Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes - at Reno
Published on March 28, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Source: Tacoma Rainiers News Release
TODAY'S GAME - 3/28 at Reno
FIRST PITCH - 4:05 PM at Greater Nevada Field - Reno, NV
PITCHING MATCHUP - Tacoma RHP Casey Lawrence (9-3, 5.31 in 2025) vs. Reno RHP Dylan Ray (6-3, 6.30 in 2025)
ROSTER MOVES - The Tacoma Rainiers, in conjunction with the Seattle Mariners, have made the following roster move:
ADD RHP Houston Roth - transferred from Double-A Arkansas
BROADCAST - TV: Bally Live App/MiLB.TV RADIO - KIXI 880
DIGITAL PRESS BOX - Digital game notes and rosters can be found at the Rainiers Virtual Press Box
Today's game notes, updated roster and starting lineups are attached.
THE RAINIERS: Scored their fifth consecutive Opening Day victory with a 7-6 win in Reno on Friday afternoon...the Aces plated a run in the first inning off Jhonathan Díaz, but the Rainiers took the lead in the third inning when Colt Emerson hit a two-run home run over the left field wall to give Tacoma a 2-1 lead...the Aces tied the game in the bottom of the inning, but the Rainiers took the lead back on a solo home run from Patrick Wisdom to lead off the top of the fourth inning...Wisdom added to the lead with an RBI single in the sixth to make it 4-2...Reno scored four in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-4 lead...in the top of the eighth inning, Spencer Packard hit a sacrifice fly and Colin Davis looped a two-run single to right field, giving Tacoma a 7-6 lead...Blas Castaño, Robinson Ortiz and Alex Hoppe fired 3.1 scoreless innings to finish the game and give Tacoma the 7-6 victory.
OPENING DAY ODDS AND ENDS: The Rainiers won their fifth consecutive Opening Day game on Friday, the second-longest active streak in the league, trailing the six consecutive Opening Day victories by El Paso (who won 9-3 on Friday)...the Rainiers have connected on multiple home runs in four of the last six season openers and have not allowed a home run in the last three Opening Day games and in seven of the last eight...Tacoma have now won their last two times they've opened the season on the road...Alex Hoppe recorded the save in Friday's win, the first Rainier to record a save on Opening Day on the road since LHP George Sherrill did so on April 7, 2005 at Fresno (W 6-2).
COLT CONNECTS ON OPENING DAY: INF Colt Emerson hit the first Rainiers home run, hitting a two-run blast to left field in the third inning on Friday...Emerson (20 years, 250 days), became the youngest Rainier to homer on Opening Day in at least 20 years and the fifth Triple-A player in that time to hit an Opening Day home run before turning 21 (others: Jackson Holiday - 2024 with Norfolk, Luis Garcia Jr. - 2021 with Rochester, Billy Butler - 2007 with Omaha, Prince Fielder - 2005 with Nashville).
CASEY AT THE MOUND: RHP Casey Lawrence makes his season debut today at Reno, coming off an 9-3 campaign with a 5.31 ERA...Lawrence was tied for third in the PCL last season with his nine victories...since his professional debut in 2010, Lawrence has accrued the most minor league starts (290), wins (114), innings (1710.1), complete games (13) and double plays (161)...Lawrence ranks second among minor league pitchers in that time with 1,204 minor league strikeouts, just 11 shy of the leader, Paulo Espino, who has 1,215 minor league punch outs since 2010...Lawrence also fired the lone 9.0-inning complete game in the PCL in 2025, going the distance on July 24 against Round Rock...Lawrence will be making his 15th career start against Reno today, the most he's made against a single opponent in his career (includes all levels)...Lawrence's 81.2 career innings against Reno are the second-most he's pitched against a single opponent, trailing only the 82.2 innings he's thrown against Double-A Hartford...in seven career starts at Greater Nevada Field, Lawrence is 4-1 with a 5.26 ERA (22ER/37.2 IP).
HOW ABOUT A HOT START: The Rainiers will look to repeat their quick start in 2025, where they won their first three games...Tacoma has gotten off to a 2-0 start just three times since 2005 (2006, 2016, 2025)...the Rainiers have gotten off to a 3-0 start just twice in that time (2006, 2025), with their best start in that time being the 4-0 streak to open the 2006 season.
