Casparius Shines Again, Offense Stays Cold

Sacramento River Cats – 4

Oklahoma City Baseball Club – 1

Wednesday*,* May 15, 2024 – Sutter Health Park – West Sacramento, Calif.

Game Summary: The Sacramento River Cats broke a tie with a three-run bottom of the seventh inning, and the Oklahoma City Baseball Club was limited to one run for a second consecutive game during a 4-1 loss Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park. Drew Avans led off the game for Oklahoma City (23-18) with a home run, but the team did not score again for the rest of night. Sacramento (24-17) put together a two-out out rally to tie the game in the fourth inning. Following a leadoff walk in the seventh inning, Hunter Bishop hit a line drive down the left field line. Miguel Vargas missed an attempted diving catch, as the ball rolled all the way to the wall and Bishop circled the bases for a go-ahead two-run inside-the-park home run. The River Cats added another run in the inning to make it 4-1. OKC loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning before Austin Gauthier grounded into a double play to snuff the rally.

Of Note:

-Oklahoma City dropped to 3-5 on the team’s current road trip, with losses in four of the last five games. The five losses have been by a total of nine runs, with Wednesday’s three-run loss the largest margin of defeat during the trip…The offense has been held to a total of nine runs over the five losses and on Wednesday, scored one run for the third time in the last four games.

-Starting pitcher Ben Casparius delivered six strong innings, allowing one run and three hits, with two walks and three strikeouts. The six innings tied Casparius’ season and career highs and matched the longest outing by an OKC pitcher this season. He began his outing by retiring 11 of the first 12 batters he faced…Over his first two Triple-A starts, Casparius has allowed one run and six hits over 11.0 innings.

-Drew Avans hit the team’s first leadoff home run of the season, going deep on the fourth pitch of the game. Avans has hit safely in seven of his last eight games, going 13-for-31 and has reached base in 21 of 39 plate appearances during the current road trip.

-Jason Heyward played the second game of his Major League Rehab Assignment, going 0-for-3 with a walk and playing seven innings in right field. Heyward has been on the Injured List since April 3 with a lower back injury.

-Austin Gauthier and Kevin Padlo led OKC with two hits apiece.

-The bottom of the seventh inning was interrupted with a 14-minute delay due to a loose piece of sod in front of the pitcher’s mound.

Next Up: Oklahoma City will try and emerge from its offensive funk when they face the River Cats Thursday at Sutter Health Park beginning at 8:45 p.m. CT. Live radio coverage of each OKC Baseball Club game begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com and through the free iHeartRadio or MiLB First Pitch apps.