LAS VEGAS, NV (July 10, 2026) — The Tacoma Rainiers (7-9/40-51) launched five home runs to defeat Las Vegas Aviators (10-6/54-35) 12-10 Friday night and take a 3-1 series lead. Michael Arroyo led the Rainiers’ offense by driving in five runs, a new career-high for the Mariners’ No. 4 prospect (MLB.com). Ryan Bliss set a new career-high with three doubles in the contest and Stuart Fairchild recorded the third multi-homer game of his career with two solo shots. Josh Simpson set down the last five Aviators in order to record his second save of the season.
Tacoma got out to a fast start in their first trip to plate Friday night. Ryan Bliss punched a single into right field to lead off the game and advanced to third when Brock Rodden laced a single into right-center. Michael Arroyo brought home Bliss to score the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to center field, giving the Rainiers an early 1-0 lead.
Las Vegas answered in the bottom of the second inning when Brayan Buelvas (3) drove a two-out solo shot over the right field wall, tying the game at one.
Tacoma regained the lead in the third inning. Jhonny Pereda led off the frame with a double into the right field corner and moved up to third when Victor Labrada flied out to deep right-center field. Then, Bliss pulled a double down the left field for his second hit of the night. Pereda trotted home to put the Rainiers ahead 2-1. Rodden pushed Bliss up to third when he beat out an infield single and just like the first inning, Arroyo plated Bliss with a sacrifice fly to double Tacoma’s lead. With two outs, Patrick Wisdom (23) hit a two-run moonshot over the left field wall. His fourth home run in as many days made it 5-1.
The Rainiers extended their lead in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Stuart Fairchild (1) crushed a solo home run to straight-away center field in his season debut with the Rainiers, pushing the lead up to five.
The Aviators got right back in it in the bottom of the fourth inning. After Michael Stefanic lined out to start the frame, Tommy White lined a single into left field and Drew Swift worked a walk to put runners on first and second. Bryan Lavastida (4) drove a three-run home run over the center field wall to make it 6-4. Then, Buelvas (4) made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot to left field, cutting the Tacoma lead down to one.
The scoring continued as the Rainiers plated a pair in the top of the fifth inning. Bliss smacked his second double of the game off the right-center field wall and two batters later, Arroyo deposited a two-run blast onto the berm in right field to make it 8-5.
Las Vegas got back within one in the bottom of the fifth inning when Darell Hernaiz worked a one-out walk and Stefanic (4) pulled a two-run homer deep to left field, making it 8-7.
Tacoma broke the game open with a four-run frame in the top of the sixth inning. With one down, Fairchild (2) and Pereda (3) smacked back-to-back solo shots to make it 10-7. Then, Labrada worked a walk and stole second to get himself into scoring position. Bliss poked his third-straight double down the right field line, as Labrada scored with ease to extend the Rainiers’ lead to four. After Rodden worked a walk and a pitching change, Arroyo hit a double into the right field corner, bringing Bliss home from second to make it 12-7.
The Aviators scratched a run across in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jack Winkler and Marlowe worked back-to-back walks to lead off the frame. After Hernaiz lined out to left field, Stefanic laced a single into shallow right field to load the bases. Then, Tommy White worked the third Las Vegas walk of the inning, scoring Winkler to make it 12-8. Gunner Mayer was called upon to get the final out of the inning.
Las Vegas continued to chip away at Tacoma’s lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. With no outs, the Aviators loaded the bases when Buelvas walked, Swift singled, and Winkler walked to start the frame. Winkler and Swift advanced when Buelvas scurried home on a wild pitch, making it 12-9. After Marlowe struck out, Hernaiz worked another walk to reload the bases. Then, Stefanic lined a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Swift from third to bring Las Vegas within two.
Josh Simpson was tasked with holding the Aviators scoreless in the bottom of the ninth inning. He set them down in order to secure the 12-10 victory and recorded his second save of the season.
Tacoma looks to secure the series victory Saturday night. RHP Casey Lawrence will toe the rubber for his 19th start of the season. First pitch scheduled at 7:05 PM.
POSTGAME NOTES:
- Tacoma tied a season-high with five home runs in Friday’s win, the third time the Rainiers have hit five in a game this year…the Rainiers are joined by Albuquerque as the only teams in the PCL to hit five-or-more home runs in three separate games this season.
- C Jhonny Pereda smacked a double and a home run Friday night, his first game with multiple extra-base hits this year…he finished 2-for-4 with a double, home run, RBI, and two runs scored…it’s his first game with two extra-base hits since August 23, 2025, with St. Paul…it marked Pereda’s 12th multi-hit performance in games where he was behind the dish, tied for the second-most in the PCL this season.
- INF Ryan Bliss hit a career-high three doubles in Friday’s win, finishing 4-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI, and four runs scored…he is the second Rainiers hitter this season to hit three doubles in a game (also: Patrick Wisdom on July 4 against Reno)...Bliss has recorded four hits in two straight games, making him one of four PCL hitters to accomplish the feat this season and the sixth Triple-A hitter…he is the first Rainiers hitter to record consecutive four-hit games since Tyler Locklear on July 22-23, 2025, in Round Rock…since the series started, Bliss is batting .571 (12x21) with four doubles, a triple, a home run, and eight RBI.
- INF Patrick Wisdom launched his 23rd home run Friday night, the most in the PCL…he finished 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, a walk, and a run scored…it’s his fourth home run since the series started on July 7, tied for the most in the minor leagues over that span.
- OF Stuart Fairchild tied his career-high with two home runs in his season-debut with Tacoma Friday, finishing 2-for-4 with two home runs, two RBI, and two runs scored…it’s his second two-homer game the season (also: April 1, 2026, with Columbus) and the third of his career.
- INF Michael Arroyo drove in five runs in the win Friday night, tying his career-high…he finished 2-for-3 with a double, home run, five RBI, and a run scored…five RBI in a game is tied for the third-most by a Rainiers hitter this season…in his first four games with Tacoma, Arroyo is 7-for-18 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, and eight RBI.