May 3 Game Notes: Tacoma Rainiers @ Sacramento River Cats

TACOMA RAINIERS (17-13) @ SACRAMENTO RIVER CATS (20-10)
Friday, May 3 • 6:45 PM • Sutter Health Park • Sacramento, CA
LHP Jhonathan Diaz (4-0, 2.45) vs. RHP Carson Seymour (1-1, 4.63)

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Rainiers and River Cats are set to play game four of their six-game series tonight, with Tacoma handing the ball to Jhonathan Diaz. Diaz enters play tonight with a 4-0 record and a 2.45 ERA through six games (five starts) this season. The southpaw has allowed nine earned runs on 25 hits and four walks, striking out 36 batters in his 33.0 innings pitched. Opposite Diaz will be righty Carson Seymour toeing the rubber for Sacramento. Seymour is 1-1 with a 4.63 ERA through six starts this year, allowing 12 earned runs on 28 hits and nine walks. He has struck out 22 batters in his 23.1 innings, allowing opponents to hit .301 against him.

START EARLY: Through the first three games of the series, Tacoma has not scored a single run against Sacramento’s starting pitchers. In the opener on Tuesday, Tommy Romero tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out four. He was followed by Mason Black, who threw four scoreless, hitless frames on Wednesday afternoon. Black walked three and struck out four in the start. Last night, Spencer Howard threw 4.0 innings of three-hit ball, striking out eight along the way. All told, the three starters have combined to allow just five hits and five walks while striking out 16 batters over 13.0 scoreless innings. The Rainiers need to get to Carson Seymour early to try and get their first win of the series.

WHERE DID IT GO: Tacoma entered the series with a red-hot offense that has been completely shut down by Sacramento’s pitching staff. The Rainiers scored 21 runs on 26 hits over their final 15 innings played against El Paso entering the series but have scored just seven runs on 15 hits over their first three games against the River Cats. Tacoma had mor hits (16) in their six-inning rain-shortened game on Sunday than they have combined for through the first three games here at Sacramento (15).

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE: Sacramento’s offense has been patient against Tacoma’s starters the last two games, drawing nine walks in 10.0 innings from the two starters. In Wednesday’s game, the River Cats drew five walks against Levi Stoudt, a season-high for any Rainiers’ pitcher in a single game this year. Last night, they took four more free passes against Dallas Keuchel. Five of the nine walks Tacoma’s starters allowed have come around to score, as three of Stoudt’s five crossed home and two-of-four from Keuchel were knocked in.

ROAD STRUGGLES: Entering play on April 18, Tacoma was 6-2 in road games and up 2-0 in their road series against the Las Vegas Aviators. Since that time, they have not won a single game away from Cheney Stadium, dropping their last seven road contests. They lost four in a row to the Aviators to lose the series and have now lost each of the first three here at Sutter Health Park, in danger of dropping the series with a loss tonight. Tacoma is now 6-9 in road games this year while going 11-4 at home. With nine road games remaining on their current trip, the Rainiers need to get back into the winning column if they want to stay atop the PCL West standings.

PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Desperately in need of a win tonight, Tacoma will send their ace to the mound, in the form of Jhonathan Diaz. Through six games (five starts) this year, Diaz is 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA, having allowed just nine earned runs on 25 hits and four walks while striking out 36 batters in 33.0 innings pitched. The southpaw was recently named Seattle Mariners Minor League Pitcher of the Month for the month of April and Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month by Minor League Baseball. In April, the Valencia, Venezuela native tossed 28.0 innings over five games, allowing nine earned runs on 22 hits, one home run, four walks and 31 strikeouts. He went 4-0 with a 2.89 ERA over that span, limiting opponents to a .216 batting average. Díaz led the Pacific Coast League in WHIP (0.88), ranking T-1st in wins (4), 2nd in strikeouts (36), 2nd in opponent batting average (.208) and 3rd in ERA (2.45) during the month. The left-hander posted a 0.38 ERA (1 ER, 24.0 IP) with 1 walk and 27 strikeouts over his first 4 outings of the year, highlighted by his 10-strikeout performance on April 4 at Salt Lake.

AGAINST SACRAMENTO: The River Cats took a three-game series lead over the Rainiers with a win last night, marking their fourth straight win over Tacoma dating back to last season. Sacramento now leads the all-time series by 10 games, at 251-241.

SHORT HOPS: Jonatan Clase got his first hit since rejoining the Rainiers last night and is now 1-for-12 with six strikeouts in three game back…Tacoma’s bullpen spun three perfect innings last night, striking out three batters along the way…the Rainiers’ defense tied their season high with three double plays turned last night, matching their total in the season-opener against Oklahoma City on March 29…Tacoma struck out 15 times last night, as all but one starter struck out at least once and six of the nine struck out two or more times.