Packard Powers Rainiers to Victory

SALT LAKE CITY, UT– The Tacoma Rainiers (48-38) moved back to 10 games over .500, beating the Salt Lake Bees (37-48) by a score of 10-2, Friday at Smith’s Ballpark.

For the second consecutive night, the Rainiers scored four runs in the first inning, highlighted by a single from Jason Vosler and a double from Leo Rivas. They added a run in the second on a solo home run from Jonatan Clase, his 10^th of the season.

Spencer Packard used a sacrifice fly in the third to make it 6-0 and hit a three-run home run in the fifth, growing Tacoma’s lead to nine. Salt Lake ended the shutout in their half of the fifth, scoring on a triple from Bryce Teodosio and a sacrifice fly from D’Shawn Knowles.

Those were the only two runs Michael Mariot allowed, as the right-hander earned his fifth win of the year with a quality start. He gave up four hits and two walks while striking out five over his 7.0 innings pitched.

Packard brought in his fifth run of the game in the seventh with an RBI single making it 10-2, where it would stay. Joey Krehbiel and Carlos Vargas each tossed scoreless innings to secure Tacoma’s 48^th win of the season.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• Spencer Packard went 3-for-4 with a run scored and five runs batted in tonight, raising his average on the season with Tacoma to .321.
• Jake Slaughter went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts tonight, the most for any Rainiers player in a single game this season.

Tacoma and Salt Lake will play the sixth and final game of their series tomorrow night, with first pitch from Smith’s Ballpark scheduled for 5:35 pm PT. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/tacoma.