Cats Stymie Express in Shutout Win, 3-0

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Sacramento River Cats used just 103 pitches and allowed only two Round Rock batters to reach base on Wednesday night at Dell Diamond, overwhelming their hosts in a 3-0 shutout victory.

River Cats starter Arnold Leon was dominant from the outset, retiring 13 of the first 14 batters he faced, and 18-of-20 overall. Offensively, the Cats scored the only run they'd need in the top of the fourth when Nate Freiman hit a solo blast off of Express starter Justin Germano. Sacramento added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings on a Freiman RBI-groundout, and a Nick Buss sacrifice fly, respectively.

Cats manager Steve Scarsone called upon relievers Eric O'Flaherty, Justin Marks, and Jeremy McBryde to close out the 3-0 win, each of whom tossed a perfect inning to close out Sacramento's dominant, two-hit pitching performance. No River Cats pitcher allowed a walk on the night, and the only two hits recorded by Round Rock were singles.

Leon tallied his seventh win, permitting just two hits and zero walks with two strikeouts in six innings of work. O'Flaherty and Marks each recorded holds, while McBryde picked up his fifth save. Freiman finished 1-for-3 with a run, two RBI, a walk, and his 12th home run of the year, while Josh Reddick-making his first rehab appearance of the season-went 1-for-3 with an outfield assist before giving way to Colin Walsh in the eighth. Shane Peterson went 2-for-4, giving him six-straight multi-hit games.

The loss was charged to Germano, who gave up four hits, one walk, and one earned run in seven innings. The only two members of the Round Rock Express to reach base were Jared Hoying and former River Cats slugger Carlos Pena.

The shutout win is the second of the year for Sacramento, and gave up only two hits once already this season on May 19 against the El Paso Chihuahuas at Raley Field.

River Cats righty Dan Straily (4-1, 3.55 ERA) will climb the hill at 5:05 p.m. to take on Round Rock right-hander Phil Irwin (2-1, 2.94 ERA) on Thursday night at Dell Diamond.

The River Cats return home on Thursday, June 26, for #SacLovesSports night at Raley Field as they take on the Las Vegas 51s at 7:05 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network.

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River Cats Season Tickets, Mini-Plans, and Flex Plans can be purchased for the 2014 season by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). Single-game tickets can now be purchased at Raley Field's Round Table Pizza Ticket Office or online at rivercats.com or ticketmaster.com. For more information about the River Cats, visit www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Raley Field, visit www.raleyfield.com.

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