River Cats Blow Out Sounds, 20-1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The River Cats (76-61) tied a franchise record with 24 hits on Monday evening at Greer Stadium in a lopsided 20-1 victory over the Nashville Sounds (74-62) as every Sacramento starter collected at least two base hits.

The game's scoreless first inning was misleading, as Sacramento rattled off four-consecutive multi-run innings, taking an 11-1 lead into the sixth inning. The team's early scoring barrage was highlighted by a four-run fourth inning that saw Daric Barton drive in two runs with a single down the right-field line. The Cats also put three runs on the board in the fifth thanks in part to RBI singles for Alden Carrithers and Billy Burns.

After a quiet sixth inning, the River Cats plated three in the seventh on a Tyler Ladendorf RBI-groundout and a Daric Barton two-run double. Despite leading 14-1, the River Cats piled on with a six-run ninth inning that saw 11 men come to the plate, completing the squad's 20-1 trouncing of their Nashville hosts.

Buss finished 4-for-6 with three runs, an RBI, and a walk, while Carrithers went 4-for-5 with four runs, two RBI, and a walk. Jose Martinez clubbed his seventh home run of the season, and Bill Burns had the best night at the plate of his River Cats career, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBI, and a walk. Shane Peterson, who was named to the All-PCL team earlier in the day, went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and two walks to raise his batting average to .314.

Zach Neal earned the win for the River Cats, limiting the Sounds to just five hits and one unearned run with six strikeouts and zero walks in seven stellar innings of work. Righty Seth Frankoff tossed two shutout innings of relief, giving up only two hits with zero walks and two strikeouts.

The loss was charged to Billy Buckner, who gave up six earned runs on six this and two walks in 3.0 innings pitched. Outfielder Sean Halton paced the Sounds offensively, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The win reduces Sacramento's magic number to seven with seven games left to play in the regular season.

The two teams return to Greer Stadium on Tuesday at 5:05 p.m. when righty Matt Buschmann (8-6, 4.56 ERA) starts opposite Sounds right-hander Taylor Jungmann (8-5, 4.22 ERA) in game three of the four-game set.

The River Cats return home to Raley Field for their final regular season homestand of the season on Thursday, Aug. 28, when they will host their I-80 rivals, the Reno Aces in a five-game set that concludes on Monday, Sept. 1.

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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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