Preview: El Paso Chihuahuas at Tacoma Rainiers

TACOMA, Wash. (Interstat) — The El Paso Chihuahuas and Tacoma Rainiers will meet for the fourth time in five days Saturday, opening a doubleheader at Cheney Stadium in a series that has been tightly contested.

First pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday afternoon under cloudy skies with temperatures near 56 degrees.

The Pacific Coast League rivals split the first two games of this extended set, with Tacoma (2-2) winning 3-1 on Thursday before El Paso (1-3) answered with a 6-4 victory Friday.

A compelling pitching rematch is set for the opener. El Paso will send right-hander Matt Waldron to the mound. He was excellent in a hard-luck loss Thursday, allowing no earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts over four innings against these same Rainiers.

He will be opposed by Tacoma right-hander Gabe Mosser, who earned the win in that same game. Mosser limited the Chihuahuas to one earned run on five hits across six strong innings.

Both bullpens have been tested early this season. El Paso’s Sean Boyle provided two scoreless relief innings Thursday, while Tacoma’s Alex Hoppe struck out two in a perfect frame.

At the plate, El Paso’s Jase Bowen, who had two hits Thursday, looks to stay hot. Tacoma’s Carson Taylor provided the decisive blow in the series opener, a three-run homer.

Despite El Paso’s 1-3 record, the Chihuahuas’ last three games have all been decided by two runs or fewer. Interstat’s game simulator projects another close affair, forecasting a 5-4 El Paso victory. However, the same outlet’s ELO rating system gives the Rainiers a 57.8% probability to win.

The doubleheader will conclude this five-game series at Cheney Stadium, with the finale set for Sunday.