Bericoto Bashes First Homer, Sacramento Splits Series

EL PASO, Texas – It was the El Paso Chihuahuas who scored first, but the Sacramento River Cats had the last laugh as they scored three times in the third and four times in the fifth to come back and split their six-game set with EL Paso behind a 7-2 victory.

Back-to-back doubles from Yonathan Perlaza and Trenton Brooks led to the game’s first run, giving the Chihuahuas (12-15) the early advantage. It lasted all of two innings, as the River Cats (14-13) plated a trio of runs with two outs in the third. All three runs came on homers, the first of which was a solo shot from Marco Luciano down the left-field line that left the bat at 113.0 mph and traveled 430 feet.

A Brett Wisely single kept the inning alive for Victor Bericoto, who belted his first Triple-A homer when he hammered a 2-1 offering 409 feet to center field, pushing the score to 3-0. Bericoto has collected a hit in six of his seven games played and is 8-for-31 (.258).

While the Chihuahuas took a run back in the home half of the fourth on a Ripken Reyes single into center that scored Eguy Rosario, the River Cats got that back and then some when they pushed across four runs in the top of the fifth.

Jake Lamb walked and Sergio Alcántara singled to set the stage for Hunter Bishop, who drove in one on a single to right center. When it looked as if that might be all for Sacramento in the frame, Osleivis Basabe put the game nearly out of reach with his two-run homer off of Raul Brito that brought the game to its final of 7-2.

Though he allowed both El Paso runs on a season-high seven hits, Carson Seymour (1-2) picked up his first victory of 2025 after he struck out four and walked only one. All three Sacramento relievers tossed clean outings, started by the one inning each from Justin Garza (one hit) and Raymond Burgos, with each punching out one.

On to finish the final two frames was right-hander Sean Hjelle, who worked two scoreless innings and allowed one hit and two walks while striking out two. He is now the owner of the longest Sacramento scoreless streak this season, as he has not allowed a run in seven games (11.1 combined innings).

All nine River Cats picked up a hit in the contest, which included a 1-for-5 effort with a double for Grant McCray. Five different River Cats tallied a multi-hit game including Jake Lamb, who was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a double, and Alcántara, who was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

The River Cats will now return home for their next series, a six-game set with the Reno Aces that starts on Tuesday, April 29 at 12:05 p.m. from Sutter Health Park.