With just 25 games left in the regular season, the Tacoma
Rainiers find themselves right in the thick of one final sprint for the Pacific
Coast League Pacific Northern Division crown.

After a huge 6-2 road trip against the Round Rock Express
and the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Tacoma Nine return to Cheney Stadium tonight
to kick off an eight-game homestand against the Iowa Cubs (60-58) and the Omaha
Royals (48-69), who have a combined .460 winning percentage on the year.

The last time the I-Cubs paid a visit June 2-5, 2007, they
took three of four from Tacoma. But the past is merely prologue, as only Bryan
LaHair, Oswaldo Navarro and Iowa’s Micah Hoffpauir remain from those teams.

The Rainiers come into tonight winners of a league-best
seven of their last 10, averaging 5.8 runs per game over that stretch–nearly
half a run more than their season average–and sit just 4.5 games behind the
sinking first-place Colorado Springs Sky Sox and one game behind the
second-place Salt Lake Bees. Both of the top two teams are just 5-5 in their
last 10 games, and are struggling down the stretch.

In contrast, Tacoma finds itself armed with a resurgent
starting rotation featuring PCL Pitcher of the Week Andy Baldwin, the stifling
southpaw Chris Seddon (2-1, 2.74 ERA since the All-Star Break) and tomorrow’s
starter Brandon Morrow, who has gone 1-0 in his last two starts with a 2.08 ERA
over 13 innings.

At the dish, the Rainiers have re-acquired the services of
slugging cornerman Chris Shelton, outrighted back to Tacoma from Seattle on
August 5. Wearing a Tacoma uniform this season, the redhead from Salt Lake City
has hit .315 with 24 doubles, 12 homers and 66 RBI.

Along with Shelton, Tacoma has also benefitted from the
return of third baseman Matt Tuiasosopo from midseason elbow surgery. Since his
return to the lineup on July 16, Tui is hitting .296 (29-for-98) with five home
runs, eight doubles, 22 RBI and a slugging percentage of .531.

But it hasn’t been all new faces for the Rainiers. Big Brad
Nelson has been a cornerstone of the Tacoma lineup since the All-Star Break,
hitting .292 (19-for-65) with 13 runs, three doubles, six home runs, a triple,
10 RBI and 10 walks to just 13 strikeouts. But thunder like Nelly’s needs its
lightning, and for the past month an a half, center fielder Jerry Owens has
been pure electricity at the top of the lineup. In July and August, the
speedster from Hollywood, Calif. has gone 51-for-129 (.395) with 29 runs, three
doubles, six triples, two home runs, 17 RBI, six stolen bases and an on-base
percentage of .451.

Be sure to stay after the game tomorrow night for our
traditional Friday Night Fireworks, brought to you by Charles River Clinical.

Remember that Saturday is our Little Caesars Family Meal
Deal, where with your purchase of four special tickets, you get four limited
edition Rainiers ballcaps, four slices of pizza at Cheney Stadium, two youth
passes to Point Defiance Zoo or Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and vouchers for
two large Hot-N-Ready Pizzas and two orders of Crazy Bread.