Rainiers draw 10 walks but can’t score in loss to OKC

The Rainiers opened their first homestand of the month Wednesday night, but the offense didn’t show up, as Oklahoma City shut out Tacoma 3-0.

Tacoma drew 10 walks, but that was pretty much it on the night. The Rainiers managed just two hits, went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position, and left 14 on base.

“You’ve got to tip your caps to their guys,” Rainiers manager Pat Listach said after the game. “Since they’ve been in existence, they’ve always had good arms.”

The Dodgers didn’t do that much better, scoring three runs — two on solo home runs — despite piling up 10 hits and four walks.

Oklahoma City got to Ross Detwiler early, scoring in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. The Dodgers continued to hit the ball hard against the Tacoma starter, but nearly every ball found a fielder, and Detwiler scattered six hits across six innings.

“He was really good, he mixed it up,” Listach said. “That’s a pretty good lineup over there. The Dodgers put together a pretty good team; they always have.”

The Dodgers tagged another onto Detwiler in the top of the sixth on a home run by Kyle Farmer. Kyle Garlick made it 3-0 with a leadoff homer run in the seventh off of Tyler Higgins.

Tacoma’s first good chance to score came in the bottom of the first, when Ian Miller and John Andreoli started off the frame with walks, and Daniel Vogelbach moved them into scoring position. Miller got caught off of third base on a grounder, though, and an Andrew Aplin strikeout kept the Rainiers off the scoreboard.

The Rainiers threatened again in the bottom of the ninth inning, putting runners on second and third with one out and bringing the tying run to the plate, but a flyout and a strikeout sealed the shutout.

Game 2 of the three-game series against Oklahoma City is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Cheney Stadium, with Rob Whalen due to face Zach Neal.

Emergency infielder

The MLB trade deadline does weird things to the farm systems behind big league clubs. With Gordon Beckham designated for assignment to clear up roster space and Zach Vincej called up to Seattle, the Rainiers found themselves with just two infielders on the roster for their series finale against New Orleans.

Rain ended up canceling that game, so the world never got to see a lineup that would have had Cameron Perkins make his first appearance at third base since 2012, Seth Mejias-Brean make his first career start at shortstop, and three catchers in the lineup (one at first, one behind the plate, and one as the designated hitter).

“That’s what happens on the trade deadline,” Rainiers manager Pat Listach said before Wednesday’s game at Cheney Stadium. “You’re forced to do some things that you normally wouldn’t do.”

But two days later, the Rainiers had only added one infielder — Daniel Vogelbach — to the roster, leaving a hole up the middle. So Ryne Ogren got the emergency call from shorst season Single-A Everett to fill it, making him the first 2018 draft pick to make it to Tacoma.

There’s not any settling-in time for Ogren, Seattle’s 12th round pick out of Elon, who got the start at shortstop Wednesday night.

“They told me they needed another guy in Triple-A and they called my name and sent me up here,” Ogren said. “Ever since then, I’ve been on the move.”

Well, “move” may have been relative at times for Ogren, who got the call-up in the morning before spending over two hours in an Uber from Everett to Cheney Stadium (and racking up what must have been a hellish bill in the process).

Ogren has slashed .250/.326/.371 with 26 RBIs in 33 games for the AquaSox, with 16 starts at shortstop.

“I’ve heard that he can play, and we’re going to give him a chance to play,” Listach said.

Though this Ogren’s first Triple-A action, he’s not dealing with a totally new clubhouse of faces.

“I’ve seen a bunch of these guys down rehabbing with (Everett), so it’s cool to get to play with them in their home field,” Ogren said.

Right now, Ogren’s future in Tacoma is uncertain. On one hand, the 21-year-old is by far the youngest and most inexperienced player on the roster. But until more reinforcements arrive, the Rainiers desperately need his glove in the middle infield.

“We’ll just throw him out there and see what he can do,” Listach said.

“He’s got a hotel for tonight, and we’ll see what happens tomorrow. It’s day-to-day.”

This story was originally published August 1, 2018 at 6:11 PM.