Rainiers Score Second Walk-off Win in Three Games, Beat Bees 8-7

TACOMA, WA (May 29, 2025) - The Tacoma Rainiers (24-30) picked up their second walk-off win in three games and their fourth-straight victory, as they erased a pair of deficits in an 8-7 win over the Salt Lake Bees (23-30).

Logan Gilbert started the game for the Rainiers on Major League rehab. Kyren Paris was hit by a pitch to begin the game, and he advanced to second on a stolen base. Christian Moore struck out swinging while Paris was on the move to third base, and Harry Ford’s throw was not in time as he swiped his second bag of the frame. Niko Kavadas walked and attempted to steal second base when J.D. Davis knocked a single into right-center field. Paris scored to give Salt Lake a 1-0 lead, and Kavadas advanced to third base.

Gilbert induced a pop-up from Chad Stevens and a strikeout of Yolmer Sanchez to escape the inning.

Gilbert threw 1.2 innings in his rehab start, allowing a run on two hits, walking two and striking out three.

Salt Lake added to their lead in the fourth. After Tucker Flint grounded out to first base, Korey Holland hit his second home run of the year to center field, extending the Salt Lake advantage to 2-0.

Tacoma cut into the deficit in the fifth inning. Cole Young hit a lead-off single, and he advanced to second on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Salt Lake pitcher Endrys Briceno. Ford put runners on the corners with a single, and following strikeouts by Dominic Canzone and Tyler Locklear, Rhylan Thomas hit a single to score Young. Austin Shenton grounded out to shortstop to end the inning with the score at 2-1.

Tacoma took the lead in the sixth inning, which began with a walk from Spencer Packard. After Jack Lopez struck out, Samad Taylor was hit by a pitch. Young flied out to left field, following which, Harry Ford hit his 6th home run of the season. The 443-foot blast is the longest at Cheney Stadium this season, and it gave Tacoma a 4-2 lead.

Salt Lake countered with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Holland and Paris started the frame with back-to-back singles. Moore struck out and Kavadas flied out to left, which Davis followed with a double to the right field corner. Holland scored to make it 4-3, but Paris was held up at third. Stevens then knocked a single to center field, which brought both runners in and put Salt Lake on top 5-4.

Tacoma forced the game’s third lead change in the bottom in the seventh. Locklear ignited the rally with a leadoff single, and Thomas singled as well, which advanced Locklear to third base. After Shenton went down on strikes, Packard walked to load the bases. Lopez struck out swinging, and Taylor came through with a bases-clearing double to give Tacoma a 7-5 lead.

Salt Lake tied the game in the eighth. The frame began with a double down the left field line by Rivero, which Tucker Flint followed with a game-tying two-run homer over the left field wall. Tacoma reliever Trevor Gott was able to retire the next three batters to end the inning with the game tied at seven.

Packard led off the ninth inning with a single to spark the offense and Colin Davis came in to pinch-run. Lopez moved him to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Taylor singled to right field, and Davis was held up at third base. Young then hit a soft ground ball to the right side, which J.D. Davis was unable to field cleanly, allowing Colin Davis to score to give Tacoma the 8-7 walk-off victory.

Zach Pop took the win for Tacoma after pitching a scoreless ninth inning, his first of the season, and Sam Bachman took the loss for Salt Lake after giving up the game-winning score.

Postgame Notes:

• Tonight’s win brings the Rainiers' winning streak to four games, which is their longest streak of the season.
• Jack Lopez’s hitting streak ended at 16 games tonight, but his on-base streak rose to 17 straight after his fourth-inning walk. This is the fourth-longest active streak in the PCL, and the second-longest streak on the team. Lopez trails Samad Taylor, who extended his on-base streak to 19 and his hitting streak to 13 tonight, both of which are the third-longest active streaks of their kind in the PCL
• Harry Ford’s 443-foot home run tonight is the longest home run hit by any player at Cheney Stadium this season.
• Tacoma’s nine walks tonight marked a season-high, breaking the previous high of eight walks, which came on May 11, 2025, versus Sacramento.
• Tacoma stole seven bases tonight, which is a season-high. Prior to tonight, their top mark was four stolen bases in a game, which happened most recently against Oklahoma City on April 17, 2025.
• Tonight’s walk-off victory is Tacoma’s fourth of the season, and their second in the last three games. The Rainiers are one walk-off win short of their five walk-off wins in 2024.