Kouzmanoff walk-off lifts first-place Cats
It was clear why both teams are current division leaders and potential playoff opponents. They stayed neck-and-neck through both games, with one run deciding both matchups.
"We would have liked to get the first game, but obviously, it didn't go our way," said Kouzmanoff, who was carried around the field by catcher Josh Donaldson after his game-winning blast. "I think we ended the game on a pretty good note though. We pitched well and swung the bat well."
In Game 1, the River Cats scored in the second when Michael Taylor's line-drive to right field scored Josh Donaldson.
The Aces took a 2-1 lead in the fourth with a two-run single from Robby Hammock. The River Cats had a rebuttal in the form of a double from Donaldson, his second of the game, and then a soft fly ball from Andy LaRoche that gave Donaldson time to come home to tie the game.
With a tie score entering the seventh and final inning (per Pacific Coast League rules, double header games are seven innings long), Collin Cowgill scored Evan Frey on a single to left field for the game-winning run.
The River Cats came out with renewed vigor in Game 2. They also came out sporting a new look. As part of Susan G. Komen Swing for the Cure presented by Go Girl, all River Cats wore pink jerseys that were auctioned off during the game with proceeds going toward breast cancer research.
In the first inning, Adrian Cardenas tripled with a line drive to the right-field corner. Kouzmanoff then scored Cardenas on a fielder's choice. Jai Miller followed with a home run over the center-field wall. Miller's 25th home run of the season puts him in a three-way tie for seventh place for most single-season home runs in River Cats history. Matt Carson (2009) and Eric Hinske (2001) also hit 25 in a season, and Graham Koonce has the all-time franchise record with 34 in 2003.
The Aces came right back, scoring two runs in the second. With the bases loaded, Cowgill doubled with a soft pop to right field to score Hammock and Mark Hallberg.
The River Cats still had fight in the third inning, putting two more runs on the board. Cardenas and Kouzmanoff hit back-to-back line drives to center field. LaRoche then scored Cardenas with a hard hit to Hammock at third. Chris Carter followed with his 27th RBI of the season, a single to left field that gave Kouzmanoff time to come home. The Cats left the inning in the lead, 4-2.
Hammock countered with a solo home run to left-center field in the fourth to close within one run. The Aces tied it again in the sixth. After a ground-rule double from Andy Tracy that put Cole Gillespie on third, Hammock hit a soft ground ball to Kouzmanoff that gave Gillespie time to score.
Cardenas came to bat in the seventh needing a home run for the first cycle in River Cats history. With a triple in the first, a single in the third, and a double in the fourth, he hit the ball hard to the right-field wall. It looked ready to go over the wall, but Gillespie made the catch.
Kouzmanoff came to bat after Cardenas and finished the job with a home run over the center-field wall, his eighth of the season. The walk-off home run was sacramento's second of the week; Miller beat Fresno on Sunday with a walk-off blast.
The River Cats face the Aces again Sunday at 1:05 p.m. for the fourth game in this five-game series.