Rainiers Unable to Escape Early Deficit in 8-2 Loss

TACOMA, WA (June 25, 2026) — The Tacoma Rainiers (1-2/34-44) came up short on Thursday night in an 8-2 loss against the Round Rock Express (2-1/33-45) at Cheney Stadium. Victor Labrada tallied his third straight game with an extra base hit, while Spencer Packard extended his hitting streak to five games. However, Tacoma could not erase an early four-run deficit in the loss.

Round Rock jumped out to an early lead in the top of the second inning. Diego Castillo drew a leadoff walk, he traded places with Jonah Bride, who grounded into a fielder’s choice. Aaron Zavala drew another walk, placing runners on first and second base. Austin Wynns drove in the first run of the ballgame on a ground ball single to right field that scored Bride. Cooper Johnson (7) followed with a three-run home run to the left field deck, making the score 4-0.

The Express added to their lead in the top of the third inning. Cam Cauley roped a leadoff double that hugged the left field chalk. Josh Smith hustled out a double to center field that scored Cauley and extended Round Rock's lead to 5-0.

Tacoma tallied their first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning. Brock Rodden started the frame with a one-out single to left field. Ryan Bliss then reached base on a fielding error by the third baseman Keyber Rodriguez that advanced Rodden to third. Victor Labrada notched Tacoma's first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Rodden, trimming the deficit to 5-1.

Round Rock padded their lead in the top of the sixth inning. Bride and Zavala drew a pair of one-out walks, then both advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch. Wynns cleared the bases on a double to left field, tacking on two more runs to Round Rock's lead, making it 7-1.

Tacoma chipped away in the bottom of the eighth inning. Labrada stroked a one-out double to the right field corner, and Patrick Wisdom singled on a line drive to left field that advanced Labrada to third. Spencer Packard grounded a single to right field that scored Labrada, making it a 7-2 game.

Round Rock got the run back in the top of the ninth inning when Rodriguez (3) smoked a solo home run to right field, extending Round Rock's lead to 8-2.

Tacoma was held off the board in the ninth inning, as they fell to the Express 8-2. The Rainiers look to even the series on Friday night. RHP Gabe Mosser will take the hill for Tacoma with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• RHP Nick Hull logged his second straight outing with 3.0 innings pitched on Thursday, he allowed two hits, one run and one strikeout…it’s his first time throwing 3.0 innings in back-to-back games since June 29-July 4, 2024, with Single-A South Bend…Hull is the first Rainiers reliever to record multiple outings at least 3.0 innings this season

• OF Victor Labrada doubled in the eighth inning on Thursday night, marking his third straight game with an extra-base hit…he finished 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, and run scored…it’s his first time recording an extra-base hit in three consecutive games since April 25-28, 2025, with Double-A Arkansas.

• OF Spencer Packard extended his hitting streak to five straight games with a single in the eighth inning on Thursday, finishing 1-for-4 with an RBI…since the streak started on June 20, he is batting .450 (9x20) with a double, home run, and four RBI…in June, Packard’s 27 hits are tied for the fifth-most in the PCL and his 18 RBI are tied for the eighth-most…he leads all Rainiers since June 1 with a .325/.411/.530 slashline and 11 walks.