Díaz Dominates as Tacoma Blanks Reno, 10-0
Published on September 7, 2025 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
TACOMA, WA - Jhonathan Díaz spun a gem, throwing 7.0 innings of shutout baseball, striking out four as the Tacoma Rainiers (79-58/41-21) blanked the Reno Aces (55-82/18-44) in a 10-0 victory on Saturday night, the Rainiers' sixth shutout victory of the season.
Tacoma jumped out to an early lead, sending eight men to the plate in the first inning. Rhylan Thomas got the inning started with a one-out double down the right field line. Cade Marlowe looped a single into left field, putting runners on the corners. Ben Williamson drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Leody Taveras into a fielder's choice, but as the Aces attempted to turn a double play, the return throw to first base got away, allowing both Thomas and Marlowe to score, giving Tacoma a 2-0 lead. With Taveras at first base, Miles Mastrobuoni poked a double to the left field corner, driving in Taveras to take the lead to 3-0. Spencer Packard followed with an RBI single to center field to drive in the fourth run of the frame. Reno starter Casey Kelly got Blake Hunt to pop out to retire the side.
The Rainiers added on with another run in the third inning. Leody Taveras drew a leadoff walk and stole second base. Spencer Packard hit a one-out single, putting runners at the corners for Hunt, who hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Taveras and give Tacoma a 4-0 lead. Packard attempted to tag up to second base, but was thrown out for the third out.
Another Rainier run scored in the fourth inning as Victor Labrada led off the inning with a double. A Samad Taylor single put runners on the corners. Thomas hit a sacrifice fly to right field to grow the Tacoma lead to 6-0 as Kelly retired the following two hitters to get out of the inning.
Tacoma broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hunt drew a leadoff walk and Labrada was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second base. Taylor delivered the big hit with a two-run double to left-center field to drive both Hunt and Labrada in, extending the Rainiers' lead to 8-0. After Marlowe hit into a fielder's choice, Williamson found the hole on the left side of the diamond to drive in Taylor with an RBI single and open up a 9-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Jhonathan Díaz dominated the Aces' lineup, throwing 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just five hits, striking out four without issuing a walk.
Gregory Santos fired a scoreless eighth inning with a walk and a strikeout in the first appearance of his Major League rehab assignment.
The Rainiers plated one more run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Aces put Matt Mervis, a position player, on the mound for the eighth inning. Thomas led off the inning with a double to left field. Williamson hit a double of his own with one out, scoring Thomas to make it 10-0. Mervis got Taveras and Mastrobuoni to fly out to get out of the inning.
Domingo Gonzalez pitched the ninth for Tacoma, retiring the side in order to finish the game.
Jhonathan Díaz (10-6) earned the win for Tacoma, while Casey Kelly (2-7) took the loss for Reno.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Jhonathan Díaz logged his 11th quality start of the season, the most of any Triple-A pitcher this season and tied for the third-most among all minor league arms...the 11 quality starts match the most by a Rainier over the last two seasons, as Casey Lawrence pitched 11 quality starts in 2024 and Darren McCaughan threw 11 in 2023...the last Rainier with 12 quality starts in a season was Jordan Pries, who logged 15 in 2014...the last Rainier lefty with at least 11 quality starts in a season was Luke French, who had 12 in 2010
Díaz is the second Rainier to log a start of at least 7.0 shutout innings without a walk this season, joining Casey Lawrence, who did so on July 9 at Reno...the Rainiers are the only team in the PCL with multiple starters to go 7.0 shutout innings without a walk this year and only the second Triple-A team to accomplish the feat this season, joining the Memphis Redbirds
Saturday's game marked the seventh time that the Rainiers have produced 10 runs without hitting a home run, the most such games in Triple-A, with the next-closest being El Paso, which have done so seven times
Tacoma's victory on Saturday was their sixth shutout of the season, three of which have come by double-digits and the second such win against Reno...Tacoma beat Sacramento 10-0 on June 11 while blanking Reno 11-0 on July 9
The Rainiers struck out just twice on Saturday night, the third time this season (in a nine-inning game) that Tacoma has struck out just twice, all three of which have come in the last eight days, as the Rainiers went down on strikes twice on August 29 and 31 at El Paso
Pacific Coast League Stories from September 7, 2025
- Rainiers Fall 8-1 to Aces in Series Finale - Tacoma Rainiers
- Lin Shines, Mervis Leaves the Yard in 8-1 Win vs. Tacoma - Reno Aces
- Express Claim Series Finale over Isotopes, 8-3 - Round Rock Express
- Isotopes Drop Series Finale to Express, 8-3 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Salt Lake Drops Series Finale After El Paso's Five-Run Ninth - Salt Lake Bees
- Perlaza Drives in 100th Run in Sunday Win at Salt Lake - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes - vs. Reno - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Comets Game Notes - September 7, 2025 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Hughes, Cope Lead Isotopes Past Express, 5-3 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Chihuahuas Come Back Late But Lose on Walk-off Hit Saturday - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Moore Provides BIg Three Run Blast, Kieboom Walks-off Chihuahuas - Salt Lake Bees
- Díaz Dominates as Tacoma Blanks Reno, 10-0 - Tacoma Rainiers
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