Dillon Thomas Leads Early Innings Charge, Rainiers Take Second Straight against El Paso 

TACOMA, WA – Playing in his season debut, designated hitter Dillon Thomas went 3-for-3 with a 2-run home run – his first in Triple-A – as the Tacoma Rainiers built an early advantage and held on to defeat the El Paso Chihuahuas on Saturday night at Cheney Stadium, 9-4. Tacoma has won back-to-back games and holds a 2-1 series advantage over El Paso heading into the latter half of the 6-game set.

Tacoma (2-1) broke out the sticks early against El Paso (1-2) starter Brett Kennedy (0-1) with 3 runs in the 2nd inning. Three walks, a trio of infield singles and a pair of run-scoring force outs gave the Rainiers the 3-0 lead without getting a ball out of the infield.

Third baseman Jantzen Witte and right fielder Luis Liberato led off the inning with walks and Thomas followed up with his first hit of the night to load the bases. Shortstop Jack Reinheimer picked up his first RBI of the season with an infield knock to the shortstop before left fielder Jarred Kelenic and center fielder Braden Bishop rolled into fielder’s choice plays that plated Liberato and Thomas.

The Rainiers added a pair in the 3rd inning on Thomas’ first home run, a 2-run blast to right-center on a 1-0 pitch from Kennedy which also scored catcher Jose Godoy.

Bishop roped his first double of the season in the 4th inning, advanced to third base on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from first baseman Eric Filia. Filia finished the game 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

El Paso narrowed the deficit with 4 runs across the 6th and 7th innings, but Tacoma tacked on 3 insurance runs with an RBI single from Kelenic to score Thomas, and run-scoring singles from Filia and Godoy.

Southpaw Héctor Santiago gave the Rainiers 4 hitless innings in his first start of the campaign. The New Jersey native walked a pair but struck out 7 Chihuahuas. After righty Bryan Pall allowed 3 runs in 1 1/3 innings, right-hander Jaime Schultz (1-0) took over and gave up 1 earned run in 1 2/3 frames, earning his first Rainiers win.

Brady Lail (S, 1) slammed the door with a pair of perfect innings to record his first save. Lail needed just 23 pitches to get through the 8th and 9th innings combined, throwing 18 strikes and issuing one or fewer balls to five of the six El Paso hitters he faced.

The Rainiers and Chihuahuas will continue their series Sunday at 1:35 p.m. PT from Cheney Stadium. Rainiers right-hander Vinny Nittoli (0-0) will make his first start of the season against El Paso righty Jesse Scholtens (0-0).

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 the Triple-A West. Tacoma has been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the Rainiers moniker in 1995.

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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.