LAS VEGAS, NV (August 6, 2026) — A night after hitting a season-high six home runs, the Tacoma Rainiers (14-22/47-64) clubbed four more long balls en route to a 10-6 victory over the Las Vegas Aviators (19-17/62-46) on Thursday night at Las Vegas Ballpark. Patrick Wisdom hit his league-leading 30th home run, while Lazaro Montes tied his career-high with his 32nd of the season between Tacoma and Double-A Arkansas. Eight of Tacoma’s nine batters tallied a hit and six different players drove in a run in the victory.
Tacoma opened Thursday’s game by scoring a run in the first inning for a second consecutive night. Ryan Bliss got the offense started by grinding out a 13-pitch walk. Nolan Jones put Tacoma on the board with a double to right-center field, making it 1-0 as Bliss scored. Michael Arroyo worked an eight-pitch walk, and two outs later, Connor Joe battled for a seven-pitch walk, loading the bases and knocking Dallas Keuchel out of the game. Keuchel’s exit marked the second consecutive game Tacoma knocked the Aviators starting pitcher out of the game in the first inning. Domingo Robles took over, needing one pitch to get the final out of the first inning.
Brock Rodden (18) doubled Tacoma’s lead in the top of the fourth inning, leading off the frame with a solo home run to make it 2-0. The long ball was Rodden’s fourth in three games in Las Vegas.
Nick Hull kept Las Vegas off the board through the first three innings on Thursday, but Brayan Buelvas (11) got the Aviators first run of the night in the bottom of the fourth inning, leading off the inning with a home run to cut Tacoma’s lead in half, 2-1.
The home run barrage continued in the top of the fifth inning. After Arroyo drew a leadoff walk, Wisdom (30) drilled a two-run home run to left field, extending Tacoma’s lead to 4-1 and marking Wisdom’s third consecutive game with a home run. Lazaro Montes (7) did the same in the next at-bat, homering for the third straight game, going back-to-back with Wisdom to make it a 5-1 lead.
The Aviators rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the frame. The first three batters of the inning all reached base, as Bryan Lavastida walked, Darell Hernaiz and Jack Winkler singled, the latter driving in a run to make it 5-2. After Nick Hull got the first out of the inning, Drew Swift hit a two-run single back up the middle to make it 5-4, advancing to second base on the throw to the plate. With two outs, Michael Stefanic snuck a single through the middle of the infield to drive in Swift, knotting the game at five.
Tacoma responded in the top of the sixth inning to take the lead. Jakson Reetz and Bliss each singled to lead off the inning. After Jones struck out, Arroyo (4) clubbed a three-run home run to straightaway center field, putting Tacoma back on top, 8-5.
The Rainiers added on in the top of the seventh inning. Connor Joe was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Rodden followed with a ground ball to the second baseman Hernaiz, but it was bobbled, allowing Joe to advance and Rodden to reach base. The next batter, Miles Mastrobuoni, bounced a ball back to the pitcher Wander Suero, but he fumbled it on the transfer, loading the bases with no outs. After Reetz struck out, Bliss lined a single to left field, driving in Joe to make it 9-5.
Tacoma tacked on another run with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. Wisdom led off with a single and later scored on a two-out, RBI triple to right-center field from Rodden, extending Tacoma’s lead to 10-5.
In the bottom of the frame, Lavastida (6) hit a solo home run to left field, getting Las Vegas within 10-6.
Nick Garcia took over on the mound for the bottom of the ninth inning and sat down the side in order on nine pitches, securing the 10-6 victory.
The Rainiers look to win their third game of the series on Friday night, with LHP Jhonathan Díaz slated to make the start. First pitch is set for 7:05 PM.
POSTGAME NOTES:
- INF Ryan Bliss worked a 13-pitch walk to lead off the game…it’s the second-longest plate appearance by a Triple-A batter to lead off a game this season, trailing only the 14-pitch battle by Memphis’ Colton Ledbetter on May 28 at Omaha…Bliss’ 13-pitch plate appearance is the longest by a Triple-A hitter this year to result in the batter reaching base and tied for the longest walk worked by a Triple-A batter since 2015, matching Jacksonville’s Matthew Etzel’s 13-pitch walk on August 26, 2025.
- INF Patrick Wisdom connected on his league-leading 30th home run of the season on Thursday night…it’s Wisdom’s third 30-homer season of his career, hitting 31 in 2017 with Memphis, 31 in 2019 with Nashville…Wisdom joins Mike Hessman (2007, 2008 and 2012) as the only Triple-A players since 2005 to record three 30-homer seasons.
- OF Lazaro Montes homered for the third consecutive game on Thursday night, doing so for the second time this season (also: May 15-17)…Montes’ home run was his 32nd combined homer this season, hitting 25 with Double-A Arkansas and seven with Tacoma, matching his career-high of 32 he hit last season…Montes is the sixth minor leaguer since 2005 to record consecutive 32-homer campaigns.
- The Rainiers homered four times on Thursday night, their third consecutive game with at least four home runs…Tacoma is the second PCL team this season to homer four times in three consecutive games, joining Albuquerque, who did so from June 28-July 1…it’s the first time since at least 2005 that Tacoma has homered at least four times in three consecutive games…the Rainiers also hit back-to-back home runs for the second straight night, marking the second time this season they’ve hit back-to-back home runs in consecutive games (also: June 23-24 vs. Round Rock).
- INF Ryan Bliss recorded his eighth three-hit game of the season on Thursday night, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk…Bliss has 30 hits against Las Vegas this season, tied for the second-most by a Triple-A hitter against a single opponent this season, trailing only Zac Veen’s 39 hits against El Paso…Bliss’ 30 hits against Las Vegas are tied for the most by a Rainiers hitter against one opponent in a single season since 2005, matching Rhylan Thomas’ 30 hits against Salt Lake in 2025.