Tacoma Comeback Bid Falls Short, Drop Home Opener 6-4

Tacoma, WA (March 31, 2026) — The Tacoma Rainiers (2-2) could not dig themselves out of a 6-0 hole, as they fell 6-4 to the El Paso Chihuahuas (2-2) on Tuesday night in the home opener at Cheney Stadium. Patrick Wisdom clobbered his fourth home run of the season and Brock Rodden’s double extended his extra-base hit streak to three games. The Rainiers’ bullpen turned in a stellar performance, combining for 4.1 shutout innings, only allowing two hits and a walk, while striking out eight.

El Paso started the scoring in the first inning. The first two Chihuahuas reached safely thanks to a Samad Taylor lead-off single and Nick Schnell walk. The pair would advance on a wild pitch and score safely courtesy of back-to-back groundouts. Sung-Mun Song bounced out to second and rehabbing Mariners’ SS J.P. Crawford robbed Nick Solak of a hit with a diving stop. El Paso went into the home half of the first up 2-0.

The Chihuahuas kept the bats hot in the top half of the second. With one out, Carlos Rodriguez beat out an infield single and Pablo Reyes replaced him at first as Reyes chopped a ground ball to third for a fielder’s choice. Mason McCoy pushed a single of his own into right, moving Reyes up to third. With runners on the corners and two outs, Taylor dropped his second single of the game into shallow center field, bringing Rodriguez home to score. The run extended El Paso’s lead to three.

El Paso made it three straight innings with a run as they scratched another one across in the third frame. After a groundout, Jose Miranda reached second on an error and the next batter, Rodolfo Duran, lined a single into center. Miranda scored without a throw, making it 4-0 Chihuahuas.

The Chihuahuas added on to their lead in the top of the fifth. Miranda laced a single into right and the next at-bat, Duran (1) pulled the first pitch he saw down the left field line and over the wall for his first home run of 2026. The two-run shot put El Paso up 6-0. After a Reyes walk, Tacoma went to the bullpen and Gunner Mayer made his Triple-A debut, coming into the game to relieve Randy Dobnak. The 25-year-old struck out the first batter he faced, stopping the Chihuahuas from adding on to their lead.

Tacoma’s offense broke out in the bottom of the fifth, putting up a pair of runs on four straight hits. With one out, Rodden crushed a double off the left field wall for the first Tacoma hit since the second inning. The Mariners’ No. 18 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) advanced to third when Jhonny Pereda pounded a single through the left side of the infield. Spencer Packard immediately brought home Rodden when he smacked a single up the middle, making it 6-1. With Pereda on third and Packard on first, Colin Davis became the fourth consecutive Rainier to record a hit, bringing home Pereda and cutting the El Paso lead to 6-2 after five innings.

The Rainiers applied more pressure in their half of the sixth courtesy of a solo shot off the bat of Patrick Wisdom (4). The Pacific Coast League’s home run leader crushed a slider 440 feet over the wall in left, bringing Tacoma within three. The ball left Wisdom’s bat at 111.2 mph, the hardest hit ball by a Rainier this season.

Tacoma kept the offense rolling in the bottom of the eighth. Colt Emerson reached on a hit-by-pitch and Connor Joe moved him up to third by sending a fastball into the left field corner for a double. Wisdom reached safely for the third time by working a seven-pitch walk, loading the bases for Rodden. The switch-hitter brought home Emerson on a sacrifice fly to right field, making it 6-4.

Down to their last three outs and chasing two runs, Tacoma threatened with runners on first and second, but ultimately fell short. The Rainiers dropped their home opener and the first game of the series 6-4. Tacoma looks to bounce back Wednesday night and even the series at one game apiece. RHP Gabriel Mosser will toe the rubber for the Rainiers for his first start of the season after pitching in relief on Friday. He is slated to face El Paso RHP Sean Boyle. First pitch is set for 6:05 pm.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• J.P. Crawford began his Major League rehab assignment with Tacoma on Tuesday, playing nine innings at shortstop...Crawford went 0-for-4 at the plate with a walk

• Brock Rodden recorded his third-straight game with an extra-base hit with a double in the fifth inning Tuesday night…the switch-hitting infielder finished 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, and run…Rodden’s streak is tied for the longest active streak in the Pacific Coast League

• Patrick Wisdom walloped his fourth home run of the season, the most in the PCL…the California native finished 2-for-3 with a home run, RBI, and run…the right-handed power hitter’s home run left the bat at 111.2 mph, the hardest hit ball by any Rainier this season.

• Gunner Mayer logged a hitless appearance Tuesday night in his Triple-A debut…he went 1.1 innings and struck out three while allowing one walk…it’s the first time he has not allowed a run in his first game of the season since June 29, 2019 with the GCL Phillies.

• Connor Joe recorded his fifth extra-base hit, the second-most in the PCL…the University of San Diego product finished 1-for-4 with a double…his four doubles on the season ties him with teammate Brock Rodden for the most in the PCL.