Rainiers notes: Tacoma takes Federowicz-OKC reunion series; Wall swipes 40th base
The familiar faces scattered throughout Triple-A Oklahoma City’s home dugout at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark were a welcome sight for Rainiers manager Tim Federowicz on Tuesday, his first time back at the Dodgers complex since retiring from a 14-year playing career.
It was a reunion for Tacoma’s skipper – just last year, the now-35-year-old appeared in 25 games for the Triple-A Dodgers before joining Team U.S.A. for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Federowicz then retired and was announced as Tacoma’s newest manager in December.
When Federowicz arrived at the ballpark, he was greeted by Oklahoma City manager Travis Barbary, no longer a superior. He chatted with hitting coach Manny Burriss and other Dodger hitting coordinators throughout pregame warmups.
“It makes for good conversation during batting practice, or before,” Federowicz began, nonchalantly. “But other than that, it just seems like any other series.”
Federowicz debuted with the Dodgers in 2011 and re-signed with Los Angeles for a second stint prior to the 2021 season. He reported to spring training, instantly a mentor for a pool of young and talented Dodger prospects.
“They all kind of looked up to me, being the veteran guy in the organization,” he said.
Before Tuesday’s game, many of the same players – now at the Triple-A level more than a year later – met with Federowicz, offering catch-up and “plenty of good conversations.”
The six-game, week-long series with the Dodgers set up to be a test for the Rainiers, given Oklahoma City’s status as the top dog in the PCL East. It was Federowicz’s club that came out on top, grabbing four of six from the Dodgers and improving to 64-71.
“I think it’s a credit to our offense,” Federowicz said Saturday, after Tacoma had taken three of its first four. “Just the ability to keep the line moving and taking our walks when we get them.”
WEEKLY RECAP
TUESDAY: The offense provided early fireworks, and Tacoma took the series opener, 7-3, behind a four-run second inning.
Jonathan Villar launched Tacoma’s only homer – a two-run blast in the second that pushed an early lead to four. Rainiers starter Justus Sheffield gave three runs back in the home half of that inning but tossed scoreless baseball otherwise, lasting five innings.
Tacoma’s bullpen navigated four combined innings of shutout ball, surrendering four hits and one walk in total.
WEDNESDAY: Tacoma jumped to another early lead, and starter Konner Wade never allowed the margin to widen across a scoreless, five-inning outing.
The Rainiers tallied another six runs, jump started by Marcus Wilson’s RBI double in the third. Tacoma’s outfielder later scored on a wild pitch before Luis Torrens drove home another pair, pushing the score to 4-0.
Wade allowed five hits and a walk while recording six strikeouts.
Tacoma’s runs came in bunches for consecutive contests; of their 13 total runs through two wins over Oklahoma City, the Rainiers scored in just four innings.
THURSDAY: Tacoma rallied from a three-deficit in the later stages, but typically trusty closer Nick Ramirez walked home Oklahoma City’s winning run in the tenth.
“It did surprise me,” Federowicz said of the blunder. “But I mean, those games, those things happen. You can’t have your best stuff every single game.”
The game script turned quickly, dramatically and unfortunately in the top of the tenth after Jarred Kelenic, on second as an automatic runner, stole third.
Tacoma catcher Brian O’Keefe lasered a line drive to Dodgers third baseman Edwin Rios, leaving Kelenic, leading off at third, dead to rights. The unassisted double wiped away the outfielder’s crucial stolen base and paved Oklahoma City’s path to its first victory of the series, 5-4.
“A great job by Kelenic to steal that bag to get us a guy on third with no outs,” Federowicz said. “Just unfortunately, O’Keefe put a good swing on it, and it went right to the third baseman who was already falling back toward the bag.
“It was just tough luck.”
FRIDAY: Roenis Elias tossed five scoreless innings, and outfielder Forrest Wall swiped his 40th base of the season in Tacoma’s 6-3 win.
Wall became the first Tacoma player to steal 40 bases since Lance Blankenship of the 1988 Tacoma Tigers, then an Oakland A’s affiliate.
