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 the game’s first runs in the top of the second, the seventh straight game in which they have done so. Devin Mann doubled with one away and later scored on a Logan Porter single, while Jake Lamb was hit by a pitch and eventually crossed the plate on a Hunter Bishop sacrifice fly.

The Comets (30-21) were able to knot the contest in the bottom of the frame, as an Austin Gauthier double and wild pitch put a runner at third, scoring on a Steward Berroa sacrifice fly. Later with two outs it was Nick Senzel, who crushed his third homer of the season on the first pitch of the at-bat to draw the score level.

Sacramento quickly responded with three in the top of the third, the first when Brett Wisely dropped down a bunt single and scored from first on an Andrew Knizner double down the right-field line. After a lineout, Mann drove Knizner home with a single through the left side while simultaneously advancing to second base. That put him in prime position to score on a Jake Lamb single into right field.

In the fourth the River Cats scored their final run of the contest, with Bishop working his way aboard with a walk before stealing second and moving to third on a wild pitch. Then it was Osleivis Basabe, who singled into right center giving the River Cats a 6-2 lead.

Then came the nightmare that was the home half of the fifth inning, as Oklahoma City started the inning with five straight hits and seven straight base runners. By the end, the Comets had scored seven times on six total hits, both of which are the most allowed in any inning this season by the River Cats.

Try as they might, the River Cats could not come any closer than the three runs they trailed by, though they did leave a pair of runners on base in the top of the seventh.

Eight of the nine runs in the game were allowed by Trevor McDonald (3-3), who had mostly had an easy first four innings other than the second. Two River Cats relievers did work scoreless outings, Antonio Jimenez (1-1 innings) and Miguel Díaz (1.2 innings), combining for three strikeouts between the two.

Knizner and Mann ended their days by both going 2-for-4 with a double, the former scoring once and driving one in while the latter scored twice and also had an RBI. Meanwhile, four other River Cats tallied an RBI including Bishop, who was a perfect 1-for-1 but reached three times after also walking and being hit by a pitch.

The River Cats still captured a series victory, and they will look to keep up the momentum when they return home to face the El Paso Chihuahuas on Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. (PT).