Cats Avoid Shutout but Fall 5-1
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – For a second straight game the Sacramento River Cats were staring down a shutout heading into the ninth inning, and though they managed to scrape together a run, the Salt Lake Bees captured game three of the series by a 5-1 final. Despite being saddled with
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – For a second straight game the Sacramento River Cats were staring down a shutout heading into the ninth inning, and though they managed to scrape together a run, the Salt Lake Bees captured game three of the series by a 5-1 final.
Despite being saddled with the loss, River Cats (9-9) starter Mason Black (0-1) was in a groove for most of his outing, striking out 10 batters while walking two over five innings. The 10 punchouts are the most in a game by a River Cats starter this season and were the most since Carson Whisenhunt also struck out 10 on Sept. 22, 2024 against Las Vegas.
Black allowed just two runs in those five innings, the first of which came on a solo home run with two outs in the second inning from Chad Stevens that barely cleared the wall in right field. Two innings later in the fourth was when Black yielded his other run, again coming from Stevens with two outs in the frame on a single into left field.
Joey Lucchesi took over in the sixth and allowed a two-run home run to Carter Kieboom, a two-run shot to left field that doubled the Bees (9-9) lead to 4-0. Insurance was added in the ninth from Zach Humphreys on a double into left field that scored Yolmer Sánchez, who had reached with a one-out single into center.
Sacramento’s run was scored without an RBI on the play, as Brett Auerbach singled up the middle on a ball that bounced off pitcher Carl Edwards Jr.’s glove, but an error by shortstop Stevens when he tried a barehand pickup allowed David Villar to race home from third.
Villar was one of the top River Cats at the dish, closing his night 2-for-4 and extending his team-leading hit streak to seven games in which he is batting .448 (13-for-29). Overall, he now has hits in 13 of his 14 games played and is batting .377 (20-for-53) in that time.
Even in the losing effort the River Cats struck out 16 batters, a new season-high and their most since they struck out 18 at home against Tacoma on May 4, 2024. Sacramento has struck out double-digit batters in 11 of 18 games this season (61.1 percent) and have struck out 13 or more batters in consecutive games for the first time since May 26-28, 2024 against El Paso (5/26/24, 15) and Tacoma (5/28/24, 13).
Four other River Cats collected hits in the contest including Logan Porter, who ended 1-for-4 with a double for the second consecutive game.
Sacramento now trails Salt Lake 2-1 in the series and will look to draw even in game four of the set at 6:45 p.m. from Sutter Health Park on Friday.
Cats Claw First but Bees Buzz Back, 6-1
SALT LAKE CITY – The Sacramento River Cats tallied the game’s first run, but that was about the only excitement for Sacramento as they suffered a 6-1 loss at the hands of the Salt Lake Bees on Wednesday. A day after he hit his first Triple-A home run, Drew Cavanaugh
Large Lead Slips but Sacramento Holds for 12-10 Decision
SALT LAKE CITY – When it seemed as if the Sacramento River Cats had hit easy street, they had to stay focused down the stretch as the Salt Lake Bees put together a 10-run comeback attempt that fell just short, letting Sacramento escape with a 12-10 victory in their series
Close Contest Concludes in Favor of Cats, 3-2
TACOMA, Wash. – Both the Sacramento River Cats and Tacoma Rainiers produced a two-run frame that kept the game level heading into the latter third, but it was Sacramento that delivered in the clutch when Luis Matos singled home a run in the seventh for a 3-2 win over Tacoma
Pitching Shines, Offense Delivers in 6-2 Cats Victory
TACOMA, Wash. – Shaking off what had been a slow start to the series, the Sacramento River Cats flipped the switch on Thursday as they used a combination of solid pitching along with timely extra-base hits in a 6-2 defeat of the Tacoma Rainiers. The effort from the pitching staff
McCray Homers Again, but “Home” River Cats Drop Contest in Tacoma
TACOMA, Wash. – While Grant McCray continued his momentum from Sunday, the Sacramento River Cats otherwise could not get much going as a McCray solo homer in the bottom of the seventh was Sacramento’s only run in a 2-1 loss as the designated home team in Washington against the Tacoma
McCray Mashes Two Homers, Cats Clinch Series
SUGAR LAND, Texas – Two near-identical homers from Grant McCray was the only offense in the game for either team, smashing one in the third and one in the fifth of a 4-0 Sacramento River Cats win over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Sunday. Neither team had much going
Four-Run Seventh Again Catalyst for Cats Win Over Space Cowboys
SUGAR LAND, Texas – A pair of homers powered the Sacramento River Cats in the early going, but it was another four-run seventh frame that was the difference in Sacramento’s 9-5 win over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Friday. Three walks loaded the bases in the bottom of the
First Triple-A Homer for Eldridge Highlight of 8-3 Sacramento Win
SUGAR LAND, Texas – The first Triple-A home run for Bryce Eldridge could not have come at a better time, as he launched a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning that set the Sacramento River Cats up for an 8-3 victory over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Thursday.
