April 20 Game Notes: Tacoma Rainiers at Las Vegas Aviators

April 20, 2024 – Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release

TACOMA RAINIERS (13-6) @ Las Vegas Aviators (7-11)

Saturday, April 20 – 7:05 PM – Las Vegas Ballpark – Las Vegas, NV

RHP Michael Mariot (1-0, 4.85) vs. RHP Osvaldo Bido (2-1, 4.40)

TONIGHT’S GAME: With the series even at two games apiece, Tacoma and Las Vegas will play game five of their six-game series tonight. Michael Mariot will take the ball for his fourth start of the season with Tacoma, looking for his second win. The righty comes into play tonight with a 1-0 record and a 4.85 ERA in three starts, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits including three home runs. He has walked four batters while striking out 10, limiting opponents to a .191 batting average against him over his 13.0 innings pitched. On the other side, Osvaldo Bido gets the start for the Aviators. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.40 ERA in three starts this year, allowing seven earned runs on 16 hits and six walks over 14.1 innings. He has struck out 20 batters over that span, allowing opponents to hit .281 against him.

FIND THE ZONE: Tacoma’s pitching staff combined to walk a season-high 11 batters last night. They allowed just seven hits, but 11 runs came across with so many free passes being handed out. The 11 walks nearly doubled the previous season high of six walks for Tacoma’s pitching staff, set back on April 14 against Reno. All five pitchers for the Rainiers walked at least one batter, with four of the five walking multiple Aviators. Trevor Kelley led the team, with four walks in his one-third of an inning pitched.

SLOW THEM DOWN: Last night marked the first time all year Tacoma has allowed double-digit runs to score, as they lost the game 11-7. Their previous high mark was nine runs allowed in their second game of the year, on March 30 against Oklahoma City. As a team, Las Vegas knocked seven hits including two doubles and a home run, while taking 11 walks.

GET BACK ON TOP: For the first time since April 5, Tacoma will enter play tonight in a tie for first place in the Pacific Coast League West standings. After their two straight losses and two straight wins from Sacramento, the two teams are tied atop the standings, at 13-6. Back on April 5, the Rainiers were 5-2 and tied for first place. Since then, they have been the sole leaders of the PCL West division, growing their lead as big as two games throughout the course of the season. Now, after their first back-to-back losses of the season, they are tied at…