Nine Straight Runs Spell Defeat for River Cats

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – An early lead through the first four innings could not hold for the Sacramento River Cats, as nine straight runs for the Las Vegas Aviators pushed them to a 10-4 victory over Sacramento on Wednesday.

Despite scoring first in the contest for the 17th time this season, the River Cats (15-8) could not maintain their early advantage. Both of their first two runs came via a solo homer, starting with David Villar’s third of the campaign in the second inning. Meanwhile, Marco Luciano followed that with his first homer of the season in the fourth, snapping a 19-game, 77 at-bat homerless streak.

Cruising through the first four innings was Sacramento starter Daulton Jefferies, which saw the California product punch out five Aviators (10-12) though that span. However, he left with a no decision after a two-run homer from Daz Cameron tied the game in the fifth, coming immediately after he had issued a walk to Brett Harris.

Taking the baton was Kai-Wei Teng (0-1), who was making his season debut for the River Cats after spending the early season in San Francisco with the Giants. Teng’s debut was rocky, allowing seven runs (only five earned) on six hits in 1.1 innings of work, walking two and striking out one.

Part of those seven runs was a five-run seventh for Las Vegas, a frame that saw four hits and a walk, a hit batsman, and a wild pitch.

The bright spot of Sacramento pitching was Juan Sanchez, who tossed his fifth scoreless appearance of the season. Sanchez has kept opponents off the scoreboard in each of his past five outings, a stretch that spans nine innings while giving up a combined three hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.

Sacramento was able to tally a pair in the seventh, kicking off the frame with the first homer of 2024 for Trenton Brooks when he blasted one out to right field. A double from Blake Sabol led to a run later in the frame, scoring on a sacrifice fly from Luis Matos.

Picking up the win for Las Vegas was Zach Jackson, working two innings of relief while allowing one run on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Starter Gerson Moreno only lasted three innings but did his job in allowing just one run on one hit with a pair of punchouts, the lone hit being a Villar big fly.

Villar was the only River Cat to tally a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a run and RBI thanks to the dinger. The same goes for Luciano, who was 1-for-4 while Sabol was 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Now even in the series at a game apiece, the two teams will take the field for game three on Thursday with first pitch at 6:45 p.m. from Sutter Health Park.