Power up! Hot-swinging River Cats on a tear
That's why we play 144 of them in the Pacific Coast League. Day in and day out, you never know what is going to happen. This proved to be true in each game of Sacramento's first road series of 2011.
Sacramento didn't look particularly impressive through the first eight games of the season, although the pitching staff has been nothing short of spectacular. After giving up leads late in games and leaving runners stranded in crucial spots (.214 with RISP), the River Cats were only able to salvage three wins in their eight-game opening homestand and looked to jump-start their offense on the road.
What a difference a series can make.
Sacramento's bats came alive in Tacoma to rally behind their usual dominant pitching (PCL-best 3.19 ERA), scoring 19 runs in the four-game set. The offense came through and displayed consistent timely hitting for the first time this season, coming from behind to win in all four games.
Heading into this season, it looked like Chris Carter would be the leading source of run production for Sacramento after hitting 31 home runs in 2010, fourth in the PCL. Entering Game 1 of the Tacoma series, however, Carter was in a 0-for-16 slump over his last five games and looking for a way to get things back on track.
First-year River Cats Manager Darren Bush just may have found the way to get Carter back to familiar form. Carter started at first base for the first time in 2011 on Friday night and looked very comfortable, going 3-for-5 with five RBIs, busting out his slump.
Setting the tone for the series, Game 1 was a back-and-forth affair and the Cats were able to hold off the Rainiers for the 6-5 win on some late-game heroics by Sacramento's newest first baseman. Carter hit a clutch double in the ninth inning, scoring Jemile Weeks, the eventual game-winning run. Having already homered in the sixth, Carter's bat definitely awakened, driving in five of the six runs scored.
Carter delivered once again in Sunday's 3-1 win with a game-deciding home run in the eighth inning. Big hits like these should work wonders for Carter's confidence at the plate.
Sacramento reliever Joe Bateman has been razor-sharp in each of his six appearances. Racking up one win and two saves already this season, Bateman has been as reliable as it gets out of the bullpen. Not having surrendered an earned run in 7.1 innings pitched while striking out 10, Bateman has played a pivotal role in the Cats' pitching success.
Adrian Cardenas has been the unlikely catalyst of the River Cats' offense thus far, leading all PCL hitters with a .484 average following play Monday. Practically hitting everything within reach as of late, Cardenas is in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak, six of which have been multi-hit games. Cardenas has come up big for the Cats all season, including a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning of Monday night's win.
The offensive attack looked to be contagious as Eric Sogard and Josh Donaldson both hit their first home runs of the season in the series finale. Matt Carson joined the party with his second blast of the year, and first since Opening Night, giving Sacramento five home runs in the four-game set.
Dominant pitching, timely hitting and solid defense are the keys to winning baseball games. Pitching and defense, Sacramento has shown plenty of all season. The offense now looks to be coming into bloom as we inch closer to warm weather.
Behind stellar pitching efforts from top to bottom, Carter's resurgence, and a red-hot Cardenas, Sacramento rolled to a four-game sweep and their fifth consecutive win. Monday night's win boosts the Cats' record to 7-5 leaving them one game back of division-leading Las Vegas.