Sacramento Slows Express 3-1 for Eighth Straight Win
ROUND ROCK, Tex. – The Sacramento River Cats continued their recent momentum into their current series with the Round Rock Express, scoring in each of the opening two frames and making it last for their ninth straight win with a 3-1 final at Dell Diamond on Tuesday. Not waiting around,
ROUND ROCK, Tex. – The Sacramento River Cats continued their recent momentum into their current series with the Round Rock Express, scoring in each of the opening two frames and making it last for their ninth straight win with a 3-1 final at Dell Diamond on Tuesday.
Not waiting around, the River Cats (25-15/61-54) scored with their opening set of swings, plating a pair of runners in the first. Wade Meckler and Jesus Rodriguez each singled to the begin the ballgame and later scored, the former doing so first on an RBI groundout from Luis Matos while Marco Luciano doubled home Rodriguez.
Little time was wasted in the second frame, as Sam Huff made his return to Round Rock. After playing in 249 career games with the Express (20-18/54-59), Huff returned with a literal bang when he crushed an 0-1 offering over the wall in center field for a solo homer, his first of the season.
Those would be the only runs scored by Sacramento, but it was all they needed as Trevor McDonald (9-6) was in a groove for a majority of the contest. He worked through seven full innings to match his season high, and had only one hiccup when he issued three walks in the third, the last of which came with the bases loaded to force home a run. Otherwise, he finished with seven strikeouts and retired each of the last 10 he faced.
Trent Harris collected his fifth hold by working a clean eighth inning, and right-hander Miguel Díaz (S, 5) converted his fifth save in six chances after walking one and striking out two in the ninth. That preserved the win for McDonald, his team-leading ninth of the season.
That marked the eight straight win for the River Cats, which is their new season best and their longest since they won a franchise record 13 straight in 2015.
Sacramento had six total hits in the contest, two of which belonged to Rodriguez for his second multi-hit effort in as many games. Meckler also scored a run while going 1-for-4, and Luciano was 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and walk.
The River Cats will look to make it nine wins in a row when Sacramento faces off with Round Rock once again on Wednesday at 5:05 p.m. (PT) from Dell Diamond.