Series Ends on High Note for Cats Thanks to 9-4 Victory

EL PASO, Tex. – A six-run sixth inning helped the Sacramento River Cats end their series with the El Paso Chihuahuas on a high note, as that frame provided all insurance needed for Sacramento to capture a 9-4 win in the series finale on Sunday.

A throwing error from Chihuahuas (20-31) starter Randy Vasquez resulted in the first run of the game in the opening set of at-bats for the River Cats (30-21), as Hunter Bishop crossed on a sacrifice fly from David Villar for the early edge.

Two more were added on in the third, starting when Tyler Fitzgerald was hit by a pitch and easily scored from first on an RBI triple by Bishop. Later in the frame Bishop scored yet again, this time doing so on a wild pitch from Vasquez.

That was all the space that Sacramento starter Carson Whisenhunt (1-3) needed, as he allowed just two runs that both came during the fourth. A one-out triple from Cal Mitchell was the first run, as he scored on a knock from Mason McCoy, who was the other to cross the plate later in the frame thanks to an RBI single from Bryce Johnson.

The southpaw scattered a total of five hits over a total of 5.0 innings, striking out seven while walking just one in the process of his first Triple-A victory. It was the third straight game in which Whisenhunt has tallied six or more strikeouts and fourth in five games during the month of May.

Sacramento then added insurance in the form of six runs during the top of the sixth, which is tied for their most runs in any inning this season (last: April 25 against Las Vegas). Highlighting the damage was an RBI triple from Trenton Brooks, while the trio of Fitzgerald, Casey Schmitt and Villar each collected an RBI knock.

Following Whisenhunt was fellow lefty Reggie Crawford, who worked 2.0 hitless innings while striking out four of the seven batters that he faced (one walk). Making his Triple-A debut was the recently promoted Wil Jensen, who yielded two runs on three hits in his only frame of work during the eighth but did show mettle by escaping further damage. Finally, it was Clay Helvey putting a cap on things with a perfect ninth that included a strikeout.

Brooks led the way with his first four-hit game since Aug. 8, 2023 when he was still a member of the Las Vegas Aviators, going 4-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI thanks to his three-bagger. Fitzgerald extended his hitting streak to six games after going 1-for-5 with two runs scored, while Bishop scored three times for the first time this season after going 2-for-5 with a triple, RBI and walk.

Following a travel day tomorrow, the River Cats will return home to begin a 12-game homestand beginning on Tuesday, May 28, starting with six games against the Tacoma Rainiers before moving onto a six-game set against the Albuquerque Isotopes.