Power Provides Early Lead, Cats Survive Late Aviators Push

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Nearly all game the Sacramento River Cats were in an offensive groove, slugging four home runs for the first time in 2023, but while the Las Vegas Aviators pulled within one thanks to a four-run top of the ninth, Sacramento slammed the door shut to hold on to a 9-8 victory.

Action started from the jump, as both teams had a pair of runners aboard in the first including the River Cats (28-33) putting two in scoring position with only one out, but neither side could convert. Part of that was due to Sacramento starter Kyle Harrison, who opened and closed the frame with a strikeout.

All changed on the fifth pitch of the second inning when Zack Gelof put the Aviators (28-33) on the board with one swing, sending a ball down the left-field line that just hooked inside the foul pole for the early lead.

It did not take the River Cats long to answer, starting a stretch of six unanswered runs with a pair in the bottom of the frame that also came on one swing of the bat. Following a free pass drawn by Michael Gigliotti to extend the inning, Will Wilson unloaded on a ball to straightaway left field with a 407-foot blast that gave Sacramento a lead they would not relinquish.

Continuing the momentum in the third, the River Cats again did all their damage with two outs as Jacob Nottingham drove home a couple of runs on a double deep into the left-center gap. In the next at-bat he traded places with Clint Coulter, as the latter rocketed a ball just past the diving Jordan Diaz at third base for an RBI double of his own.

The final run of that stretch came in the home half of the fifth, as Wilson left the yard for a second time in the contest when he launched a solo big fly over the fence in left center to extend the advantage to 6-1. That dinger marked the ninth homer of the season for Wilson, further extending his team lead as no other River Cat has more than four on the campaign.

Additionally, Wilson became just the second Sacramento player to have a multi-homer contest in 2023, joining Coulter who did so on May 19 in Reno. Even further, the Wilson blast marked the third consecutive trip to the plate in which he hit a big fly going back to his final at-bat in last night’s game, making him the first River Cat to do so since Jaylin Davis accomplished the feat on Aug. 16, 2019 against the Reno Aces.

While the offense was rocking, Harrison was holding up his end of the bargain by keeping Las Vegas out of the score column from the second inning before his exit one out into the fifth, including sitting down the side in order during the fourth frame.

Las Vegas did steal a run back in the fifth, using a throwing error to put Trenton Brooks into scoring position before an RBI single to right from Nick Allen drove him in. That run, though unearned, was charged to Harrison and left him with a final line of two runs allowed (one earned) on three hits with six punchouts in 4.1 innings. Tonight marked the 10th consecutive appearance in which Harrison fanned at least five batters, further extending his Triple-A leading streak.

Sacramento countered when Coulter crushed his fourth homer of the season in the home half of the inning, but despite that, the 7-2 lead was diminished slightly in the seventh when a pair of Aviators walks came around to score on a two-out, two-RBI double from Nick Allen.

Over the next two innings the River Cats responded, tallying a run in the seventh on an RBI double from Michael Gigliotti that scored Brett Wisely, who had led off with a walk. In the eighth came the fourth loud crack of a Sacramento bat, this time from Tyler Fitzgerald as he crushed his fourth dinger of the season to make the score 9-4. It marked the first four-homer game as a team by the River Cats since they also sent four over the fence against this same Las Vegas squad last season on Sept. 8.

Action got interesting in the top of the ninth as the River Cats attempted to close out the contest, with the Aviators bringing all nine hitters to the plate as they built a comeback bid. In all, four runs scored on three hits and a trio of free passes, but left-hander Nick Swiney (S, 1) entered with one out and buckled down to get the final two outs to preserve a 9-8 victory. The final out came in the form of a swinging strikeout to hold on to Sacramento’s 10th win of the year in one-run games.

All nine Sacramento hitters reached base in the contest and eight of the nine scored a run, with only Wilson crossing twice on his two homers. That helped him finish as one of two River Cats with a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-2 in addition to a pair of walks while Coulter was 2-for-4 with his homer. As a unit, Sacramento matched their season-high in extra-base hits with six, which they first accomplished on April 7 in a 9-4 victory over El Paso.

Taking credit for the win was Jorge Guzman (2-2), who allowed only one earned run in 2.1 innings of work, while Swiney earned the first save of his professional career. Las Vegas starter Colton Eastman (0-6) was tagged for the loss, tossing 4.2 innings while allowing seven earned runs on eight hits and fanning seven.

Now even at two games apiece, both teams will meet again for game five on Saturday at Sutter Health Park with first pitch scheduled for 6:37 p.m.