Close Game Once More Goes Against River Cats, 4-2
ROUND ROCK, Tex. – A similar game script played out in game four of the series between the Sacramento River Cats and Round Rock Express, as Sacramento scored a pair of runs first while Round Rock responded with four unanswered to snag a 4-2 victory. The two teams traded a
ROUND ROCK, Tex. – A similar game script played out in game four of the series between the Sacramento River Cats and Round Rock Express, as Sacramento scored a pair of runs first while Round Rock responded with four unanswered to snag a 4-2 victory.
The two teams traded a pair of two-run frames in the middle innings, with the River Cats (25-18/61-57) striking first in game four with a pair of consecutive knocks from Brett Wisely and Jesus Rodriguez. First it was Wisely, who took advantage of a Luis Matos leadoff double by sending his own two-bagger into right field for the game’s first tally. Meanwhile, Rodriguez followed right after with a liner into right that brought home Wisely.
However, the lead slipped when the Express (23-18/57-59) drew level with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth, which featured a leadoff triple, an error resulting in a run, and an RBI single from Omar Narváez.
Sacramento put runners on in each the sixth and seventh frames but failed to move them around and score, allowing Round Rock to score once in the bottom of the seventh on a passed ball. Insurance came during the eighth inning when Abilmelec Ortiz doubled to right field and then also scored on a wild pitch.
River Cats starter Blade Tidwell was locked in outside of that fifth frame, allowing just those two runs (one earned) on four hits in six innings, his first quality start with Sacramento. Overall, he struck out seven and has done so in each of his three outings with Sacramento and issued just two free passes.
Suffering the loss was Erik Miller, who continued his rehab and allowed one unearned run on one hit with two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning.
Two River Cats finished their night with three hits in Rodriguez and Wade Meckler, the former going 3-for-4 with an RBI while the latter was 3-for-5. Meanwhile, both Matos and Wisely had a pair of hits, with Wisely finishing 2-for-5 with a run scored and double while Wisely was 2-for-4 with a run scored, double and RBI.
Trailing three games to one in the series, the River Cats will need to win game five on Saturday to avoid a series loss, with first pitch tossed at Dell Diamond beginning at 5:15 p.m. (PT).