Rainiers Outlast Express in Series Opener

TACOMA, Wash. - BOX SCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED:

In the first, Tacoma RF Rhylan Thomas drew a walk and later moved into scoring position with a stolen base. 1B Tyler Locklear drove Thomas in with a single into left to start the scoring. DH Leody Taveras worked a full count before belting a 420-foot homer to give the Rainiers a 3-0 lead.

Round Rock LF Trevor Hauver belted his sixth homer of the year with a solo shot in the second and the Express trailed 3-1.

The Rainiers added a pair of runs in the third with a RBI single from CF Cade Marlowe and a LF Victor Labrada sacrifice fly, extending their lead to 5-1.

With the bases juiced in the top of the fourth, Tacoma C Harry Ford overthrew 1B Tyler Locklear attempting to turn a double play. Round Rock 3B Alan Trejo scored on the error, cutting the E-Train deficit to three.

Tacoma plated four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth. RF Rhylan Thomas grounded into a force out but 3B Austin Shenton came home on the play. Ford got aboard with a single then Locklear hit a three-run homer and Tacoma led 9-2.

The Express loaded the bases again in the top of the fifth. Trejo hit a single into left that scored two to make it 9-4. Tacoma LHP Jhonathan Díaz induced a double play to get out of the inning.

Round Rock SS Richie Martin led off the sixth with a triple and later scored on a C Konner Piotto groundout.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ford got aboard after being hit by a pitch then Locklear tallied his second home run of the day. The Rainiers loaded the bases and 3B Austin Shenton drew a walk to scratch another run across. Tacoma led 12-5 after six complete.

The Express plated a pair of runs in the top of the ninth. RF Kellen Strahm grounded out and PH Kale Emshoff scored from third then 1B Blaine Crim drove CF Dustin Harris in with a single. Tacoma RHP Hagen Danner replaced RHP Austin Kitchen to record the final out of the day as the Rainiers took game one, 12-7.

E-TRAIN EXCERPTS:

IN THE SWING OF THINGS: The Express have tallied at least 10 hits in seven of their 13 games this month. They have also hit a home run in six consecutive games. Round Rock ranks second in the PCL with 21 home runs and a league-best .040 home runs per plate appearance in July.

TRY TO STOP TREVOR: Round Rock LF Trevor Hauver extended his league-best on-base streak to 31 games after hitting a solo home run in the top of the first. He joins Albuquerque INF Keston Hiura (31) and Reno OF Jorge Barrosa (32) as the only Pacific Coast League players to reach base in at least 30 consecutive games this year. Hauver is just the eighth player in E-Train history to reach base in 31 consecutive games. DH Joey Butler holds the E-Train record with his 35-game streak from July 22 to September 2 in 2013.

NEXT GAME: Wednesday, July 23 at Tacoma FIRST PITCH: 7:05 p.m. PT BALLPARK: Cheney Stadium

For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Subscribe to the E-Train email newsletter and keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and X!