Big Fourth Frame Enough for Sacramento Against Tacoma

McDonald Earns First Victory, McCray and Lamb with Two Hits Apiece

Jake Lamb connects with a pitch during Sacramento's season-opening series at Sutter Health Park against the Albuquerque Isotopes. (Alice Hewitt)

By Jake Ward

April 9, 2025

TACOMA, Wash. – A six-run explosion in the fourth inning was all the offense needed by the Sacramento River Cats on Tuesday, as Sacramento eased its way to a 6-1 victory over the Tacoma Rainiers in their series opener. In a game that started just after 7 p.m. due to

TACOMA, Wash. – A six-run explosion in the fourth inning was all the offense needed by the Sacramento River Cats on Tuesday, as Sacramento eased its way to a 6-1 victory over the Tacoma Rainiers in their series opener.

In a game that started just after 7 p.m. due to a rain delay that lasted 58 minutes, it took a few frames for the River Cats’ (5-5) bats to awaken. It was a jolt awake for the Sacramento offense, who put up their largest inning of the year both in runs (six) and hits (five). Highlighting the frame was an RBI double from Hunter Bishop, his second extra-base hit in as many games.

That Bishop knock came on the heels of singles from David Villar, who has collected a hit in all six games that he’s played in, and Jake Lamb, who has logged hits in eight of his 10 games played. Also chipping in RBI singles were Osleivis Basabe and Sergio Alcántara, while Grant McCray drove in his second run on a bunt this season when he laid down a two-strike bunt that scored Basabe.

Sacramento starter Keaton Winn set his new Triple-A career high with 4.2 innings pitched, striking out five without a walk and scattering four hits. It is the second time this season that a River Cats starter has struck out at least five without issuing a free pass, last accomplished by Carson Whisenhunt in his season debut on March 30 when he struck out nine without a walk.

Miguel Díaz entered and retired the only hitter he faced to end the fifth, leaving a pair of runs stranded. Going the rest of the way was Trevor McDonald (1-0), who’s only hit allowed was a solo home run to Blake Hunt that led off the bottom of the eighth. Outside of that, McDonald allowed just three other hits and walked two while punching out five.

The victory moves Sacramento to 2-1 in the first game of a series, and they are now 5-3 in games played at night. Lamb and McCray led the River Cats in hits with a pair each, while Basabe matched Lamb’s RBI total with two.

Game two of this series is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. from Cheney Stadium on Wednesday.