Rainiers Allow Four-Run Sixth Inning in Loss to Sugar Land
TACOMA, WA (April 22, 2025) - The Tacoma Rainiers (9-13) dropped the opening game of their six-game series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (10-12) on Tuesday afternoon by a final score of 4-1, despite out-hitting the Space Cowboys eight to three. The game was scoreless until the sixth inning.
TACOMA, WA (April 22, 2025) - The Tacoma Rainiers (9-13) dropped the opening game of their six-game series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (10-12) on Tuesday afternoon by a final score of 4-1, despite out-hitting the Space Cowboys eight to three.
The game was scoreless until the sixth inning. Tacoma starter Luis F. Castillo left his start with two outs in the second inning after suffering an injury, and left-hander Austin Kitchen kept Sugar Land hitless until Jesús Bastidas doubled to lead off the sixth. Kitchen induced a groundout to second from Quincy Hamilton, which moved Bastidas to third. Shintaro Fujinami entered the game in relief and walked the first three batters he faced. Bastidas, Zach Short, and Brice Matthews each scored wild pitches, giving the Space Cowboys a 3-0 lead. Shay Whitcomb scored on a sacrifice fly from Collin Price, extending the Sugar Land lead to 4-0.
Tacoma responded in bottom of the sixth, as Samad Taylor led off the inning with an infield single. He stole second base, and after Cole Young flew to center, Harry Ford brought Taylor in with a single into right-center. Tyler Locklear and Colin Davis walked to load the bases, with Austin Shenton flying out to between them. Rhylan Thomas would ground out to third to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded and the score at 4-1.
The Rainiers loaded the bases in the seventh, as Taylor, Cole Young and Locklear each reached with two outs, but could not plate a run.
Tacoma loaded the bases again in the eighth, as Shenton walked, Davis singled, and Thomas walked to start the inning. However, Sugar Land right-hander Nick Hernandez was able to escape the jam without giving up a run through a strikeout of Blake Hunt, a popout by Spencer Packard, and a ground out by Samad Taylor.
Luis Contreras came on in relief for Sugar Land in the ninth, and earned his first save of the season with a scoreless inning, finishing the game and giving Sugar Land a 4-1 victory.
Postgame Notes:
The three hits allowed by the Rainiers’ pitching staff is their lowest mark this season
Harry Ford extended his hit streak to three games and his on-base streak to eight games with today’s performance, both of which are his longest of the season and the longest active streaks on the team
This is only the seventh time since 2005 that the Rainiers have given up three hits or less and lost a game, and the first since August 16, 2016 at Nashville, a game they lost 2-1.
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