Three-Run Blast by Encarnación the Difference in 4-3 Cats Win

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – While not all the offense, a three-run homer from Jerar Encarnación represented the difference in what became a 4-3 win for the Sacramento River Cats over the Las Vegas Aviators at Sutter Health Park on Thursday night.

The Aviators (10-14/59-40) were the first to reach the scoreboard in the top of the first, doing so just four batters into the game. A leadoff walk by Sacramento starter Carson Ragsdale (5-5) came around to hurt as Zack Gelof launched a two-run homer with two outs deep over the wall in left field.

From that point on Ragsdale steadied the ship for the River Cats (14-10/50-49), as he allowed just one hit (a leadoff knock in the second) over his next four innings of work. It was Ragsdale’s third time tossing five innings in July, and he struck out four while walking two.

Ragsdale left in line for the win thanks to the Sacramento offense, though their first run came from a mistake by Aviators starter Ken Waldichuck (0-4) when his wild pitch allowed Marco Luciano scampered home after originally reaching on a walk.

An inning later came the big swing from Encarnación, who turned around a 1-1 offering from Waldichuk and crushed it 434 feet on top of the umpires’ room past the center field wall. That was the first homer from Encarnación on the current rehab assignment, but his third overall dinger with Sacramento in 2025.

Las Vegas scratched a run back in the top of the sixth after the last of three straight hits allowed by River Cats reliever Raymond Burgos resulted in an RBI for Willie MacIver, but that was as close as the Aviators could come.

All Sacramento relievers factored into the decision, as Burgos and Trent Harris each earned a hold for their time. Burgos, though he allowed the one run, made it through the sixth without allowing more damage, while Harris yielded a pair of hits but kept a scoreless frame with a strikeout. On last was Ryan Watson (S, 5), who earned his fifth save in eight chances this season with one hit allowed in a run-free ninth.

The trio of Encarnación, Tyler Fitzgerald and Daniel Johnson each closed their night with a pair of hits, though only Encarnación was credited with an RBI. Both knocks for Fitzgerlad were doubles that was left stranded, however his first was ripped off the bat at 103 mph into left center to start the home half of the first. For Johnson, he now has eight two-hit games since his return to Sacramento on July 5 and is batting .320 (16-for-50) with nine runs scored and 11 RBI.

Sacramento had secured at minimum a series split with Las Vegas and will try to outright win the series when the two teams matchup once again at Sutter Health Park on Friday at 6:45 p.m. (PT).