Sacramento Stops Slide, Beats Express in Series Finale
ROUND ROCK, Tex. – Though a homer put the Sacramento River Cats on their back foot from the start, Sacramento battled back and stopped its four-game losing streak with a 6-2 defeat of the Round Rock Express in their series finale on Sunday. Just three batters into their set of
ROUND ROCK, Tex. – Though a homer put the Sacramento River Cats on their back foot from the start, Sacramento battled back and stopped its four-game losing streak with a 6-2 defeat of the Round Rock Express in their series finale on Sunday.
Just three batters into their set of swings during the first is when the Express (24-19/58-60) snatched their lead, as Dustin Harris singled just in front of a Justin Foscue homer to left field on a 1-0 offering. However, that was the last blip that River Cats (26-19/62-58) starter Carson Whisenhunt (9-5) allowed on his radar, settling down and allowing just two more hits in the contest. He would exit after 5.1 innings, striking out six with four walks.
Sacramento took until the fourth to reach the scoreboard, plating one on a sacrifice fly by Marco Luciano, but it was a pair of homers that cemented the River Cats victory. First it was a go-ahead blast from Drew Ellis, his fifth of the season, ripping the first pitch he saw in the top of the fifth for a two-run dinger out to left field.
Two innings later and it was Luis Matos to join the party, besting Ellis by one RBI when he launched a 2-1 pitch deep over the wall in left field, his sixth of the campaign.
The bullpen was tough as nails behind Whisenhunt to earn him his ninth victory, as they did not allow a run over 3.2 combined innings. Only Joel Peguero earned a hold, striking out one and allowing one hit. Meanwhile, following was Miguel Díaz and Ryan Watson, who both tossed a run-free frame with one strikeout.
Eight different River Cats recorded a knock in the contest, but only Matos had a pair of hits by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and his three-run blast. Outside of Ellis’ home run, each of the other seven Sacramento hits were singles.
While today’s win could not prevent the ninth series loss of the year for the River Cats, they will look to turn their fortunes around when they return to Sutter Health Park to host a six-game series with the El Paso Chihuahuas beginning on Tuesday, Aug. 19.