May 25, 2021 at 5:14 p.m.
A Rocket returns
Reynolds comes back after six years away
A Rocket returns
Ask anyone who’s spent more than a couple years playing home games at Runkle-Miller Field, being a part of the Portland Rockets is like having a second family.
One of those family members made his return Sunday.
Tyler Reynolds, who spent five seasons with the Rockets from 2011 to ’15 before moving to California, was back at the corner of Western Avenue and Blaine Pike donning the black and yellow as he started for the Portland Rockets in the second game of a doubleheader against the South Bend Royals.
“Honestly it felt really good to get out there,” said Reynolds, a 2010 Muncie Southside graduate who is less than two weeks away from his 30th birthday. “I think my second inning of work I calmed myself down a little more.
“I felt a little more confidence. I think it was first time jitters coming back. Zach (Tanner, Portland’s shortstop and Reynolds’ roommate) even said I was a little on edge itching to get out there. I think I was just too amped up.”
Portland lost the game 9-2 for a split in the season-opening series after a 3-2 victory in the first game.
Reynolds got a called third strike with bases loaded in the first inning before issuing a walk with bases loaded. Then, an error scored two more runs.
In the second inning, he gave up a hit before another error allowed a run for South Bend. With one out, Reynolds kicked off a double with runners at the corners on a bunt back to the mound.
“I think just kicking the rust off and getting back out there was really good,” said Reynolds, who left the game after two innings with Portland trailing 4-1. “Once I calmed down out there and got into a groove I started making better pitches.
“That was my main focus and what I’m best at is getting weak ground balls.”
And how did manager Randy Miller feel about having one of his left-handed pitchers from the heyday of the 2012 NABF World Series team back?
“As soon as he came back from Cali I knew the next call was, ‘Can I play baseball?’” he said. “He’s experienced and he knows what we’re doing. He wants to contribute. He wants to make it work. How special is that?”
Miller wasn’t the least bit concerned about Reynolds’ first meaningful pitches in six years.
“Probably should have pitched him another inning but we have guys we have to get a look at,” Miller said. “He’s right there. He’s going to be a starter for us. I’m not concerned at all.
“If anything he’s too excitable, too hard on himself, too amped up. He called me three times on Saturday night because he was too amped.”
While in California, Reynolds first served as an assistant coach for Tomales High School, a school with an enrollment of 166 students located about 58 miles northwest of San Francisco. He then spent the next two seasons as the team’s head coach before leaving to be the pitching coach at Sonoma Academy, a slightly larger school almost 55 miles north of San Francisco on U.S. 101.
But now he’s returned his old stomping grounds — he’s and Tanner currently live in Yorktown — and back with the Rockets.
“Coming back to the area just felt right,” he sad. “I needed a restart. Luckily getting very good help personally from friends and family looking out for me, helping when I needed it.”
Sunday’s action
A run in each of the fourth and fifth innings gave South Bend a 2-0 lead over the Portland in the first game, but Zach Tanner connected for a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to propel the Rockets to a 3-2 victory.
Kasey Henderson, Caleb Mealy, Chris Krystofiak and Zeth Tanner all collected singles in the game.
Pavel Strain picked up the win in relief, striking out one and walking one in 1 1/3 innings. Peyton Smith tossed five innings, allowed two runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked a pair.
Keith Shepherd, 53, who spent seven seasons pitching for four different Major League teams in the 1990s and is a former Fort Wayne Jacker, earned the save.
In game two, Portland cut into the 4-1 deficit with a run in the third inning before South Bend doubled its total with a four-spot in the fourth thanks to a three Rocket errors.
Mealy and Smith both had a pair of singles, while Caleb Richardson, Zach Tanner, Henderson and Krystofiak all singled as well.
One of those family members made his return Sunday.
Tyler Reynolds, who spent five seasons with the Rockets from 2011 to ’15 before moving to California, was back at the corner of Western Avenue and Blaine Pike donning the black and yellow as he started for the Portland Rockets in the second game of a doubleheader against the South Bend Royals.
“Honestly it felt really good to get out there,” said Reynolds, a 2010 Muncie Southside graduate who is less than two weeks away from his 30th birthday. “I think my second inning of work I calmed myself down a little more.
“I felt a little more confidence. I think it was first time jitters coming back. Zach (Tanner, Portland’s shortstop and Reynolds’ roommate) even said I was a little on edge itching to get out there. I think I was just too amped up.”
Portland lost the game 9-2 for a split in the season-opening series after a 3-2 victory in the first game.
Reynolds got a called third strike with bases loaded in the first inning before issuing a walk with bases loaded. Then, an error scored two more runs.
In the second inning, he gave up a hit before another error allowed a run for South Bend. With one out, Reynolds kicked off a double with runners at the corners on a bunt back to the mound.
“I think just kicking the rust off and getting back out there was really good,” said Reynolds, who left the game after two innings with Portland trailing 4-1. “Once I calmed down out there and got into a groove I started making better pitches.
“That was my main focus and what I’m best at is getting weak ground balls.”
And how did manager Randy Miller feel about having one of his left-handed pitchers from the heyday of the 2012 NABF World Series team back?
“As soon as he came back from Cali I knew the next call was, ‘Can I play baseball?’” he said. “He’s experienced and he knows what we’re doing. He wants to contribute. He wants to make it work. How special is that?”
Miller wasn’t the least bit concerned about Reynolds’ first meaningful pitches in six years.
“Probably should have pitched him another inning but we have guys we have to get a look at,” Miller said. “He’s right there. He’s going to be a starter for us. I’m not concerned at all.
“If anything he’s too excitable, too hard on himself, too amped up. He called me three times on Saturday night because he was too amped.”
While in California, Reynolds first served as an assistant coach for Tomales High School, a school with an enrollment of 166 students located about 58 miles northwest of San Francisco. He then spent the next two seasons as the team’s head coach before leaving to be the pitching coach at Sonoma Academy, a slightly larger school almost 55 miles north of San Francisco on U.S. 101.
But now he’s returned his old stomping grounds — he’s and Tanner currently live in Yorktown — and back with the Rockets.
“Coming back to the area just felt right,” he sad. “I needed a restart. Luckily getting very good help personally from friends and family looking out for me, helping when I needed it.”
Sunday’s action
A run in each of the fourth and fifth innings gave South Bend a 2-0 lead over the Portland in the first game, but Zach Tanner connected for a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to propel the Rockets to a 3-2 victory.
Kasey Henderson, Caleb Mealy, Chris Krystofiak and Zeth Tanner all collected singles in the game.
Pavel Strain picked up the win in relief, striking out one and walking one in 1 1/3 innings. Peyton Smith tossed five innings, allowed two runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked a pair.
Keith Shepherd, 53, who spent seven seasons pitching for four different Major League teams in the 1990s and is a former Fort Wayne Jacker, earned the save.
In game two, Portland cut into the 4-1 deficit with a run in the third inning before South Bend doubled its total with a four-spot in the fourth thanks to a three Rocket errors.
Mealy and Smith both had a pair of singles, while Caleb Richardson, Zach Tanner, Henderson and Krystofiak all singled as well.
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