TOP TALENT IN TACOMA: Tacoma's Opening Day roster features four of the Mariners' Top-30 prospects (per MLB Pipeline)...No.1 prospect Colt Emerson (No. 9 overall) returns to the Rainiers after closing the 2025 season with Tacoma...he is joined by No. 18 prospect INF Brock Rodden, No. 23 OF Rhylan Thomas and No. 24 LHP Robinson Ortiz.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN: The Rainiers Opening Day roster is comprised of 16 pitchers, two catchers, six infielders and four outfielders...10 of the 28 players on the roster suited up for the 2025 Rainiers (RHP Blas Castaño, OF Colin Davis, LHP Jhonathan Díaz, INF Colt Emerson, RHP Domingo Gonzalez, LHP Austin Kitchen, RHP Casey Lawrence, OF Spencer Packard, RHP Troy Taylor and OF Rhylan Thomas...the 18 newcomers are: RHP Randy Dobnak, RHP Dane Dunning, RHP Alex Hoppe, OF Connor Joe, INF Alejo Lopez, RHP Gabriel Mosser, C Jhonny Pereda, C Jakson Reetz, RHP Michael Rucker, LHP Josh Simpson, INF Carson Taylor, RHP Brendan White, RHP Cole Wilcox, INF Will Wilson, INF Patrick Wisdom and RHP Yosver Zulueta...the Rainiers open the season with three players on the Injured List (OF Brennen Davis, OF Victor Labrada and RHP Ryan Loutos), as well as one on the Development List (C Brian O'Keefe).
RETURN TO RENO: Tacoma opens the 2026 season on the road, just the second time doing so since 2021 (also: 2023 at Oklahoma City)...Tacoma's first road trip in 2025 was also to Reno, where they won two of six games...the Rainiers, in total, went 15-9 against Reno and 7-5 at Greater Nevada Field in 2025...Tacoma's 30 doubles at Greater Nevada Field in 2025 were the most they hit at any road venue last season, however, the club's .779 OPS was the second-lowest of any venue they played in last year...including Friday's victory, Tacoma has posted a 40-30 record at Greater Nevada Field in the last six seasons, the best mark for any visiting team at Greater Nevada Field in that time.
RUNNING IT BACK WITH RUSSELL: Manager John Russell returns to lead the Rainiers in 2026, joined by Bench Coach Eric Farris, Hitting Coach Seth Mejias-Brean, Pitching Coach Mike McCarthy and Coach Jacob Nottingham...Farris returns to Tacoma for his fourth season on the staff and third as bench coach. Mejias-Brean played for the Rainiers from 2017-18 and served as the Tacoma's bench coach in 2022...McCarthy joins the staff with stops in Triple-A Rochester (2018-19), St. Paul (2021), El Paso (2022), Gwinnett (2024), as well as a stop in the Major Leagues with the Athletics as their bullpen coach in 2023...Nottingham joins the staff after playing for Tacoma in 2025, appearing in 17 games, hitting .193 with six doubles and seven RBI.
RAINIER RECORDS: The Rainiers closed the 2025 regular season with their 86th victory, the most in the Pacific Coast League and the most in the "Rainiers Era," which began in 1995 when Tacoma changed from the Tacoma Tigers to the Rainiers and began their affiliation with the Seattle Mariners...the previous high in the "Rainiers Era" was 85 wins in 2001, when they were declared "Co-Champions" of the Pacific Coast League with New Orleans...Tacoma has reached 86 wins for the third time in franchise history (also: 1961 - franchise record 97, 1969 - 86).
MARINERS UPDATE: The Mariners picked up their first win of 2026 on Friday night, beating the Guardians 5-1...Chase DeLauter opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning, the only run that George Kirby allowed over 6.0 innings...Cole Young gave Seattle the lead with a three-run home run in the fourth inning and Luke Raley would add to it with a two-run blast in the sixth...Eduard Bazardo, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined for 3.0 scoreless innings of relief to lock down the win.
Pacific Coast League Stories from March 28, 2026
- Express Fall in Extra Innings to Space Cowboys, 3-2 - Round Rock Express
- Express Claim 7-4 Victory Over Space Cowboys on Opening Day - Round Rock Express
- Fitzgerald's Career Night Powers OKC to 13-6 Comeback Win - Oklahoma City Comets
- Strahm's Walk-off Single Gives Sugar Land First Win of the Season - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Late Trio of Run-Scoring Innings Secures First Reno 2026 Victory - Reno Aces
- Rainiers' Late Rally Not Enough in 8-4 Loss to Reno - Tacoma Rainiers
- Condon Homers Twice in 13-6 Loss to Comets - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes - at Reno - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Comets Game Notes - March 28, 2026 - Oklahoma City Comets
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
