Raley Field goes black and orange in first ever River Cats, Giants Exhibition Game

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA - The fans painted it black and orange at Raley Field Wednesday night, as the Sacramento River Cats hosted their major league affiliate in the first ever Exhibition Game between the River Cats and San Francisco Giants. In front of a sellout crowd, the River Cats fell 8-4 to their big league rivals.

The orange and black wasn't just present in the stands, as the River Cats used the historic game to debut their all-new orange Sactown jerseys. These jerseys - which feature both the Tower and Golden Gate bridges - will be worn at all Friday home games starting this season. The Giants brought the black with their solid black 2016 Spring Training jerseys.  

It was more than just matching colors on display, though, as the Giants put out a lineup that closely resembles what fans can expect in San Francisco on Opening Day. Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, Sergio Romo, and more headlined the Giants Exhibition lineup. Posey, Crawford, and Belt each hit a home run and combined to go 5-for-10 with four runs scored and five RBIs.

On the mound for the Giants it was Johnny Cueto, George Kontos, Sergio Romo, and Santiago Casilla. Cueto picked up his second win of the spring while Romo and Casilla combined for a perfect eighth and ninth inning.

Opposite them, the River Cats introduced Sacramento to their 2016 roster, including fan favorites Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson. Newcomers Gorkys Hernandez and Hak-Ju Lee were impressive in their Sacramento debut, as well. Hernandez was just 1-for-4, but was aggressive on the base paths and nearly made an incredible catch, almost robbing Belt of a home run to straight-away center. Lee set the pace for the offense, launching a two-run home run to start the scoring for the night and reaching base three times.

Chris Stratton got the nod for Sacramento, making his first start at Raley Field since September 4, when he struck out eight in six innings of work. He went four innings and allowed four runs on seven hits in tonight's game. Stratton was followed by lefty Matt Lujan, who went the rest of the way for Sacramento and surrendered four runs on six hits.

The River Cats are back in action on Thursday, April 7 as they travel to Salt Lake to open their season against the Bees. The home opener is scheduled for Friday, April 15, also against the Bees.

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The Sacramento River Cats are the Triple-A affiliate of the 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants. The team plays at Raley Field in West Sacramento, consistently voted one of the top ballparks in America. River Cats Season Tickets, Mini-Plans, and Flex Plans can be purchased for the 2016 season by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). For more information about the River Cats, visit www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Raley Field, visit www.raleyfield.com.