“He still wants to learn every day,” Federowicz said of Wall, now at 42 stolen bases after the weekend. “And even when he’s on the bench, he always comes up to me.
“He’s like, ‘I’m ready if you need me to get a bag.’ I know he loves that part of his game. He’s been doing a great job of it.”
Four Rainiers logged multi-hit games, and six players each drove in a run.
SATURDAY: Kyle Lewis blasted a first-inning home run and Tacoma pitching dazzled again for a 4-3 win, clinching the series. Starter Austin Warner surrendered a single run across six frames, and closer Nick Ramirez grabbed his 12th save to rebound from Thursday’s loss.
“I know (Ramirez) will be back in there if we need a save tonight,” Federowicz said before the game, alluding to Thursday’s uncharacteristic blunder. “I expect the same Nick that we’ve always seen.”
SUNDAY: The series finale got away from Tacoma in what became a 20-5 defeat. Starter Darren McCaughan lasted only 2-2/3 innings, surrendering eight runs (six earned).
Oklahoma City belted five homers, the first a grand slam in the second by Jacob Amaya. Seven Dodgers logged two or more hits; Oklahoma City’s bottom third of the order had three hits apiece.
RAINIERS ANNOUNCE 2023 SCHEDULE
The Pacific Coast League announced its 2023 Championship Schedule on Sept. 1, revealing Tacoma’s 150-game regular season slate. Here are some of the highlights:
▪ Federowicz’s second return to Oklahoma City comes much earlier in 2023: Tacoma kicks off their season with the Triple-A Dodgers at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on Friday, March 31. After a three-game series, they return home on Tuesday, April 4 for Cheney Stadium’s home opener.
▪ Of 26 series throughout the 2023 campaign, 24 consist of six games. The other pair are three-game sets, first to begin the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City (March 31-April 2) and to resume play after the All-Star break with Triple-A Round Rock at Cheney Stadium (July 14-16).
▪ Cheney Stadium’s Independence Day Eve celebration on July 3 features a post-game fireworks show, as will every Friday home game, per Rainiers PR.
▪ The 2023 schedule is considered a “true round-robin,” meaning Tacoma hosts and visits each of the other nine PCL clubs at least once.
▪ Tacoma hosts two 12-game homestands in 2023, first with Triple-A Las Vegas and Sacramento (May 23-June 4) and later with Triple-A Las Vegas and Sugar Land (Aug. 22-Sept. 3).
▪ The 2023 regular season concludes at Cheney Stadium with a six-game set versus Triple-A Round Rock (Sept. 19-24).
SHORT HOPS
▪ Tacoma’s 6-3 win over Triple-A Oklahoma City ended rather unceremoniously with Drew Avans’ groundout to second base, quietly sending home the remainder of an announced attendance of 7,165 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
Reliever Taylor Williams, on the mound, had retired three Dodger hitters in a row. It was his first save with Tacoma since signing a minor league contract with Seattle on July 22.
Before Seattle scooped him up in free agency, Williams appeared in 27 games for Triple-A Sacramento in 2022, making three appearances against his now-Tacoma teammates and tossing five combined innings of scoreless baseball.
Since the Vancouver native and Camas High School grad returned to his hometown organization, Williams has worked 16 scoreless outings in 17 tries for the Rainiers. Hitters are slashing just .219/.286/.313 off Williams, who’s using a sinker and slider to confuse opponents and regularly sit them down.
He’s constantly in the zone, striking out 19 batters and walking four in 18 ⅓ innings with Tacoma.
“His command has been phenomenal,” Federowicz said. “He’s getting ahead of guys. … Having (his) arsenal and the ability to throw strikes has been very impressive to see.”
▪ The Rainiers began the 2022 season at 9-23, but are 55-48 since.
▪ Outfielder Forrest Wall’s 42 stolen bases rank second in Triple-A.
ON TAP
The back leg of Tacoma’s 12-game road trip resumes Tuesday when the Rainiers meet Triple-A Las Vegas for a six-game set at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Justus Sheffield is Tacoma’s scheduled starter for the series opener at 7:05 p.m. PT.
