Locklear’s Career Day Leads Rainiers to 12-7 Victory over Express

July 22, 2025

TACOMA, WA (July 22, 2025) - The Tacoma Rainiers (53-44/15-7) got four hits, two home runs, and six RBI from Tyler Locklear as they got back in the win column in the first game of their series against the Round Rock Express (45-49/11-8) by a final score of 12-7. Locklear

Tacoma opened the scoring in the first inning. Rhylan Thomas worked a one-out walk, and he stole second base with Harry Ford at the plate. After Ford struck out, Tyler Locklear dumped an RBI single into shallow left field to make it 1-0. Leody Taveras followed with his second home run with Tacoma, extending the early lead to 3-0.

Round Rock responded in the second. After Alan Trejo grounded out to begin the frame, Trevor Hauver drove his sixth home run of the season over the right field wall to cut the deficit to 3-1. Tacoma starter Jhonathan Díaz set down the next two batters in order to end the inning.

The Rainiers added to their lead in the third inning. Ford was hit by a pitch, which Locklear followed with his second single of the game, and Taveras popped out. Cade Marlowe, playing in his first game with the Rainiers since returning from the Injured List, lined an RBI single into right center field. The throw to the plate was well wide, and both runners advanced on the error. With two in scoring positions, Victor Labrada hit a sacrifice fly to center to push the score to 5-1, which also advanced Marlowe to third. He was stranded, as Leo Rivas flied out to end the inning.

Round Rock got a run back in the fourth, which started with Blaine Crim being hit by an eephus from Díaz. Trejo singled, and after Hauver struck out, Martin lined a base hit to left which loaded the bases. Billy McKinned followed with a tapper back to the mound, and Díaz threw home to get the force out at the plate; Ford attempted to secure the inning-ending double play by nabbing McKinney at first base, but his throw was high and rolled into right field. Trejo scored on the error while Martin advanced to third, which Alex De Goti followed with a pop out to bring the frame to a close with the score at 5-2.

Tacoma opened the game up in the bottom half of the fourth. Austin Shenton laced a leadoff double into the right-center field gap, and advanced to third on Taylor’s second base hit of the contest. Thomas beat out a fielder’s choice that retired Taylor at second base while Shenton scored on the back end of the play to make it 6-2. Ford reached on a base hit, which Locklear followed with his third hit of the game, a three-run home run over the left-center field wall. This extended Tacoma’s lead to 9-2, and Taveras and Marlowe both flied out to end the rally.

Round Rock got back on the board in the fifth inning. With one out, the Express recorded four consecutive singles from Dustin Harris, Kellen Strahm, Crim, and Trejo. Trejo’s hit scored both Harris and Strahm and brought the score to 9-4. Díaz was able to escape the jam by inducing a 4-6-3 double play to send the game to the sixth.

The Express drew closer in the sixth, which began with a triple from Richie Martin on a liner to left that Labrada could not corral on a diving attempt. McKinney was set down on strikes, and De Goti reached on a hit-by-pitch. With runners on the corners, Konner Pioto grounded into a 5-6 fielder’s choice that scored Martin to make it 9-5. Tacoma reliever Collin Snider, making his sixth appearance of a Major League rehab assignment with Tacoma, retired Harris on a ground ball to second base to end the frame.

The Rainiers put up another crooked number in the bottom half of the sixth inning. With one out, Ford was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, which Locklear followed with his second home run of the game, making him 4-4 with six RBI and extending the Tacoma advantage to 11-5. Taveras worked a walk, and Marlowe doubled to left-center field. Labrada walked to load the bases, and after Rivas popped out, Shenton walked as well to score Taveras and make it 12-5. The Rainiers’ rally would end there, as Taylor grounded into a force out at third base.

Round Rock got a couple runs back in the ninth, which began with a pinch-hit single by Kale Emshoff. Harris doubled to put runners on second and third, and Strahm grounded out to score Emshoff and advance Harris to third. Crim brought Harris in with a single to make it 12-7, which would be the final. Trejo grounded into a 4-6 fielder’s choice, at which point Tacoma reliever Austin Kitchen was replaced by Hagen Danner. Danner induced a flyout from Hauver to end the game.

Díaz earned his seventh win of the season for Tacoma, and he gave up four runs (three earned) over 5.0 innings while adding four strikeouts. Express starter Trey Supak took the loss, as he let in five runs (four earned) over 2.1 innings pitched.

Postgame Notes:

Tyler Locklear became the first Rainier since at least 2005 (furthest records are available) to go 4-for-4 with six-or-more RBI and a stolen base in the first six innings of a game.
Locklear was also the first Rainier since 2011 to reach base five-or-more times in one game while also recording four-or-more hits, six-or-more-RBI, and two or-more home runs. Mike Carp is the only other Rainier to achieve this feat since at least 2005, as he went 4-for-7 with two home runs, 7 RBI, and a walk in a victory over Tucson on Jun 6, 2011. Locklear is the only Rainier to add a stolen base to this statline since at least 2005.
Locklear also set career highs in RBI with his performance on Tuesday, surpassing his previous career high of five RBI (set on July 3rd, 2025).
Hagen Danner came on to record the final out of the game, and in doing so he extended his scoreless-outing streak to nine games, which is tied for the longest active streak in the PCL.
Austin Shenton extended his streak of games with an RBI to four, which is the third-longest active streak in the PCL and his on-base streak to 20 games, becoming the fifth Rainier to log a 20-game on-base streak this season