At least four players from manager Darren Bush's Aug. 16 starting lineup likely will not be with the River Cats when they begin the Pacific Coast League playoffs in Reno tonight.

But amid late-season call-ups and trades, Sacramento stormed to an 17-4 record in its final 21 games. Models of consistency in a league that by its nature is constantly in flux, the River Cats – winners this season of their 10th division title in 12 years – enter the playoffs a confident bunch.

"There's a swagger we have when we step on the field," said outfielder Jai Miller. "We feel like we're going to make things happen."

Sacramento faces the Reno Aces at 6:35 p.m. today in Game 1 of a best-of-five series. Reno clinched its first Pacific Northern division title in the franchise's third season.

The Aces draw a River Cats team that won its fifth consecutive Pacific Southern division title. Sacramento finished 88-56, its best regular-season record since 2003, in Bush's first year at the helm.

"All season long, it's been a group of guys that have had the same common purpose," Bush said Tuesday. "No matter how many changes we've had, guys came in and all bought into the same thing – win games, help each other out, help each other have successful careers. And it's paid off."

Official playoff rosters will be finalized today. But newer faces in the lineup may include infielders Tyler Ladendorf and Stephen Parker, who played nine games between them with the River Cats toward the end of the regular season after spending most of the year at Double-A Midland.

Sacramento also retains a core group of players that includes Miller (All-PCL selection, 32 home runs, 88 RBIs), Adrian Cardenas (.314 average) and Josh Donaldson (17 home runs in 115 games).

"The team chemistry that we have right now is probably the strongest that I've been able to experience," said pitcher Graham Godfrey.

Godfrey, who tied a franchise single-season record with 14 wins, will start tonight against the Aces' Zach Kroenke (10-3, 5.89 ERA).

Sacramento's Tyson Ross (3-2, 7.61) is slated to start Game 2 Thursday night against Reno's Barry Enright (9-5, 5.21). Travis Banwart (9-9, 4.63) will pitch Game 3 for the River Cats against the Aces' Kevin Mulvey (4-9, 6.64) on Friday night, when the series shifts to Raley Field.

The River Cats edged the Aces 9-7 in a regular-season series in which both teams averaged more than six runs a game.

"I think we match up well with them," said Reno manager Brett Butler.

Butler dealt with plenty of moving pieces while guiding the Aces to a 77-67 record.

Butler said that out of the initial roster, 13 players have been called to the big leagues or traded, two are on the disabled list and one was released. "So there's been a turnaround a little more so than usual," he said.

"But our front office has done a great job of replenishing our ballclub. I think we're ready to go."

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Call The Bee's Matt Kawahara, (916) 321-1015.

• Read more articles by Matt Kawahara