RENO, NV (July 24, 2026) — The Tacoma Rainiers (11-15/44-57) fell 13-11 to the Reno Aces (15-11/47-54) in game five of the six-game set. Tacoma crushed five home runs to tie a team-best this season. Rob Refsnyder, Connor Joe, Michael Arroyo, and Lazaro Montes all hit solo shots while Stuart Fairchild launched a two-run blast. Fairchild recorded three extra-base hits in the contest, finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, two RBI, and three runs scored.
Tacoma opened the scoring Saturday night when with one out in the top of the first inning, Rob Refsnyder (1) crushed a solo home run over the left field wall, giving the Rainiers an early 1-0 lead.
Tacoma duplicated their first trip to the plate in the second inning as Connor Joe (5) deposited a one-out solo shot over the left field wall. The ball left his bat at 108.4 mph and doubled the lead, 2-0.
Reno took the lead with a four-run frame in the bottom of the second inning. The first two Aces reached as LuJames Groover beat out an infield single and Pavin Smith worked a walk. Groover advanced to third on a Jose Fernandez fly out and Gavin Conticello loaded the bases when he drew a walk. After Matt O’Neill struck out, Kristian Robinson pounded a single through the left side of the infield, pushing Conticello up to third while scoring Groover and Smith, tying the game at two. Robinson immediately stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Anderdson Rojas. The Reno leadoff man hit a single into center field, plating Conticello and Robinson to make it 4-2.
The Rainiers offense continued to produce in the top of the third inning. With two outs, Michael Arroyo (3) drove a solo homer off the left field foul pole. Tacoma’s third long ball of the night brought them within one, 4-3.
The Aces broke the game open in the home half of the third inning. Groover and Smith worked back-to-back one-out walks and the next batter, Fernandez, lined a single into left field. Groover hustled home from second to reestablish Reno’s two-run lead. Then, Conticello drew his second walk of the night to load the bases and two batters later, Robinson hit a single into center field, bringing home Smith and Fernandez to make it 7-3. Rojas worked a walk to reload the bases and Demetrio Crisantes forced home Conticello with a walk of his own, pushing the Aces’ lead up to five. Then, Manuel Pena dropped a single into right-center field, scoring Robinson and Rojas to cap off the sixth-run frame, 10-3.
Tacoma started to chip away in the fourth inning. Lazaro Montes (3) launched a towering home run over the right field wall and out of Greater Nevada Field to lead off the frame. His solo home run traveled 426 feet and made it 10-4. Then, Joe worked a walk and Stuart Fairchild ripped a double into the left field corner, putting two runners in scoring position with no outs. Fairchild advanced to third and Joe came home to score when Leo Rivas grounded out to third base, bringing the Rainiers within five. Nick Raposo worked a walk and the next batter, Ryan Bliss, beat out an infield single that scored Fairchild, making it 10-6.
Reno got the three runs back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Smith smacked a double off the center field wall to lead off the frame and advanced to third two batters later on a Conticello single. After O’Neill struck out, Robinson beat out an infield single, driving home Smith to extend the Aces’ lead to five. After Rojas walked to load the bases, Crisantes shot a single into center field, plating Conticello and Robinson to make it 13-6.
The Rainiers offense continued to mash in the fifth inning. With one out, Montes laced a double into the left-center field gap and two batters later, Fairchild hit a two–run shot off the scoreboard in left-center. Tacoma’s fifth home run of the game brought their deficit down to five, 13-8.
Tacoma kept chipping away in the top of the seventh inning. Brock Rodden worked a leadoff walk and advanced to second when Joe pulled a single into left field. After a pitching change, Fairchild was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with one out. Then, Rivas reached on a throwing error by Groover that got down the right field line and stopped at second. Fairchild was held at third as Rodden and Joe crossed the plate, cutting the deficit down to three. Then, Nick Raposo plated Fairchild with a sacrifice fly to deep center field, making it 13-11.
Entering the ninth inning trailing by two, the Rainiers were able to get the tying run to the plate but failed to score, dropping Saturday night’s game 13-11.
Tacoma looks to split the series with a win on Sunday, sending LHP Jhonathan Díaz to the mound for his second start of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM.
POSTGAME NOTES:
- Tacoma hit five home runs Saturday night, tying their season-high…it’s the fourth time the Rainiers have recorded five home runs in a game (also: June 13 vs. Albuquerque and July 9 and 10 at Las Vegas)....it’s the first time five separate Rainiers have hit a home run in the same game since July 28, 2023, against Salt Lake.
- OF Rob Refsnyder hit his first home of his Major League Rehab assignment with Tacoma in the first inning Saturday…he finished 1-for-5 with a home run, RBI, and run scored.
- INF Connor Joe hit his fifth home run of the season on Saturday, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, RBI, walk, and three runs scored…Joe’s .679 SLG against Aces’ pitching this season is the third-best by a single player this season (min. 40 PA) while his .377 (20x53) average ranks fourth and 1.089 OPS ranks fifth.
- OF Lazaro Montes recorded a double and a home run Saturday night, his second game with multiple extra-base hits with the Rainiers…he finished 2-for-5 with a double, home run, RBI, and two runs scored…since being promoted to Tacoma on July 7, Montes’ 10 extra-base hits are tied for the second-most in the PCL
- OF Stuart Fairchild notched a season-high three extra-base hits Saturday, joining INF Patrick Wisdom, INF Ryan Bliss, and C Brian O’Keefe as the only Rainiers to accomplish the feat this season…he finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, two RBI, and three runs scored…since joining Tacoma on July 10, his .793 SLG and 1.252 OPS rank third in the PCL while his seven extra-base hits are tied for the fourth-most.