Locklear's Homer in Eighth Inning Propels Rainiers to 9-7 Victory

TACOMA, WA (June 7, 2025) — The Tacoma Rainiers (29-33) flipped the script from Friday night, getting a go-ahead, two-run home run from Tyler Locklear in the eighth inning to beat the Las Vegas Aviators (37-24) by a 9-7 margin on Saturday night at Cheney Stadium.

Tacoma took an early lead by scoring in the second inning. Dominic Canzone flied out to open the frame. Tyler Locklear reached on an error but was thrown out attempting to steal second base. Spencer Packard hit a two-out single to center field, followed by a walk to Austin Shenton to put runners at first and second base. Nick Dunn singled to left field to score Packard and put Tacoma on top with a 1-0 lead. Tomo Otosaka poked a single to right field to load the bases for Rhylan Thomas, who popped out to end the inning.

The Rainiers doubled their lead in the second inning as Leo Rivas led off with a double down the first base line. After a pair of groundouts, Locklear singled to left field to score Rivas, padding the lead at 2-0. Packard popped out to third to retire the side.

After Tacoma starter Jhonathan Díaz stranded runners in the second and third innings, Las Vegas plated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Brett Harris led off the inning with a double. Alejo Lopez followed with his second home run in as many days, and second of the season, tying the game at two. Díaz retired the next three batters after allowing the home run.

Austin Shenton led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo home run, his ninth of the season, to put Tacoma back on top, 3-2. Dunn and Otosaka followed with singles, standing at first and second base, respectively. After Rhylan Thomas struck out, Rivas singled to center field, to score Dunn and extend the lead to 4-2. Harry Ford followed with a fly out to left field and Otosaka tagged up, but was thrown out at home to end the inning.

The Rainiers plated three more runs in the fifth inning. Canzone led off the inning with his 13th home run of the season to take the lead to 5-2. After Locklear flied out to center field, Packard walked. Austin Shenton roped a line drive to right field but was caught by Nick Martini. Dunn singled for his first three-hit game of the season, moving Packard to second base. Otosaka followed with his third hit of the night, driving in Packard on a single to center field to make it 6-2. Tanner Dodson entered the game in relief of the starter Kade Morris to face Rhylan Thomas, who hit a ball back up the middle to center field to score Dunn and give the Rainiers their largest lead of the game at 7-2. Rivas walked to load the bases, but Ford popped out for the third out of the inning.

Las Vegas started their rally in the top of the sixth inning, getting three runs back against Adonis Medina, who took over for Jhonathan Díaz. Alejo Lopez grounded out to Medina to start the frame. Brennan Milone singled with one out. After Shane McGuire struck out, four consecutive Aviators reached base. Nick Martini was hit by a pitch and Darell Hernaiz walked to load the bases. Colby Thomas hit a two-run single to right field and Carlos Cortes doubled to center field to drive in another run, trimming the Rainiers’ lead to 7-5. Daniel Susac grounded out to short to retire the side.

The Aviators tied the game in the seventh inning. Bryan Shaw took over in relief, retiring the first two batters he faced. Then, Milone singled and McGuire doubled, putting two in scoring position. Nick Martini delivered a game-tying single to right field, driving in a pair of runs to knot the game at seven apiece. That would be the Aviators’ final hit of the game.

Tacoma took the lead back in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Dylan Floro took over on the mound for Las Vegas. Canzone reached on an error by the shortstop Hernaiz, followed by a line-drive homer from Locklear, his fifth of the season, putting the Rainiers back on top 9-7. Floro sat down the following three batters on groundouts to finish the inning.

Jesse Hahn entered the game in the ninth and slammed the door, retiring all three batters he faced to pick up his first save of the season and lock down the 9-7 victory, giving Tacoma its second win of the series.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• The Rainiers tallied 17 hits in the victory on Saturday night, tied for the second-most they’ve recorded this season…14 of the 17 hits were by left-handed hitters, tied for the most hits by left-handed batters in a PCL game this season, matching the Rainiers’ 14 hits by lefties on May 28, in their 19-8 victory over Salt Lake…the 14 hits by left-handers are the second-most in a Triple-A game this season, trailing the 15 logged by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s lefties on May 1
• The three home runs hit by Tacoma on Saturday match their season-high for the sixth time this season, most recently done on May 28, in the 19-8 victory over Salt Lake
• Nick Dunn and Tomo Otosaka each logged their first three-hit games of the season on Saturday night…Otosaka’s three-hit effort marks his first such game in affiliated baseball
• Tyler Locklear’s go-ahead home run had an exit velocity of 111.2 miles per hour, the third hardest-hit home run of the season for Tacoma