July 14 Game Notes: Tacoma Rainiers @ Albuquerque Isotopes

TACOMA RAINIERS (51-41) @ ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES (35-57)
Sunday, July 14 • 11:05 AM PT • Isotopes Park • Albuquerque, NM
RHP Blas Castano (2-0, 4.09) vs. RHP Peyton Battenfield (2-4, 8.65)

TODAY’S GAME: Tacoma and Albuquerque are set to play the series finale of their six-game series today, with the Isotopes leading the series three games to two. The Rainiers will send Blas Castano to the mound, set to make his third start of the season for Tacoma. Castano enters play today with a 2-0 record and a 4.09 ERA, allowing five earned runs on 11 hits and four walks, striking out 13 batters over his 11.0 innings pitched. He has also hit two batters, as opponents are hitting .275 against him. Opposite Castano will be Peyton Battenfield taking the ball for Albuquerque, set to make his second start of the series and 13th of the year. He has pitched in 14 games so far this season, going 2-4 with an 8.65 ERA, allowing 58 earned runs on 75 hits and 26 walks while striking out 53 batters over 60.1 innings. In game one of the series back on Tuesday, the right-hander allowed five runs (three earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out two in 5.0 innings.

STARTS AT THE TOP: Tacoma’s top two hitters last night combined to go 8-for-10 with five runs scored and four extra base hits, driving in four runs along the way. Leading off was Leo Rivas, who raised his batting average to .285, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a triple, an RBI, two walks and a strikeout. His three hits and two walks extended his on-base streak to 26 games dating back to June 14, the longest active on-base streak in the Pacific Coast League. Over those 26 games, Rivas is now hitting .319 (29-for-91) with 27 runs scored, six doubles, a triple, two home runs and 14 runs batted in. He has also walked (24) more times than he has struck out (23), stealing 11 bases. Batting second was Luis Urias, who became the second Rainiers player this season to record a five-hit game. Urias went 5-for-6 and was a triple shy of the cycle, hitting two singles, two doubles and a home run, driving in three on the night. His five hits doubled up his series total against the Isotopes, as he entered play last night with five hits through the first four games.

THAT’S MORE LIKE IT: After struggling to hold a lead the last two nights, blowing saves and taking the loss in each game, Tacoma’s bullpen was nearly perfect last night. Four relievers combined to throw four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six of the 14 batters they faced. Three of the four relievers spun perfect innings, as the Rainiers retired the last 11 men they faced. They didn’t walk a single batter, as Tacoma walked just one all night.

GO FOR THREE: Blas Castano will get the starting nod tonight, in search of his third win of the season with the Rainiers. Castano comes into play today with a perfect 2-0 record and a 4.09 ERA, allowing five earned runs over his first 11.0 innings. The righty was great in his first start back on July 1, allowing just one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out five over 6.0 innings. He faced the Salt Lake Bees for a second start of the week on July 6 and got a little touched-up, giving up four earned runs on eight hits and two walks. He worked around the trouble with eight strikeouts and held on enough to allow Tacoma’s offense to earn him the win. A third win for him today would also give the Rainers three this series, leaving Albuquerque with a split and go into the All-Star break on a good note.

BEHIND THE DISH: Michael Papierski was Tacoma’s starting catcher for the 44th time last night. His 9.0 innings caught put him over 400 on the season, at 402.1. Tacoma has had five different players catch for them this season, with Papierski being the only one to catch more than 200 innings. The next closest is former Mariners’ prospect Blake Hunt, who was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on May 22, with 176.0. Papierski has thrown out nine of 61 attempted base stealers this year, as 199 earned runs have scored with the 28-year-old behind the dish. With last night’s win, Tacoma is now 23-21 when Papierski starts behind the dish.

AGAINST ALBUQUERQUE: The Rainiers and Isotopes will play the sixth and final game of their series today, with Albuquerque leading the series three games to two. Tacoma snapped their three-game losing streak with last night’s win, earning their 170th all-time win against Albuquerque, moving to 170-186-1 all-time. Despite trailing in the series, Tacoma is now outscoring the Isotopes by five runs, at 44-39, scoring 10 or more runs in three of the five games so far.

SHORT HOPS: Last night was Tacoma’s first win of the season when Leo Rivas is their leadoff hitter, moving to 1-5 in such games…the Rainiers are now 3-0 in their COPA jerseys after last night’s win…after his 13-game hitting streak ended on Thursday and he had Friday night off, Jason Vosler started a new streak last night; the utility-man went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a run batted in and a walk…eight of Tacoma’s nine starters recorded at least one hit last night, with the lone hitless starter being Cade Marlowe; the hitless night snapped an eight-game hitting streak for Marlowe, who went 0-for-1 with three walks.