Cats Overcome Six-Run Deficit for Impressive 16-11 Win Over Bees

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah – Trailing 9-3 at the end of the fourth inning, the Sacramento River Cats found a way to not just eliminate the deficit but storm all the way back for a 16-11 victory over the Salt Lake Bees on Saturday.

Just shortly after the River Cats (10-7/46-46) had taken the lead with a three-run top of the fourth, the Bees (7-10/36-55) dropped a seven-run home half of the inning to take a comfortable six-run lead. Sacramento starter Trevor McDonald was chased from the game after 3.1 innings, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts.

From that point on the River Cats offense showed up, scoring form the fourth all the way through the ninth. The comeback was started with one swing of the bat from Marco Luciano in the top of the fifth, connecting on an opposite field homer that cut the deficit nearly in half by making the score 10-6.

After managing one run in the sixth on a Tyler Fitzgerald single that scored Thomas Gavello, the River Cats finally got over the top with yet another three-run frame in the top of the seventh inning. The first run of the inning scored easily on a Salt Lake wild pitch, while the last was a sacrifice fly from Wade Meckler. In fact, Sacramento had just one hit in the inning, but it was an RBI single up the middle from Devin Mann.

The River Cats added insurance with two runs during the eighth and four runs in the ninth, ultimately keeping ahead of the Bees after Salt Lake scored once in each the eighth and ninth. A Grant McCray leadoff single in the eighth preceded Luciano’s second dinger of the night, his third two-homer game of the season. He is the first to hit two homers in a game since Casey Schmitt did it last year by mid-June.

Earning the win for Sacramento was Carson Seymour (4-8), who was making his first relief appearance of the season and allowed only one run on one hit in three innings. While the hit he allowed was a home run, the Bees were aided by a fan who leaned over the fence and robbed a home run from a leaping McCray in left center.

Seven different River Cats had multi-hit games, but only McCray had three hits as he extended his hitting streak to six games by going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, one RBI and a pair of walks. Meanwhile, Luciano reached four times after going 2-for-4 with three runs scored, two homers, five RBI, and two walks.

Now down by only game in the series, the River Cats will try to leave Salt Lake with a series split when the two teams meet at 11:05 a.m. (PT) for the series finale.