Rainiers Stun Express with 14 Unanswered Runs in Comeback Win
June 27, 2025 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
ROUND ROCK, TX - The Tacoma Rainiers (40-39, 2-2) came back from a nine-run deficit to score 14 unanswered runs in a 17-12 win over the Round Rock Express (36-43, 2-2) on Friday night at Dell Diamond. With the win, the series is now split at two apiece.
Round Rock scored four runs in the first inning, sending all nine to the plate. Trevor Hauver delivered an RBI single to score the first run before a three-run homer from Alan Trejo highlighted the inning.
Tacoma cut the deficit in half in the third inning, scoring two. Austin Shenton launched a solo shot to right field to lead off the inning, marking his team-leading 13th of the year. Leody Taveras drove in Samad Taylor with a double (3) who reached on a single and Tacoma was within two. Leo Rivas roped his fifth homer of the season to left field in the fourth inning to put the Rainiers within one.
The Express scored four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, extending to a 12-3 advantage. Billy McKinney drove in two runs with a double to left field in the fourth to extend the lead before a two-run blast from Kellen Strahm put Round Rock up 8-3 in the fourth. Sending nine to the plate in the fifth inning, the Express scored four runs on four hits while capitalizing on three Tacoma errors.
The Rainiers went on to score 14 unanswered runs, starting with a two-run sixth inning. Rivas lined a single to left for his second hit of the night before being brought in on a two-run homer to left field from Blake Hunt (3).
Tacoma scored three more runs in the top of the seventh, ignited by a leadoff double from Rhylan Thomas (9). Taveras and Tyler Locklear both drew walks to load the bases and set up a two-run single to right field from Rivas to cut the deficit to five. Hunt hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Locklear to cap off the seventh inning scoring.
In the eighth inning, Tacoma loaded the bases with singles from Jack Lopez, Thomas, and Taveras. Locklear delivered a bases-clearing double to left field that marked his 20th of the season and put Tacoma within one run.
Daniel Bard set down the side in order in the bottom of the eighth and trailing 12-11 heading into the ninth, Tacoma scored six runs on four hits along with one Round Rock error, batting around and sending 10 to the plate. Hunt began the momentum with a leadoff single followed by a walk from Shenton. Shenton was replaced by Jacob Hurtubise on the basepaths before a walk from Taylor loaded the bases. With Tacoma down to their final strike in the game, Taveras crushed a bases-clearing triple (1) to center field to drive in three runs and give the Rainiers their first lead of the day, 14-12. Locklear added on to the insurance with a single to score Taveras and record his fourth RBI of the night. Spencer Packard launched a two-run shot to left center field to notch his seventh of the season. With Tacoma's fourth homer on the night, the Rainiers had a five-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Jesse Hahn came in to shut the door in the ninth inning, striking out the side to work around two base hits and solidify a 17-12 comeback win in game four. Bard earned the win for Tacoma, pitching 1.0 perfect inning in the eighth. The loss was saddled to Express reliever, Luis Curvelo after tossing 1.1 innings allowing five runs on three hits while walking two and striking out one.
Postgame Notes:
Tyler Locklear's three-run double in the eighth inning on Friday was his 18th hit of the season when the Rainiers are tied or trailing in the eighth inning or later, the most among all minor league hitters...Locklear is now hitting .474 (18x38) when the Rainiers are tied or trailing in the eighth inning or later, the second-highest average among all minor league hitters with at least 25 at-bats in that scenario.
The six runs scored by the Rainiers in the ninth inning are the most for any AAA team this season when trailing entering the ninth in a comeback victory.
The three errors in the fifth were the most in an inning since committing three in the seventh inning on May 31, 2018...it was the 13th time Tacoma has allowed three errors in an inning since 2005.
Tacoma came back from a nine-run deficit which is their largest comeback victory of the season, surpassing the five-run deficit when hosting Salt Lake on May 28th this season.
Dating back to his final appearance of the 2024 season with Tacoma on September 22, Jesse Hahn has not allowed an earned run in his last 15 outings...over that stretch, Hahn has allowed one unearned run on 12 hits over 15.0 innings, walking five and striking out 20...the last Rainier with a streak of at least 15 appearances without an earned run is Stephen Pryor, who went 19 consecutive games without allowing an earned run from May 8, 2012-July 24, 2013, the longest streak for a Rainier since 2005 (furthest stats are available).
Pacific Coast League Stories from June 27, 2025
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- Chihuahuas and Space Cowboys Split Doubleheader Friday - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Rainiers Stun Express with 14 Unanswered Runs in Comeback Win - Tacoma Rainiers
- Lugo's Three Hits, Hudson Quality Start Sends Salt Lake to 7-4 Win Over Reno - Salt Lake Bees
- Eleven-Run Outburst in Game Two Helps Sugar Land Split Doubleheader - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
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- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes - at Round Rock - Tacoma Rainiers
- Aviators Hold off Isotopes, 14-11 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- OKC Can't Hold off Sacramento in the Ninth - Oklahoma City Comets
- Mederos Quality Start, Flint's Two Jacks Lead Salt Lake in 14-3 Rout Over Reno - Salt Lake Bees
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