Big Frames Early Key to River Cats Victory Over Space Cowboys

SUGAR LAND, Texas – Three runs in the first and four runs in the third accounted for the majority of the Sacramento River Cats offense on Tuesday, as they held an edge the entire way and toppled the Sugar Land Space Cowboys with an 11-3 win in the series opener.

A pair of singles both came around to score in the first inning for the River Cats (28-30) as Wade Meckler and Grant McCray both found their way aboard and later scored, the former doing so on a sacrifice fly from Brett Wisely. Meanwhile, McCray scored along with Logan Porter, who had walked, on a two-out double into center by Max Stassi.

The Space Cowboys (32-25) struck once in the home half of the second when a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases, pushing across a run on their own sacrifice fly from Tommy Sacco Jr.

It was no match for the four runs scored by the River Cats in the top of the third, stringing together the four tallies on five hits, three stolen bases, and one walk. Coming up with RBI knocks were Logan Porter, Wisely, Stassi, and Sergio Alcántara. Those runs were setup by stolen bases from Marco Luciano, McCray, and Porter.

Sacramento added on with one in the fourth on McCray’s fourth homer of the year, this one a solo shot to right field that pushed the score to 8-1.

Twice Sugar Land scored in the home half of the fourth, doing so with a Brice Matthews double to right center while Jesús Bastidas singled home a run with a liner to left. However, the River Cats got both of those runs back in the away half of the sixth when Meckler tripled home Osleivis Basabe, who had singled to start the inning. One at-bat later and Meckler scampered home on a Luciano single up the middle.

One last insurance tally came in the top of the eighth from Wisely, earning his third RBI of the night when he drove home McCray for the latter’s fourth run of the evening.

To go with those four runs McCray ended his night 4-for-5, all of which were highlighted by his homer. Three other River Cats had multi-hit efforts, one of which was Meckler who was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI triple. Wisely closed out 2-for-4 with a run scored and double in addition to his three RBI, while Stassi was 2-for-2 with three RBI and a two-bagger.

Sacramento starter Mason Black did not factor into the decision, leaving after 3.1 innings and three runs allowed. Though he only yielded two hits, he issued a professional career-high seven walks, which is tied for the most by a River Cat since Jose A. Flores in the 2018 season.

Right-hander Miguel Díaz (2-1) captured his second win of the season, striking out three with one hit allowed and three walks in 1.2 innings of work. He was the first of four relievers to not allow a run, followed by the trio of Joey Lucchesi, Ryan Watson, and Joel Peguero. Those final three combined to allow just three hits and three strikeouts in four innings.

This win moves the River Cats to 7-4 in the first game of a series, and they’ll look to continue to momentum on Wednesday at Constellation Field when the two teams lock horns again at 5:05 p.m. (PT).