Cats Stung by Bees in Series Opener
SALT LAKE CITY – Tuesday’s series opener was all Salt Lake Bees, as they poured in 14 runs over a three-inning span en route to a 15-2 defeat of the Sacramento River Cats. Most of the damage was done with a pair of six-run innings, the first of which came
SALT LAKE CITY – Tuesday’s series opener was all Salt Lake Bees, as they poured in 14 runs over a three-inning span en route to a 15-2 defeat of the Sacramento River Cats.
Most of the damage was done with a pair of six-run innings, the first of which came during the third while the latter came in the fifth. During both of those frames Hunter Dozier connected on a three-run blast, helping him to finish with nine RBI in the contest which is a new Bees (12-21) franchise record.
Both the first two pitchers for the River Cats (21-13) allowed six runs apiece, with the loss charged to Spencer Howard as he allowed his six on three hits with four walks and six strikeouts in 2.1 innings. The six runs allowed were a season-high for Howard, just his second game this season allowing five or more runs. Tanner Andrews also yielded six runs, coming on seven hits with one walk in 2.0 frames.
Things had looked promising for the right-hander, who retired each of the first six he faced with five going down on strikes. Howard finished with six strikeouts, his third time this season punching out six or more and second straight outing after a season-high eight punchouts on May 2 against Tacoma.
Sacramento avoided a shutout by plating a pair in the top of the seventh, doing so on consecutive RBI singles from Marco Luciano and Brett Wisely. Wisely extended his hitting streak to eight games and ended his night 3-for-5, while Luciano notched his ninth multi-hit game by closing 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk.
The nine RBI by Dozier are the most allowed in a game by the River Cats since at least 2005, topping the previous record of seven which had been done three times, the last of which by Henry Gatewood of Salt Lake on June 22, 2021 during a 12-5 loss in Sacramento.
Though they scored only two runs, the River Cats stranded 16 runners on base which matches their season-high from April 2 against the Reno Aces. Unlike tonight, the River Cats won that contest on April 2 by a 9-8 final in 12 innings.
Wednesday will be an afternoon matinee between these two teams, with first pitch from Smith’s Ballpark tossed at 11:05 a.m. (PT).