September 22 Game Notes: Tacoma Rainiers vs. Round Rock Express

TACOMA RAINIERS (81-68) vs. ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (71-76)
Sunday, September 22 • 1:35 PM • Cheney Stadium • Tacoma, WA
LHP Rob Kaminsky (1-0, 8.14) vs. RHP Adrian Sampson (8-10, 5.71)

TODAY’S GAME: Tacoma and Round Rock will play the sixth and final game of their series today, with the Rainiers in search of a series victory. It will be a pitching rematch from game one on Tuesday, as Rob Kaminsky will take the ball for Tacoma. Kaminsky is 1-0 with an 8.14 ERA through 14 games (seven starts) this year, allowing 38 earned runs on 65 hits and 15 walks while striking out 41 batters over 42.0 innings. In Tuesday’s opener, the southpaw allowed eight earned runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out three over 3.1 innings. Opposite Kaminsky will be Adrian Sampson, looking for his ninth win of the year. He is 8-10 with a 5.71 ERA through 27 games (26 starts), allowing 84 earned runs on 169 hits and 45 walks while striking out 115 batters through 132.1 innings. Sampson is 0-1 with an 8.53 ERA, allowing 12 earned runs on 26 hits and four walks while striking out eight batters in his three starts against Tacoma this year.

HISTORY RE-WRITTEN: In the bottom of the sixth inning last night, Logan Warmoth stole second base, marking the fifth stolen base of the game and 282nd of the season for Tacoma. 282 stolen bases set a new modern-era Pacific Coast League record for most stolen bases in a single season, previously held by the 1981 Albuquerque Dukes with 281.

LESS THAN AVERAGE: After 6,254 fans attended Friday night’s game, the Rainiers set a franchise attendance record, surpassing the record they set last season. Last night, 6,907 fans attended Tacoma’s victory, pushing their total on the season to 394,621 fans in their 72 openings at Cheney Stadium this season. That averages 5,481 fans per opening and with one opening left this season, the Rainiers need just 5,379 fans today to surpass the 400,000 mark for the first time in franchise history. Their average of 5,481 thus far accounts for 84% of Cheney Stadium’s fixed-seating capacity of 6,500.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: Tacoma will play their final game of the 2024 season, a historic season at that. They currently hold a one game lead over the Sacramento River Cats for the overall Pacific Coast League West title. The Rainiers enter play today with an overall record of 81-68, becoming just the fifth Rainiers team since becoming a Seattle Mariners affiliate in 1995 to win 80 or more games. If they win the finale today, it will be their most victories since going 85-59 in 2001. Their 81 wins are currently tied with the 2016 Tacoma Rainiers. Aside from wins, they also set the modern-era Pacific Coast League record for stolen bases in a single season, with 282 entering today’s finale.

SWIPING BAGS: Samad Taylor was a big part of Tacoma’s success stealing bases this year, as the speedster swiped two more bags in their record-setting night last night. Taylor leads both the team and the Pacific Coast League in stolen bases this year, swiping his 50th base of the season last night. Taylor became just the third player in franchise history to steal 50 bases in a single season, joining Jimmy Sexton (56, 1981) and Forrest Wall (52, 2022). Taylor’s teammates Ryan Bliss (48) and Cade Marlowe (43) will also join the top-10 in franchise history.

RARE COMPANY: With his home run in the sixth inning of Friday night’s game, Jason Vosler etched his name in franchise history. The deep fly was Vosler’s 30th of the season, becoming just the eighth player in franchise history to swat 30 home runs in one year. He is on the verge of becoming just the second player in Tacoma’s history to hit 30+ home runs, drive in 100+ runs and hit over .300, joining Kelvin Moore, who did so in 1981.

AGAINST ROUND ROCK: Tacoma and Round Rock will play the final game of their current six-game series and the 12th overall meeting between the two teams so far this year. With last night’s win, Tacoma enters today leading the Express in the season series by five games, at 8-3. Tacoma took five-of-six from Round Rock at Dell Diamond back from June 11-16 and with their 3-2 lead this series, they enter play today leading the all-time series by 19 games, at 62-43.

SHORT HOPS: Tacoma is now 6-1 in shutouts at home and 9-4 overall…the Rainiers’ bullpen allowed just one hit last night, as four relievers walked three and struck out five over their 4.0 innings…Casey Lawrence earned his 11th win of the season last night, leading the team and second among qualified PCL pitchers…Jason Vosler can go 0-for-3 today and still hit .300 on the season.