Rainiers Fall, 3-2, to Sugar Land in Walk-off Fashion
Published on April 11, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
SUGAR LAND, TX - The Tacoma Rainiers (6-8) dropped game five of the series to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (9-5) by a score of 3-2 Saturday night on a walk-off wild pitch. A Rhylan Thomas RBI double and Brock Rodden sacrifice-fly accounted for the only two Tacoma runs of the ballgame. Randy Dobnak turned in his best start of the season, tossing 4.2 innings of one-run ball. The veteran right-hander finished with five strikeouts and allowed only four baserunners.
Tacoma got on the board first in the top of the third. Rhylan Thomas and Ryan Bliss poked back-to-back singles to lead-off the inning. Then, Colt Emerson got plunked and loaded the bases for the Rainiers. Two batters later, Brock Rodden lined a fly ball into shallow center field for a sacrifice-fly. Thomas scampered home from third and gave Tacoma an early 1-0 lead.
The Rainiers picked up right where they left off, adding on another run in the top of the fourth. Victor Labrada and Jhonny Pereda worked back-to-back walks to start the inning. After Carson Taylor lined into a double play, Will Wilson dropped a single into shallow center field to put runners on first and second for Thomas. The 2025 MiLB hit leader smacked a double off the wall in right field. Thomas drove in Pereda from second and made it 2-0 Tacoma.
Sugar Land scratched a run across in the bottom of the fifth. Kellen Strahm led off the inning with a single. Two batters later, Riley Unroe reached on a fielding error and after Jax Biggers struck out, Carlos Pérez beat out an infield single to load the bases for Jack Winkler. The shortstop was tagged by a changeup, forcing Strahm in from third and getting the Space Cowboys on the board, 2-1. The Rainiers turned to Robinson Ortiz to get them out of the bases loaded jam. The southpaw struck out CJ Alexander for the final out of the inning and kept Tacoma's lead intact.
Sugar Land tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Biggers and Pérez led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Biggers moved up to third when Winkler flew out to deep center field and then tied the game at 2-2 when he scored on an Alexander sacrifice-fly to right.
In the bottom of the ninth, Sugar Land walked it off for the second time this series. The Space Cowboys got their first two runners on when Biggers walked and Pérez recorded his second infield single of the night. Biggers stole third when Winkler struck out for the first out of the inning. With two outs, Biggers would charge home to score the winning run on a wild pitch. Sugar Land won game five of the six-game set, 3-2.
RHP Gabriel Mosser will toe the rubber for the Rainiers in the series finale on Sunday, looking to recreate what he did in game one of the series. First pitch is set for 12:05 pm (PT).
POSTGAME NOTES:
INF Rhylan Thomas picked up his fifth multi-hit game of the season, tied for the most on the team...he finished 2-for-5 with a double, RBI, and run...Patrick Wisdom is the only other Rainiers hitter with five multi-hit games this season
INF Ryan Bliss recorded his second multi-hit game of the season Saturday night...the Auburn product finished 2-for-4, his first multi-hit game since his first game after being optioned to Tacoma on 4/3 against El Paso
RHP Michael Rucker recorded a hitless eighth inning on Saturday night for his fourth-consecutive scoreless appearance...the Mississippi native allowed one walk while striking out one during his 1.0 inning of work...his four-straight scoreless appearances is tied for the third longest streak in the PCL
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 11, 2026
- Bees Drop Second Straight Road Series, Suffer 8-3 Defeat - Salt Lake Bees
- Albuquerque Shuts out the Chihuahuas Saturday - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Isotopes Blank Chihuahuas, 4-0 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Comets Stun Express with Walk-off Thriller - Oklahoma City Comets
- Express Walked off by Comets, 10-9 - Round Rock Express
- Wild Pitch Walk-off Lifts Space Cowboys Past Rainiers, 3-2 - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Rainiers Fall, 3-2, to Sugar Land in Walk-off Fashion - Tacoma Rainiers
- Reno Captures First Series Win of 2026 Behind 8-3 Defeat of Salt Lake - Reno Aces
- Sacramento's April 11 Game vs. Las Vegas Rescheduled as a Doubleheader on Sunday, April 12 - Sacramento River Cats
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes - at Sugar Land - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Comets Game Notes - April 11, 2026 - Oklahoma City Comets
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