Tacoma Uses Big Second Inning to Cruise Past Salt Lake
May 31, 2025 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Salt Lake Bees News Release
TACOMA, WA. - The Salt Lake Bees suffered a fifth straight loss on Friday night losing the series to Tacoma with a 7-2 decision as the Bees home run streak moved to 10 games with Niko Kavadas launching his team-high 10th home run of the season.
Tacoma Rainiers 7, Salt Lake Bees 2
WP: Trent Thornton (1 - 0)
LP: Caden Dana (3 - 5)
Game Summary
Tacoma starter Sauryn Lao set the tone by striking out the side in the first two innings.. Meanwhile, Bees starter Caden Dana couldn't find the same rhythm as the Rainiers erupted for four runs in the bottom of the second.
After Dominic Canzone drew a leadoff walk and Austin Shenton doubled, Rhylan Thomas got Tacoma on the board with a two-strike RBI single to right. An errant throw allowed Thomas to advance, and moments later, Jacob Nottingham delivered a two-run single to left. A wild pitch moved Nottingham into scoring position before Samad Taylor tripled him home, capping the four-run frame.
Salt Lake threatened in the third with a pair of walks, but failed to break through. Tacoma tacked on another run in the bottom half, with Thomas again coming up clutch, knocking in Harry Ford to extend the lead to 5-0.
The Bees' best scoring chance came in the fourth, when they loaded the bases with one out. But a popout from Zach Humphreys left them empty-handed. Tacoma quickly responded with another run in the bottom of the inning, as Canzone knocked in Spencer Packard with a single to right-center, stretching the lead to six.
Caden Dana's night ended after five innings, charged with six runs (all earned) on eight hits and five walks. Trent Thornton earned the win in relief for Tacoma, retiring all three batters he faced in the fifth.
Tacoma added one more in the sixth, when Samad Taylor singled, advanced to second on a balk, and scored on Canzone's second hit of the night.
Salt Lake finally got on the board in the seventh, as Kyren Paris tripled and scored on a groundout by Humphreys. Niko Kavadas added a solo home run in the eighth, his 10th of the season.
Despite the Bees collecting six hits, they struggled to string them together, finishing just 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. They also struck out 16 times as a team, the second-highest of the season.
Game Notes
Salt Lake dropped a fifth straight game allowing seven or more for the third consecutive game falling to 23-31 on the year and 11-30 when allowing four or more runs.
The Bees extended their home run streak to 10 consecutive games on Friday, marking the longest active streak in the Pacific Coast League and the second-longest of the season, trailing only Reno's 12-game streak from April 4-17. It was also the 13th time in the last 14 games that Salt Lake has gone deep, with Niko Kavadas providing the team's lone homer in the contest.
Kavadas continued his strong season with another standout performance for Salt Lake, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. He launched his team-leading 10th home run of the year - his second of the series - and recorded his 11th multi-hit game of the season. Kavadas has now reached base in 25 of his 26 games this year.
Chad Stevens extended his hitting streak to nine games, finishing 1-for-4 on the night. During the streak, Stevens is hitting .351 with 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored, while collecting four home runs, three triples, a double, and posting a stellar 1.280 OPS.
Tucker Flint went 1-for-4 with Salt Lake's only double of the night, accounting for one of the team's three extra-base hits. Flint extended his hitting streak to seven games and has now recorded a double in four of his last five games, continuing his productive stretch at the plate.
Kyren Paris hit safely since joining the Bees on Tuesday going 1-for-2 with a triple and a run scored. Paris scored for his third run across the previous two games while adding the teams second triple of the series.
Caden Dana worked five innings on the mound, allowing six runs on eight hits, while issuing a season-high five walks and striking out just two. Over his last two starts, Dana has now surrendered 17 earned runs and hasn't recorded more than three strikeouts since May 6 vs. Sugar Land, when he fanned seven. With the loss, Dana falls to 3-5 on the season with a 5.86 ERA, marking his third consecutive losing decision.
Up Next
Salt Lake and Tacoma face off in game five of the series as Salt Lake looks to snap a five-game losing streak with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. MST.
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 31, 2025
- Rainiers Rally Late to Beat Bees 5-4, Win Sixth-Straight - Tacoma Rainiers
- Late Rally Not Enough as Bees Fall to Rainiers, 5-4 - Salt Lake Bees
- Sugar Land Scores Four Runs in the Ninth, But Comeback Falls Short - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Aces Silenced by Express in 6-0 Loss - Reno Aces
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes - vs. Salt Lake - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Comets Game Notes - May 31, 2025 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Tacoma Uses Big Second Inning to Cruise Past Salt Lake - Salt Lake Bees
- Aviators Top Comets, 9-7 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Rainiers Strike Out Season-High 16 Bees in 7-2 Victory, Earning Series Win - Tacoma Rainiers
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