Packard's Five RBI Lead Tacoma to Victory Over Oklahoma City
Published on August 24, 2025 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
TACOMA, WA - The Tacoma Rainiers (70-55/32-18) got a triple, a home run and five RBI from Spencer Packard, along with a solo home run from Ben Williamson, in a 9-7 victory over the Oklahoma City Comets (73-52/27-23). The Rainiers will go for a series victory at Cheney Stadium on Sunday at 1:35 pm.
Tacoma got on the board in the first inning. Samad Taylor worked a leadoff walk, and Rhylan Thomas singled to put runners on first and second. Taylor advanced to third on a flyout to right field from Harry Ford, following which Taylor and Thomas executed a double steal on a pitch Cade Marlowe struck out on. Taylor's theft of home gave Tacoma a 1-0 lead, which is where it stayed as Leody Taveras struck out to end the inning.
The Rainiers added on with a crooked number in the second. Ben Williamson led off with a base hit, and after Miles Mastrobuoni flied out, Victor Labrada walked. Spencer Packard then launched his ninth home run of the season, a three-run shot that made it 4-0.
Oklahoma City cut into the deficit in the fourth, which began with Ryan Ward being hit by a pitch. After Kiké Hernandez struck out, C.J. Alexander singled. Ward advanced to third on the hit, then Luken Baker walked to load the bases. Ben Rortvedt grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice to make it 4-1, as Mastrobuoni dropped the ball on the transfer before being able to throw to first for a potential inning-ending double play. A walk to Noah Miller re-loaded the bases, and Kody Hoese dunked a two-run single into left field before Esteury Ruiz flied out to right field to end the inning with the score at 4-3.
Tacoma got a run back in the bottom half of the fourth. Mastrobuoni led off the inning with his first home run as a Rainier which cleared the trees in right field. The score was held at 5-3, as the next three batters were retired in order.
The Rainiers got another home run in the sixth to make it 6-3, as Williamson led off the frame with his fourth home run of the season. The next two batters were retired on popouts, and although Packard reached base on an error, he was stranded after Taylor struck out.
The Comets pulled closer in the seventh. With Troy Taylor on in relief for Tacoma, Miller and Hoese hit back-to-back singles to begin the frame. With runners on the corners, Ruiz grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice to score Miller. With the score at 6-4, left-hander Austin Kitchen entered the game to face two lefties in Hyeseong Kim and Ryan Ward; he retired them both by striking out Kim and inducing a ground out from Ward to escape the inning.
Tacoma got some insurance in the eighth inning. Williamson laced a one-out single for his third hit of the game, and he stole second base for his third consecutive game with a steal. Mastrobuoni moved him to third with a groundout to first, and after Labrada walked, Packard lined a two-run triple into the right-center field gap to give him five RBI on the game. Packard scored as Taylor hit an RBI double to push Tacoma's lead to 9-4 before Thomas grounded out to conclude the frame.
Oklahoma City did not go quietly in the ninth. With one out, Ruiz was hit by a pitch and Kim singled. Ward drove a double off the wall in right-center to score Ruiz. Nick Senzel, who replaced Kiké Hernández, brought in Kim with a sacrifice fly. Collin Snider then came on in relief of Jesse Hahn, and he was met with an RBI double from Alexander that cut the deficit to 9-7. Baker represented the tying run, but Snider struck him out to end the ballgame and earn his first save of the season.
Blas Castaño earned his seventh win of the season, going 5.0 innings and giving up three earned runs on three hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Christian Romero took the loss for Oklahoma City, giving up five runs in 4.0 innings pitched.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Ben Williamson went 3-for-4 on Sunday night while recording his fourth home run since he was sent down to Tacoma on July 31st. August has been one of the best months of Williamon's career, as he's hit .392 with four home runs, a double and a triple. His .475 OBP, .686 SLG and 1.161 OPS in August are all the highest of any month in his career.
Saturday's game was the first time that Spencer Packard has hit both a home run and a triple in the same game in his professional career. Additionally, he had five RBI, which is the second time he's reached that mark this season after doing so on May 28, when he had six RBI in a victory of Salt Lake. It is the second time in Packard's career that he has recorded five RBI multiple times in a season, as he did so on May 24, 2024, for Double-A Arkansas and July 5, 2024, for Tacoma.
Tacoma's double steal in the first inning gave them their fifth consecutive game with multiple steals. Tacoma is the lone team in the PCL to have two multi-stolen base streaks of five-or-more games this season, as Salt Lake is the only other team that has achieved the feat even once, when they stole multiple bags in six consecutive games from June 26 to August 1.
Harry Ford extended his on-base streak to 24 games with his third inning walk on Saturday night. This brought him into a tie with Tyler Locklear for the longest on-base streak by a Rainier this season.
In the first inning of Tacoma's 9-7 victory on Saturday, Rhylan Thomas and Samad Taylor pulled off a double steal, with Taylor swiping home. It's the second time this year that a Rainier has stolen home, as Taylor and Thomas pulled off the feat on July 19. Taylor joins Nashville's Freddy Zamora and Oklahoma City's Hunter Feduccia as the only Triple-A players with multiple steals of home this season.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 24, 2025
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- Chihuahuas Set Multiple Season Highs in Sunday Win - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Taylor Steals Home for Second Consecutive Game as Rainiers Fall 6-3 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Isotopes Fall to Aviators 3-2 in 10 Innings - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Round Rock Wins Fifth Straight over St. Paul, 11-5 - Round Rock Express
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- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes - vs. Oklahoma City - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Comets Game Notes - August 24, 2025 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Chihuahuas Fall in 11 Innings Saturday in Sacramento - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Guzman Homers, Bees Take Series Against Reno - Salt Lake Bees
- Packard's Five RBI Lead Tacoma to Victory Over Oklahoma City - Tacoma Rainiers
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