Johnson Blast Gives Sacramento Early Lead They Cannot Hold

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A no-doubt three-run homer from Daniel Johnson put the Sacramento River Cats out in front of the El Paso Chihuahuas early in game three of their series, but an El Paso grand slam shifted the momentum and gave Sacramento an 8-5 defeat on Thursday.

The Chihuahuas (28-26) put the game’s first run on the board in the top of the third when Forrest Wall connected on his second homer of the year, providing the only run that was scored against River Cats (25-29) starter Carson Ragsdale. For Ragsdale he was activated off the injured list just prior to his start and allowed only run allowed for the fourth time this season, lasting 2.1 innings with three strikeouts and no walks.

Sacramento struck back quickly in the home half of the frame, gaining the lead when Johnson launched his fourth homer of the season. Scoring on the roundtripper was Jerar Encarnación, who had had doubled to right field, and Devin Mann, who worked a two-out walk.

Keeping the streak alive, El Paso plated one in the top of the fourth just two batters into the frame, as Tirso Ornelas ripped a double to right field and scored in the next at-bat on a Nate Mondou single to right.

However, the game flipped in the top of the fifth when the Chihuahuas scored a total of five times. A Trenton Brooks double and a pair of walks loaded the bases, while a walk to Mondou pushed across the game’s tying run at 3-3. Then came the dagger as Mike Brosseau unloaded the bases on the first pitch he saw, crushing a big fly over the wall in left field. It was the fourth grand slam allowed this season by Sacramento and put them in a 7-3 hole.

Doing their best to stay in the contest, the River Cats clawed back a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth when Brett Wisely doubled and moved to third on a Mann single. With runners at the corners, Daniel Johnson grounded into a force out to earn his fourth RBI of the night, while Porter sent a ball down the left field line that saw him end up on second with a double while Mann came around to score.

Once more El Paso responded to the Sacramento tally, scoring the game’s final run in the top of the sixth when Clay Dungan singled and later scored on a Yonathan Perlaza double to left center.

Taking the ball after Ragsdale was Juan Mercedes (1-2), who was charged with the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits in 2.2 innings, walking and striking out four each. Only Kai-Wei Teng tossed a scoreless outing, working the final two innings with a pair of strikeouts and one hit allowed.

Johnson finished with the biggest night at the dish for Sacramento, going 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and four of Sacramento’s five RBI. Porter also closed with two hits, providing the other RBI on a two-bagger. Encarnación ended with a pair of hits and is now 6-for-17 (.353) with three runs scored, two doubles, one homer, three RBI and a walk in five games on his rehab assignment.

Doing much of the damage for El Paso was the usual suspects, as former River Cat Trenton Brooks played in eight games against Sacramento this season and is a combined 11-for-27 (.407) with five runs scored, six doubles, one homer, six RBI, and eight walks. Meanwhile, Perlaza has a hit in all nine games he’s played against Sacramento this season and is batting .395 (15-for-38) with eight runs scored, eight doubles, two homers, seven RBI, and three walks.

El Paso has clinched a split of this series, and Sacramento will look to gain their first win of the series when the two teams meet for game four on Friday at 6:45 p.m. (PT) at Sutter Health Park.