Tacoma Pitchers Hold Sugar Land to Four Hits in 3-2 Victory
April 26, 2025 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Tacoma Rainiers News Release
TACOMA, WA - The Tacoma Rainiers (11-14) allowed just two runs on four hits, taking the third game of their series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (11-14) by a 3-2 margin.
Sugar Land opened the scoring in the first inning. After Zach Short lined out to left to begin the game, Brice Matthews homered to left-center to make it 1-0. The Rainiers tied the game on their turn at the plate, as Rhylan Thomas led off the inning with a single, his 13th hit to lead off an inning, the most in the PCL. Tyler Locklear doubled off of the left field wall to drive Thomas in, tying the game at one.
Sugar Land took the lead back in the second. Cesar Salazar and Jesús Bastidas both walked to begin the frame, and Tommy Sacco Jr. dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move them into scoring position. Short walked to load the bases, and Matthews hit a sacrifice fly to score Salazar on a close play at the plate, making it 2-1. Shay Whitcomb would then pop out to catcher Blake Hunt to end the inning.
Tacoma got back on the board in the second, as a rally began after a one-out walk to Colin Davis. Davis got into scoring position with a stolen base, and Nick Dunn singled to bring him in and tie the game at two. The inning continued with a walk to Blake Hunt, which Rhylan Thomas followed up with an RBI single into right field to give the Rainiers a 3-2 lead, his third hit of the game.
The game was scoreless from that point on, with Tacoma starter Michael Mariot retiring the last 11 batters he faced before being relieved by Matt Cronin to start the sixth inning. Cronin pitched two scoreless innings in his Rainiers debut of the season, and Josh Fleming recorded a six-out save for his first save of the year. Mariot took the win today, his first, while Ullola got the loss for Sugar Land.
Postgame Notes:
Blake Hunt reached base via a walk in all three of his plate appearances, which matches his career-high. It is the first time he has walked three times in a game since July 17th, 2019.
Josh Fleming's six-out save is the first such save for the Rainiers since Matt Festa recorded a six-out save on June 30th, 2023 against Salt Lake.
Rainiers pitchers threw a combined 119 pitches tonight, the seventh-fewest in a game this year in the PCL.
The three hits allowed by Rainiers pitchers are the second-fewest they have allowed this year, trailing only the four hits they allowed to Sugar Land on Tuesday.
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