Rainiers Win Back-And-Forth Battle in Oklahoma City, Russell Ties Davis on All-Time Win List
PCL Tacoma Rainiers

Rainiers Win Back-And-Forth Battle in Oklahoma City, Russell Ties Davis on All-Time Win List

Published on April 26, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release


OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - It was another close game for the Tacoma Rainiers (14-13), who had the final say in an 8-6 victory in 10 innings over the Oklahoma City Comets (12-15) on Sunday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Tacoma's win was the 259th of the John Russell Era (since 2023), tying him with Red Davis, who managed the Tacoma Giants from 1960-62, for the sixth-most victories by a manager in franchise history. Brock Rodden got Tacoma's offense going early as he tallied a three-hit game with two doubles and three RBI, while Brennen Davis connected on a game-tying home run in the ninth inning to force extras, where Tacoma would pull off the win, securing their second road series victory of the season.

The Rainiers used a two-out rally to score the game's first runs in the opening frame. After Comets starter Garrett McDaniels retired the first two batters of the inning, Colt Emerson doubled off the left field wall and Brennen Davis worked a walk. Victor Labrada capitalized with a single to left field, followed by a two-run double from Brock Rodden in the left-center gap to give the Rainiers a 3-0 lead.

The heart of Oklahoma City's order got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the second inning. James Tibbs III drew a leadoff walk and stole second base. Two batters later, Jack Suwinski walked to put runners at first and second base. Noah Miller snuck a ground ball into center field to drive home Tibbs, getting the Comets on the board. Eliezer Alfonzo followed with a sacrifice fly to score Suwinski, cutting Tacoma's lead to 3-2. Casey Lawrence got Michael Siani to fly out for the final out of the inning, stranding a runner on base.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Tibbs (11) found the equalizer, hitting a solo home run to right field, knotting the game at three. Two batters later, Suwinski (5) gave the Comets the lead with another solo home run to right field, making 4-3.

The Rainiers dealt more two-out damage in the top of the fifth. Emerson led off the inning with a walk, but was eventually cut down on a fielder's choice by Victor Labrada. With two gone, Rodden delivered another double down the left field line, scoring Labrada and tying the game at four.

Nick Garcia took over for Lawrence in the bottom of the fifth inning. Siani walked to lead off the inning, advancing to second on a balk and to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Zach Ehrhard hit a sacrifice fly to right field, driving in Siani to give the Comets the lead again at 5-4.

Tacoma used a pair of doubles to tie the game again in the top of the seventh inning. Rhylan Thomas led off the frame with the first two-bagger to the right field corner. Two batters later, Brennen Davis connected on the second double of the inning, which got by the left fielder Ryan Ward, scoring Thomas to knot the game at five. Comets reliever Wyatt Mills retired the next two hitters to strand Davis at second base.

In the bottom of the frame, the Comets countered with two-out offense of their own. Siani drew his second leadoff walk of the day. Rainiers reliever Brendan White retired the next two hitters before surrendering a double to Ward that went into the left field corner. Siani scored on the play, putting the Comets back on top at 6-5. White retired the next two hitters to strand Ward in scoring position.

In the top of the ninth inning, Brennen Davis (4) delivered again, crushing a game-tying, solo home run to left field. With the game tied at six, Victor Labrada and Rodden each hit singles, putting runners at the corners. Rodden then stole second, putting two in scoring position, but the Rainiers would not score further, as Keynan Middleton struck out the next two batters to retire the side.

Michael Rucker took over in relief for Tacoma in the bottom of the ninth. Alfonzo split the gap in right-center field with a leadoff double. Siani reached on a fielding error by Rodden at third base, putting runners at first and second base. Ryan Fitzgerald laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the winning run to third, but Rucker got Ehrhard to ground out to third base for the second out and fielded a ground ball back to the mound for the final out of the frame to push the game to extra innings.

In the top of the 10th inning, Colin Davis began the frame at second base. Jakson Reetz wasted no time, punching the first pitch down the left field line to score Davis and give the Rainiers a 7-6 edge. Ryan Bliss followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Reetz to third base with one out. Thomas came through with the sacrifice fly to center field, giving Tacoma an insurance run, making it 8-6.

Ward started the bottom of the 10th inning at second base for Oklahoma City, as Rucker remained on the hill for Tacoma. After Tibbs worked a leadoff walk, the Comets played small-ball. Austin Gauthier put down a sacrifice bunt, pushing the pair of runners into scoring position. Rucker walked Miller to load the bases, but got a ground out from Alfonzo to first base, finishing off the 8-6 victory.

The Rainiers return home to Cheney Stadium on Tuesday to open a six-game series with the Las Vegas Aviators. First pitch is set for 6:05 PM.

POSTGAME NOTES:

The Rainiers victory was the 259th of the John Russell's tenure as the manager of the Rainiers, matching Red Davis' total from 1960-62 for the sixth-most in franchise history...next up on the list is Whitey Lockman, who won 269 games as the manager of the Tacoma Cubs from 1967-70.

Brennen Davis connected on his fourth home run of the season (and third of the series) on Sunday...over his last 11 games (since April 16), Davis is hitting .375 (15x40) with four doubles, four home runs and 11 RBI, while drawing seven walks with only seven strikeouts...Davis' home run, which tied the game, is the third game-tying, or go-ahead home run by a PCL hitter while their team is trailing in the ninth inning...the last Rainiers hitter to do so was Dominic Canzone, who crushed a game-tying, two-run home run on September 11, 2024, at Oklahoma City.

Brock Rodden drove in three runs with a pair of two-out doubles on Sunday, one in the first inning and another in the fifth inning, giving him 11 doubles of the season, the most in the PCL...of Rodden's 16 RBI this year, eight of them have come with two outs...Rodden's eight two-out RBI are the most on the team and tied for the eighth-most in the PCL...Rodden also tied his career-high with the two doubles, the sixth time in his career (and fourth time this season) he's done so.

Colt Emerson reached base three times on Sunday with a double and two walks, extending his on-base streak to 14 games...over his last nine games, Emerson has drawn 10 walks, compared to eight strikeouts.

The Rainiers hit a season-high with six doubles on Sunday, the most they've hit in a game since connecting on seven doubles on September 6, 2025, against Reno.

Of Tacoma's eight runs on Sunday, four were driven in with two outs, tied for the most two-out RBI by the Rainiers in a game this season.

Tacoma's 8-6 win on Sunday was their 27th game of the season, and the 20th of which have been decided by two-or-fewer runs, the most in the PCL...the Rainiers are 11-9 in games decided by two-or-fewer runs this season.

Check out the Tacoma Rainiers Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 26, 2026


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