Lawrence and Dunning Turn in Strong Starts as Tacoma Gets Swept in Doubleheader
TACOMA, WA (April 4, 2026) — The Tacoma Rainiers (3-5) were swept in Saturday night’s doubleheader by the El Paso Chihuahuas (5-3), dropping game one 5-2 in eight innings and falling in game two by a score of 2-1. Tacoma’s starters, Casey Lawrence and Dane Dunning, combined to throw 11.0
TACOMA, WA (April 4, 2026) — The Tacoma Rainiers (3-5) were swept in Saturday night’s doubleheader by the El Paso Chihuahuas (5-3), dropping game one 5-2 in eight innings and falling in game two by a score of 2-1. Tacoma’s starters, Casey Lawrence and Dane Dunning, combined to throw 11.0 innings and allowed only three runs over the two games. The veteran pair each struck out six El Paso hitters.
Tacoma was the first on the board in game one of the twin bill. Rhylan Thomas led off the game with a single into left field. Ryan Bliss moved him over to second after working a seven-pitch walk. Two batters later, Connor Joe drove the first pitch he saw through the left side of the infield for a single. Thomas hustled home safely, giving the Rainiers a 1-0 lead.
El Paso answered back in the top of the third. With one out, Pablo Reyes and Samad Taylor record back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and second. After a flyout, the Major League rehabber Sung-Mun Song ripped a double down the left field line. Reyes scored without a throw, tying the game at 1-1.
Casey Lawrence was relieved after 6.0 innings of one-run ball in game one. The veteran right-hander allowed the lone run on five hits and one walk while striking out six.
Into extra innings, El Paso broke the deadlock in the top of the eighth. Samad Taylor was the Chihuahua placed runner at second to start the inning. Jase Bowen smoked a grounder to short and would make it to second safely on a throwing error. Taylor scored on the error, giving the Chihuahuas a 2-1 lead. The next batter, Song, extended the lead, poking a single the other way into left. Bowen scored from second, making it 3-1 El Paso. Nick Solak worked a walk and then Nick Schnell was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Roldolfo Durán. The backstop lasered a single into center, bringing home Song and Solak, extending the lead to 5-1.
Tacoma entered the bottom of the eighth chasing four runs. Thomas was the placed runner at second base to start the inning. With one out, Brennen Davis lined a single into left field, bringing Thomas home from second and making it 5-2. That was all Tacoma could muster, dropping the first game 5-2.
In game two, El Paso picked up right where they left off in game one, putting two runs on the board in the top of the first. With one out, Nick Schnell worked a walk and two batters later, Marcos Castañon (1) rocketed the first pitch he saw over the wall in right field. The two-run homer gave the Chihuahuas an early 2-0 lead.
Tacoma starting pitcher Dane Dunning settled in after the home run, turning in 5.0 solid innings with the two runs he allowed in the first inning. The University of Florida product only allowed two base runners after the first, on two hits while striking out six Chihuahuas. He faced the minimum from second through the fifth innings.
Tacoma got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run from Patrick Wisdom (6). Wisdom’s sixth home run in eight games is the second-most in the PCL.
Down to their last three outs and needing a run to extend the game, Jakson Reetz led off the inning for the Rainiers with a double. Tacoma would get the tying and winning runs into scoring position but failed to bring either of them home, dropping game two of the doubleheader 2-1.
Tacoma looks to win the series finale on Sunday afternoon. Randy Dobnak will take the mound for Tacoma to end the homestand. First pitch is set for 1:35 pm.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Casey Lawrence struck out his 1,216th batter in his minor league career with his sixth strikeout of the game in the sixth inning in game one…since his professional debut in 2010, his 1,216 minor league strikeouts are the most for any minor league pitcher, surpassing the 1,215 by Paolo Espino in that time…the Pennsylvania native worked 6.0 innings of one-run ball, allowing five hits, walking one, and striking out six
Patrick Wisdom walloped a solo home run in the sixth inning of game two for his sixth long ball of the season, the second-most in the PCL…the St. Mary’s College product finished game two 1-for-4 with a home run, RBI, and a run…Wisdom’s six home runs are the most by a Rainier through the team’s first eight games since at least 2005
Rhylan Thomas reached base in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader, the University of Southern California product has reached safely in every game this season