Slim Lead Slips from Sacramento, Sugar Land Snatches 4-2 Win
SUGAR LAND, Texas – A pair of RBI singles from Brett Wisely and Logan Porter had the Sacramento River Cats nursing a one-run lead late in the contest, but unfortunately they could not hold the lead as the Sugar Land Space Cowboys scored three times in the eighth to hand
Big Frames Early Key to River Cats Victory Over Space Cowboys
SUGAR LAND, Texas – Three runs in the first and four runs in the third accounted for the majority of the Sacramento River Cats offense on Tuesday, as they held an edge the entire way and toppled the Sugar Land Space Cowboys with an 11-3 win in the series opener.
Hoss and Trashman: Family Bonded by Baseball
Around the world, it is estimated that over two million children play little league, many with the idea to one day become a Major League Baseball player. A fraction of that number moves onto high school ball, and even less grace a professional baseball field of any level, let alone
Cats Ride Three Straight Multi-Run Frames to Victory
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Trailing by a run as the game moved into the middle frames, the Sacramento River Cats unleashed three straight multi-run frames that powered Sacramento to an 8-1 victory over the El Paso Chihuahuas on Saturday. Two pitches into the game and the Chihuahuas (28-28) snatched the
Sacramento Stops Slide with Close 5-3 Victory Over El Paso
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – For a second straight game the Sacramento River Cats took a lead with a three-run frame, this time dropping a trio of runs in the fourth and making the lead last over the final four frames for a 5-3 win over the El Paso Chihuahuas on
Johnson Blast Gives Sacramento Early Lead They Cannot Hold
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A no-doubt three-run homer from Daniel Johnson put the Sacramento River Cats out in front of the El Paso Chihuahuas early in game three of their series, but an El Paso grand slam shifted the momentum and gave Sacramento an 8-5 defeat on Thursday. The Chihuahuas
Lamb RBI Single Lone Tally for Cats in 3-1 Loss to Chihuahuas
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A Jake Lamb knock in the bottom of the seventh scored Daniel Johnson and knotted the contest at 1-1 between the Sacramento River Cats and El Paso Chihuahuas, but a pair of run in the top of the ninth meant a 3-1 defeat for Sacramento on
Three Runs in Ninth Not Enough for Sacramento Against El Paso
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Fighting until the final out and trailing by seven runs, the Sacramento River Cats plated one in the seventh and three in the home half of the ninth but still came up short against the El Paso Chihuahuas on Tuesday, 9-5. After a pair of Chihuahuas
Fifth Inning the Undoing of Cats on Sunday Against Comets
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Three straight run-scoring innings were not enough for the Sacramento River Cats to counter a seven-run fifth by the Oklahoma City Comets, giving Sacramento a 9-6 defeat in the series finale on Sunday. Both teams went quietly in the first before the River Cats (25-26) notched
Cats Cruise Behind Whisenhunt and Two Luciano Blasts
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Sacramento River Cats offense continued its breakout and piled on 11 runs in their Saturday contest with the Oklahoma City Comets, four of which came from the bat of Marco Luciano as his two homers and four RBI spurred Sacramento to an 11-4 victory. Six
Lamb Slam Leads River Cats to Victory over Comets
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – A first inning grand slam set the tone for the Sacramento River Cats, who rode that momentum and outlasted the Oklahoma City Comets for an 8-6 win on Friday night. A pair of walks opened the game for the River Cats (24-25) while the bases were
Knizner Debuts with Five RBI, Cats Win Third Straight
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Scoring early and often was the key to success in a second straight game for the Sacramento River Cats, plating seven runs by through the top of the third inning en route to an 8-1 victory over the Oklahoma City Comets on Wednesday. It was an
Sacramento Starts Series with Secure 11-5 Victory
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Continuing the momentum from their Sunday victory, the Sacramento River Cats scored early and rode solid pitching to an 11-5 victory over the Oklahoma City Comets in their series opener on Tuesday. Both teams went quietly in the first, but the River Cats (22-24) exploded in
Whisenhunt Dominates Bees, Earns PCL Pitcher of the Week Honor
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A pair of strong outings in which he punched out a combined 14 batters while not allowing an earned run has earned left-hander Carson Whisenhunt his second Pacific Coast League weekly honor of the season, as he was named the PCL Pitcher of the Week for
Cats Close Series with Dominant 7-1 Win Over Bees
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Another Carson Whisenhunt start, another Whisenhunt gem as the southpaw breezed through seven strong frames while Max Stassi provided a bang in his return from the injured list to power the Sacramento River Cats to a 7-1 win over the Salt Lake Bees. After missing 19
Johnson’s Blast Lone Tally in Cats’ 6-1 Loss
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Sacramento River Cats trailed in Saturday night’s contest the entire way after a Salt Lake Bees homer to start the game, mustering only one run in a 6-1 loss at Sutter Health Park. A solo blast from Daniel Johnson in the third inning represented the
Cats Avoid Shutout but Fall 9-2 to Bees
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Two runs in the final at-bats of the game helped the Sacramento River Cats avoid a second consecutive shutout at the hands of the Salt Lake Bees, but still the offense was too little, too late with Salt Lake capturing game four of the series by