the top of the seventh. Chadwick Tromp singled with one out. Pinch runner Arismeady Alcantara went to third on a double by Mitchell Tolman. Will Toffey's single plated Alcantara, and Tolman scored on a groundout. The Rainiers went out quietly in the bottom of the seventh.

Game 2 box score

My Sweetie, the Official Scorer, notes that even if one of the teams had not registered a base hit, it would not have been a no-hitter, as she doesn't recognize seven-inning games as real baseball.

Ballpark music

The Rainiers have been leaning on barbershop quartets for music, at least in recent games we have attended. The national anthem Sunday was performed by the Clef Jumpers, who also sang a couple of other barbershop standards during inning breaks. The previous Sunday the featured performers were the Four Tunes. They burned three of their tunes on the anthem and God Bless America, plus one barbershop classic, so they only have one song left in their repertoire.

Family ties

The River Cats have an infielder named Peter Maris, but we find no indication that he's related to former single-season home run record holder Roger Maris. Sacramento pitcher Yunior Marte does not appear to be related to any of several active players who share his surname. Outfielder Joe McCarthy is a brother of Jake, currently playing for Reno. Neither appears to be related to the long-time Yankees manager or the Red-baiting US Senator of the 1950s.