CATS CONQUER BEES, SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER & SERIES
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Sacramento River Cats closed out the weekend in style, sweeping the Salt Lake Bees in a doubleheader at Raley Field on Sunday to complete the series sweep, winning the first game 8-2 and the second contest 3-0.
In game one of the twin-billing, Sacramento slugged 11 hits on their way to an 8-2 victory over Salt Lake. Picking up his second win of the season was lefty Joe Savery (2-0, 6.75 ERA), pitching two innings of relief for starter RHP Arnold Leon (0-1, 6.00 ERA), yielding one run on six hits before giving way to reliever Deryk Hooker, who recorded the final out of the game.
The Bees got off to a quick start as shortstop Grant Green laced a double to left field, scoring outfielder Matt Long from first base. The lead wouldn't last for long with the River Cats getting a run of their own in the bottom half of the first on designated hitter Nate Freiman's double that brought home center fielder Shane Peterson.
It was all Sacramento after that, tacking on another run in the bottom of the third, then four more in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead. The River Cats were patient at the plate during their four-run outburst, as infielders Alden Carrithers and Anthony Aliotti drew consecutive bases-loaded walks against Salt Lake lefty Rob Carson. In his first career Triple-A game, catcher Philip Pohl hit a two-run double down the left-field line to extend the lead to five for the Cats.
Bees starter Jarrett Grube (1-1, 4.70 ERA) took the loss, surrendering eight hits and five earned runs, walking two and striking out seven.
The bullpen for the Cats carried the load in game two of the doubleheader, combining to pitch the first shutout of the season for the club. Reliever Jeremy McBryde (0-0, 10.80 ERA) started the contest, tossing three innings giving up just three hits and two walks with one strikeout. Relievers Fernando Rodriguez, Philip Humber, and Evan Scribner baffled the Salt Lake hitters, pitching four scoreless innings to help put away the game. Humber earned his first win of the season and Scribner recorded his first save of the year.
Sacramento continued its second-inning success, scoring three runs to take the 3-0 lead that they held for the rest of the ballgame. With runners on second and third with one out, Bees starter RHP David Carpenter (1-1, 7.36 ERA) threw a wild pitch, letting right fielder Kent Matthes score to put the Cats up 1-0. RBI singles by shortstop Tayler Ladendorf and Shane Peterson put the River Cats up three, which proved to be enough for their pitching staff.
Peterson finished the doubleheader going 3-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI. He also made an excellent throw to double-up Bees second baseman Taylor Lindsey in the second game of the day.
The River Cats now own a four-game winning streak heading into their off day on Monday and sit atop the Pacific Northern Division with a 7-5 record.
Sacramento returns to action Tuesday to open a four-game series with their rivals, the Fresno Grizzlies. Taking the mound for the River Cats will be RHP Sean Murphy (1-1, 6.30 ERA) against Grizzlies starter LHP Edwin Escobar (0-0, 7.27 ERA) with the first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. at Raley Field.
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River Cats Season Tickets, Mini-Plans, and Flex Plans can be purchased for the 2014 season by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). Single-game tickets can now be purchased at Raley Field's Round Table Pizza Ticket Office or online at rivercats.com or ticketmaster.com. For more information about the River Cats, visit www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Raley Field, visit www.raleyfield.com.
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