Wisely’s Four RBI Help Cats Stop Skid

EL PASO, Texas – Five combined runs between the sixth and seventh innings helped the Sacramento River Cats snap a 2-2 tied with the El Paso Chihuahuas, eventually downing the home team on their own turf by a 7-4 final on Thursday.

The River Cats (12-12) came out swinging in game three of the set, as Marco Luciano lined a one-out single and did not hang out on base long as Brett Wisely immediately crushed his team-leading fourth homer of the year, a shot to right center on a 2-2 offering from Chihuahuas (12-12) starter Wes Benjamin (1-2).

An error by Sacramento and a pair of walks helped El Paso load the bases in a second, but they could score only twice after grounding into a double play (though a run did score on the play). The other second run in the frame came courtesy a Nate Mondou single into left field.

El Paso returned the favor for Sacramento in the top of the sixth, as a throwing error helped lead directly to one run while keeping the River Cats in a golden scoring opportunity. Taking advantage was Victor Bericoto, who has recorded a hit in all four of his Triple-A contests since his promotion by sending a ball through the right side for an RBI.

In the seventh the River Cats continued to add on, scoring their first run of the frame on a triple from Osleivis Basabe, just the second triple for the River Cats this season. While Basabe was thrown out advancing home later in the inning on a fielder’s choice, Brett Wisely delivered a clutch two-out single that scored both Grant McCray and Marco Luciano.

Sacramento starter Kyle Harrison (1-0) was on his a-game and earned his first win of the season despite the pair of unearned runs allowed, as he punched out seven while walking just two over six innings, a new Triple-A career high for the southpaw. He has struck out five or more batters in all five of his outings this season, and he is now the second River Cat in 2025 to toss a quality start.

Cruising for the final three innings was Carson Ragsdale, though he did hit a speed bump just before the end of the contest when he allowed a two-run homer to Yonathan Perlaza that brought the score back to 7-4. Ragsdale kept his composure, inducing one more flyout and groundout each for his first professional career save.

Both Wisely and Basabe ended with a pair of hits, the former going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBI while the latter was 2-for-4 with one run scored and his RBI three-bagger. Bericoto closed his night 1-for-4 with an RBI, and Marco Luciano was 1-for-4 but scored a trio of runs.

Even with the win the River Cats trail the series two games to one, and they look to draw even in the series on Friday when the two teams line up for game four of the set at 5:35 p.m. (PT) from Southwest University Park.