Cats Capture Second Straight Over Rainiers

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A pair of multi-run innings were all that was needed for the Sacramento River Cats to snatch a second straight win over the Tacoma Rainiers, dropping six runs including a pair in the eighth on a Blake Sabol homer en route to a 6-3 win on Wednesday.

Another day and another solid starting outing by a River Cats’ (19-10) hurler, as Mason Black went through four strong while not allowing a hit and striking out four along with three walks. This was the second time that Black has not allowed a hit in one of his outings, the last of which was when he went 5.0 frames against Oklahoma City which earned him PCL Pitcher of the Week honors.

Matching Black through the first four was Rainiers (17-12) starter Levi Stoudt (2-2), but Stoudt ran into trouble in the fifth when he allowed all four runs scored by Sacramento. After a bunt single and error had led to the first run of the game scored by Tacoma in the top of the fifth, the River Cats came out swinging in the bottom half by plating four on three hits.

A walk to Ismael Munguia kicked things off, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Donovan Walton after he had moved all the way to third on a sharp single by Jakson Reetz. Two more walks loaded the bases, allowing Casey Schmitt to deliver a two-RBI knock into right center that scored both Reetz and Luis Matos. Two batters later and Marco Luciano got in on the action, sending a ball into left center for the fourth run of the frame.

Tacoma got a run back in the top of the seventh when a leadoff double by Ryan Bliss resulted in a run during the next at-bat, with Bliss crossing the plate on a Jason Vosler single into left center.

However, that run was short-lived as the Sabol blast in the bottom of the eighth provided all the insurance necessary. Sitting in an 0-1 count, Sabol jumped on a ball and crushed it out to right center field for his first of the year, snapping a 20-game and 73 at-bat homerless streak.

Taking over after Black was Tanner Andrews (1-1), who ended as the winning pitcher after he went 2.1 innings and allowed only one earned run (two total) on three hits with four strikeouts. Tasked with earning the long save was Spencer Bivens, who did so by collecting the final eight outs of the game for his fourth save of the season, which leads Sacramento. In his outing today, Bivens allowed only one run on two hits with a pair of walks and one strikeout.

Taking the loss for Tacoma was Stoudt, his second of the year after he allowed four runs on six hits and five walks with two strikeouts.

Sabol was the only River Cat with multiple hits, both of which went for extra bases, his first game this season with more than one extra-base hit. Schmitt is back on a hot streak with hits in 17 of his past 18 games, and he drove in another pair of runs which gives him 30 for the season and further extends his Sacramento franchise record for RBI through the River Cats’ first 29 games.

The River Cats will try to make it three wins in a row when these two teams take the field for game three of their six-game set, with first pitch on Thursday scheduled for 6:45 p.m.