June 22 Game Notes: Tacoma Rainiers vs. Las Vegas Aviators

June 22, 2024 – Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release

TACOMA RAINIERS (42-31) vs. LAS VEGAS AVIATORS (36-37)

Saturday, June 22 – 6:05 PM – Cheney Stadium – Tacoma, WA

LHP Jhonathan Diaz (8-1, 2.99) vs. RHP Joe Boyle (0-1, 5.59)

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Rainiers and Aviators will play game five of their six-game series tonight, as Tacoma will look for the series win after three consecutive victories. Jhonathan Diaz will get the nod for Tacoma, looking for his league-leading ninth win of the season. He enters play tonight with an 8-1 record and a 2.99 ERA, allowing 24 earned runs on 66 hits and 22 walks. He has struck out 69 batters over his 72.1 innings pitched, limiting opponents to a .244 batting average against him. Opposite Diaz will be Joe Boyle taking the ball for the Aviators, coming into play tonight with an 0-1 record and a 5.59 ERA through four starts. He has allowed six earned runs on six hits and 10 walks, striking out nine over 9.2 innings pitched. Boyle has not faced the Rainiers this year, but made his Triple-A debut against Tacoma last year, allowing two earned runs on two hits and four walks, striking out eight over 4.0 innings back on Aug. 25, 2023.

HOLDING IT DOWN: Tacoma’s pitching staff has done more than their part during this recent hot stretch for the team, allowing just 28 runs over their last 10 games played, dating back to June 11. They have allowed more than three runs three times over that span, including an extra-inning victory on June 14. Eight of the 28 runs allowed came in game one of the current series against Las Vegas, as they spun two shutouts against Round Rock and have allowed just five runs over the previous three games. The team ERA has gone down from 4.84 entering play on June 11 to 4.52 coming into tonight’s game.

GO FOR THE SERIES: After three consecutive wins, Tacoma has the chance to win the series with a victory over Las Vegas tonight. It would mark their third consecutive series win after taking four-of-six from Reno and five-of-six from Round Rock on the road. The Rainiers enter play having gone 5-1-0 in home series this year, looking for their sixth series home win. After three straight wins, they guaranteed themselves to not lose a single series at home in the first half of the season.

EARLY AND OFTEN: Tacoma continued their trend of getting ahead early last night, scoring in the first inning on a solo home run from Jorge Polanco. It marked the 12th time in their last 13 games that they…