Rainiers Fall 6-2 to Express on Saturday Night

ROUND ROCK, TX (September 19, 2026) — The scoring came in bunches on Saturday night at Dell Diamond, but the Tacoma Rainiers (38-36/71-78) could not overcome an early deficit in a 6-2 loss to the Round Rock Express (42-32/73-76). Round Rock plated three runs in the first inning, which would prove to be enough to take the win. Nolan Kingham recorded a quality start, matching his season-high with 6.0 innings of work. Ryan Bliss went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of stolen bases in the loss.

The Express wasted no time in getting on the board. Cam Cauley led off the home half of the first inning with a double to right-center field. Michael Helman hit a one-out single to put runners at the corners, and a wild pitch from Nolan Kingham allowed the first run to score. Helman advanced to second on the wild pitch and to third on a groundout, setting up John Taylor for an RBI single up the middle to make it 2-0. After Taylor swiped second and Aaron Zavala walked, Keyber Rodriguez doubled home another run, making it a three-run first inning for the Express.

Tacoma began to chip away in the top of the fifth inning. Willie MacIver led off the frame with a walk, advancing to third base on a Miles Mastrobuoni single down the left field line. Ryan Bliss got the Rainiers on the board with a single to right field, bringing in MacIver and moving Mastrobuoni to third base. Bliss then stole second base, his 30th steal of the season. After Leo Rivas worked a walk to load the bases, Andy Ibáñez bounced into a double play, that pushed another run across to make it a 3-2 game.

Kingham settled in after allowing the three runs in the first inning. He managed to strand runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, keeping the Rainiers in the game as he logged his second quality start of the season, matching his season-high with 6.0 innings of three-run baseball.

Round Rock pulled away bottom of the eighth inning, scoring three more runs. Taylor hit a leadoff single to center field, followed by a walk to Zavala, putting runners at first and second base. Rodriguez drove in his second run of the game with a single through the left side of the infield, driving in Taylor, and extending Round Rock’s lead to 4-2. Tacoma called upon Charlie Beilenson to take over in relief. The 26-year-old retired his first two batters, but gave up a two-out, two-run double to Cauley, pushing the deficit to 6-2.

In the top of the ninth inning, Emiliano Teodo sat down the Rainiers in order, as Round Rock took the game, 6-2.

The Rainiers wrap up the 2026 season on Sunday, September 20, with first pitch scheduled for 11:05 AM (PT). Tacoma will send Carson Fulmer to the mound in the regular season finale.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• RHP Nolan Kingham tied his season-high with 6.0 innings of work, completing 6.0 innings for just the second time this season (also: June 21 at Las Vegas, with Round Rock)…it’s also Kingham’s second quality start of the season and Tacoma’s 38th of the season, the most in the minor leagues.
• INF Ryan Bliss stole a pair of bases on Saturday night, giving him 30 on the season…it’s the fourth time this year Bliss has stolen multiple bases in a game…Bliss’ 30 steals are tied for the fifth-most in the PCL…Bliss is one of 12 Triple-A players (and one of five in the PCL) to tally multiple 30-steal seasons in the last three years…Bliss’ 102 steals with Tacoma are the most in franchise history.
• OF Nolan Jones extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the sixth inning on Saturday, becoming the fifth different Rainiers hitter to reach a 10-game hitting streak this season…over his 10-game streak, Jones is hitting .343 (12x35) with a double, triple, home run and six RBI.