Cats Claw Back, Bite Giants 4-3 In Exhibition
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – While big brother took the lead early, little brother got the last laugh with four unanswered runs as the Sacramento River Cats took down the San Francisco Giants by a final of 4-3 on Sunday night. The Giants (0-1), serving as the home team while visiting
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – While big brother took the lead early, little brother got the last laugh with four unanswered runs as the Sacramento River Cats took down the San Francisco Giants by a final of 4-3 on Sunday night.
The Giants (0-1), serving as the home team while visiting Sutter Health Park, came out swinging in the contest and took the lead in the first set of at-bats. Heliot Ramos kicked off the action with a single and scored two batters later on a Jung Hoo Lee RBI. One batter plus two errors later and Lee also found his way across the plate for a 2-0 Giants lead.
An insurance tally was added in the home half of the second from a pair of 2024 River Cats, as Christian Koss doubled home Casey Schmitt with a ball into left center.
From that point forward it was all River Cats (1-0), who scored four unanswered runs from the fourth through the sixth to earn their second win over the Giants in as many years. Putting Sacramento on the board first was Logan Porter, who ripped his own double into left-center field that scored Hunter Bishop.
Sacramento’s three runs in the top of the sixth were the largest inning of the game, stringing together a trio of hits combined with a pair of walks to do the damage against Hayden Birdsong (0-1). Striking once more was Porter, as his second RBI of the night tied the game and pushed Bishop across the plate for his second run.
Playing the hero was Osleivis Basabe, driving in Porter for the go-ahead run with a base knock into center field for a lead the River Cats would not relinquish.
Sacramento’s offense had time to work thanks to the bullpen, as four Sacramento relievers combined to allow zero runs over 6.1 innings. Earning the win was Joey Luccchesi (1-0), who worked a perfect 1.2 innings and recorded five outs while facing only four batters.
Lucchesi’s effort came on the heels of scoreless efforts from Raymond Burgos and Tristan Beck, as the pair combined on 1.2 innings (1.1 for Beck) and allowed two hits and two walks (all by Beck). Mason Black (S, 1) claimed the save after working the final nine outs in relief, allowing three hits and two walks with a trio of punchouts.
Four of Sacramento’s six hits came from the bats of Bishop and Porter, who also combined for three of Sacramento’s four runs. Also picking up an RBI each were Jake Lamb and Basabe, while Sergio Alcántara was 1-for-4 from the nine-spot in the lineup.
San Francisco plays their final two tune-up games of the Spring on Monday and Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers at Oracle Park, while Sacramento starts the season on Friday, March 28 at Sutter Health Park against the Albuquerque Isotopes.