Rainiers Secure Series with 9-7 Win over Salt Lake on Saturday

SOUTH JORDAN, UT (July 5th, 2025) - The Tacoma Rainiers (44-42, 6-5) secured the series with a 9-7 win over The Salt Lake Bees (33-52/4-7) on Saturday night at The Ballpark at America First Square. Tacoma improved to a season record of 10-1 over Salt Lake with the win in game five and secured their seventh series win of the year.

Tacoma took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after scoring a run on three singles from Samad Taylor, Harry Ford, and Tyler Locklear facing the starter in Shaun Anderson. Locklear laced an RBI single up the middle to drive in the first run and Tacoma led early.

Taylor tacked on another run for the Rainiers in the second inning to record his second hit of the night. Spencer Packard led off with a walk then advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Jack Lopez. Jacob Hurtubise singled to allow Taylor to drive in Packard and extend a 2-0 lead.

The Bees took their only lead of the night in the bottom of the third after a pair of walks from Zach Humphreys and Scott Kingery along with a single from Mitchell Daly loaded the bases. Salt Lake took the lead courtesy of a bases-clearing double from Matthew Lugo that pushed the score to 3-2.

Tacoma wasted little time regaining the lead in the fourth inning. Leo Rivas singled to leadoff the inning followed by Packard’s second walk of the night. Lopez singled to load the bases and allow Hurtubise to drive in Packard with an RBI groundout to tie the game at three. Taylor delivered an RBI single to notch his third hit of the night and second RBI to push Tacoma to a 4-3 lead.

Locklear led off the fifth inning with a solo blast to center field to mark his 13th of the season and third of the series. With the solo shot, the Rainiers extended a two-run lead. A single from Rivas along with a double from Packard (14) stationed two for Lopez to line a two-run double (10) to left field that extended a 7-3 lead.

The Bees drove in two runs in the sixth inning to cut into the deficit after sending seven to the plate. The inning was highlighted by an RBI single from Mitchell Daly. Collin Snider came in for the seventh inning to make his first rehab appearance with Tacoma. Snider pitched 1.0 scoreless inning allowing two hits while striking out one.

Tacoma loaded the bases in the top of the eighth inning with a single from Hurtubise, a walk from Taylor, and a single from Rhylan Thomas. Locklear worked a bases-loaded walk followed by a sacrifice fly from Ledoy Taveras to put Tacoma up by four.

Salt Lake plated two runs in the ninth inning with an RBI double from Flint and an RBI single from Yolmer Sanchez but Jesse Hahn struck out Korey Holland to end the game and solidify a 9-7 win in game five.

Postgame Notes:

• Leo Rivas extended a team-best 18-game on-base streak and 10-game hitting streak after going 2-for-5 tonight…across the 18-game streak, Rivas has recorded a .414 average with 1 double, 1 triple, 4 homers, 15 RBI, and 16 walks in that span…Rivas has recorded a .550 OBP in that stretch.
• Tyler Locklear hit his 13th home run of the season and 3rd in the month of July tonight…Locklear’s 3 homers in the month are second most in the PCL just behind Braxton Fulford (ABQ) who has 4…Locklear’s 10 homers since June 1st are the most in the PCL in that span.
• Locklear has drawn a walk in each of his last 8 games, the longest streak by a Rainier this year and the longest active streak in the PCL...the 8-game streak now ties for the longest in the league this year, joining Las Vegas’ Nick Martini’s eight-game streak from June 14-22.