Beck Ks 9, Díaz lines 3 hits as 5-run 8th downs River Cats
Salt Lake City, Utah — Impressive performances by second baseman Isan Díaz and righty Tristan Beck were not enough as a five-run eighth inning downed the Sacramento River Cats (47-63) with a 8-4 loss to the Salt Lake Bees (53-57) on Saturday. Sacramento struck first. Díaz singled on the first
Salt Lake City, Utah — Impressive performances by second baseman Isan Díaz and righty Tristan Beck were not enough as a five-run eighth inning downed the Sacramento River Cats (47-63) with a 8-4 loss to the Salt Lake Bees (53-57) on Saturday.
Sacramento struck first. Díaz singled on the first pitch of the game, advanced to second on first baseman Jason Krizan’s four-pitch walk, stole third, and scored on a wild pitch.
After Salt Lake pushed across a run in the first, second, and fourth to take a 3-1 lead, a clutch RBI double by Krizan and an error aided a game-tying River Cats rally in the fifth.
Salt Lake immediately threatened in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases against Beck with one out. The 26-year-old buckled down, however, with a strikeout and lineout to escape the jam and maintain the tie.
Two errors, an aggressive send by third base coach Jolbert Cabrera, and great base-running by left fielder Drew Jackson got Sacramento the lead in the seventh.
Díaz singled to right fielder Orlando Martinez, who bobbled the ball, but quickly recovered, creating a close play at the plate with Jackson starting on first base. The hustling Jackson slid around the tag by catcher Matt Thaiss to make it 4-3.
That run positioned Beck for the win. Beck struck out nine over 7.0 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and no walks.
Up 4-3 in the eighth, Sacramento righty Gregory Santos (0-2) walked the first three batters of the inning before a bases-clearing go-ahead triple by Martinez gave the Bees a lead they would not relinquish. Salt Lake tacked on two more runs, one off lefty Ben Bowden to take an 8-4 advantage heading into the ninth.
Sacramento State product, left-hander Sammy Long (1-0, 6.30) will try to earn the series win with a victory vs a Salt Lake TBD at 12:05 p.m. (PT) on Sunday. Listen to Johnny Doskow call the game online at rivercats.com or on the MiLB First Pitch app.
Additional Notes
- Díaz was an impressive 3-for-3 with two runs, a stolen base, and two walks.
- Krizan finished 1-for-4 with an RBI double and a walk.
- Catcher Andrew Knapp went 1-for-3 with a walk.