ROUND ROCK, TX (September 18, 2026) — The Tacoma Rainiers (38-35/71-77) carried a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning against the Round Rock Express (41-32/72-76), but ultimately fell 5-2 Friday night. Gabe Mosser was masterful in the start, allowing only one-run across 6.2 innings of work on three hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Nolan Jones tripled in the fourth inning and scored Tacoma’s second run while Patrick Wisdom and Connor Joe both doubled in the contest.
Tacoma walked four times to get on the board first in the top of the third inning. With one out, Nick Raposo drew the first of four free passes in the frame and Ryan Bliss replaced him at first by grounding into a fielder’s choice. Bliss then swiped second, marking his 100th-career stolen base with the Rainiers. Three-straight walks from Leo Rivas, Andy Ibáñez, and Patrick Wisdom brought Bliss home to score, giving Tacoma an early 1-0 lead.
The Rainiers doubled their lead in the fourth inning. Nolan Jones smoked a flyball off the top of the center field wall for a leadoff triple and then scored on a Stuart Fairchild sacrifice fly to center field, making it 2-0.
Gabe Mosser was masterful in the start, facing the minimum through the first four innings of the game. Mosser kept the Express hitless in that span while the only baserunner he allowed was a leadoff walk in the second inning that quickly got erased by a double play.
Round Rock got in the scoring column in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, John Taylor (8) hit a solo home run over the right-center field wall. The first hit of the game for the Express cut the Tacoma lead in half.
Mosser was relieved with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, finishing his day with only one run allowed on three hits while walking one and striking out six across 6.2 dominant innings of work. Peyton Alford came on to get the final out of the frame and got Taylor to ground out.
The Express took the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning on four straight, one-out singles from Trevor Hauver, Keyber Rodriguez, Frainyer Chavez and Cam Cauley. Chavez brought home Hauver to tie the game at two and Cauley’s base knock scored Rodriguez to give Round Rock a 3-2 lead. Then, back-to-back walks from Michael Helman and Kyle Higashoka plated Chavez, doubling the advantage. Logan O’Hoppe brought home Cauley with a sacrifice fly to right field, capping off the four-run frame and making it 5-2.
The Rainiers entered the ninth inning chasing three runs. A two-out walk from Raposo was the only baserunner they could manage, ultimately falling 5-2 to the Express in game four of the six-game set.
Tacoma will look to get back in the win column Saturday night. RHP Nolan Kingham will get the ball for the Rainiers with first pitch scheduled for 5:05 PM (PST).
POSTGAME NOTES:
- INF Ryan Bliss stole his 27th base in the third inning Friday, marking his 100th steal with the Rainiers…Bliss is the first Tacoma player in franchise history to reach the centennial mark in stolen bases, with the next closest being Samad Taylor with 95 bags.
- OF Nolan Jones tripled in the fourth inning Friday night, extending his hitting streak to nine games…it’s Jones’ second triple of the season with the first coming on May 30 with Triple-A Columbus…he has now recorded a hit in 14 of his 16 games in September…since the streak started on September 9, Jones’ .355 (11x31) is tied for the ninth-best in the Pacific Coast League.
- RHP Gabe Mosser recorded his 11th quality start of the season Friday night, improving upon his career-high…Mosser allowed one earned run on three hits and one walk across 6.2 IP while striking out six…it marked Tacoma’s 37th quality start as a staff this season, the most in the minor leagues…it’s the fourth time Mosser has pitched into the seventh inning this season (also: 7.0 IP at SUG on April 7, 7.0 IP vs. LV on April 29, and 6.2 IP vs. RNO on August 14).