Sacramento Laughs Last in Extras Against Reno

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Grant McCray was the hero on Sunday, as his RBI single down the right-field line in the 10th inning helped the Sacramento River Cats end their fastest extra-innings game since at least 2005 with a 3-2 victory over the Reno Aces.

Stepping to the plate hitless in four at-bats, McCray provided the most clutch hit of the afternoon when he took the box in the bottom of the 10th inning and ripped the first pitch he saw towards the bullpens in the right-field corner, scoring the free runner Hunter Bishop. It provided Sacramento with their first walk-off win of the 2025 season, bringing their record to 1-1 in such games.

That run was needed because the two teams had traded tallies throughout the contest, with the Aces (18-15) scoring once in the first and seventh innings while the River Cats (16-17) struck in the second and sixth. Reno started the scoring on when a fielding error after a double allowed Jake McCarthy to reach third with two outs, scoring in the next at-bat on a double by Ildemaro Vargas.

However, Sacramento struck back an inning later when Marco Luciano turned around a 2-0 offering deep over the wall in right field for his team-leading sixth homer of the year, leaving the bat at 104.0 mph.

The River Cats pulled in front for the first time when a Sergio Alcántara double set the stage for a Luciano sacrifice fly, giving the latter two of the three RBI in the game for Sacramento. However, that lead was short-lived as A.J. Vukovich crushed his third homer of the series, this time a solo shot off starter Mason Black that brought the game level.

While he finished the frame, Black left prior to the eighth with a no decision, allowing only two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out seven without a walk. It was the eighth time this season a Sacramento starter has punched out five or more without issuing a free pass.

Sean Hjelle worked the eighth and ninth to keep the game locked at 2-2, running his scoreless game streak up to nine games and 15.1 innings. On for the 10th was Miguel Díaz (1-1), who picked up his first win of the season with a flawless 10th inning that included a strikeout.

Today’s game finished in just two hours and 11 minutes, the new fastest extra-innings game in Sacramento franchise history since at least 2005. The previous mark was set just earlier this series on Thursday, when the Aces stole a 3-2 victory in 10 innings over the River Cats in just two hours and 23 minutes.

Despite the win the River Cats still dropped the six-game set four games to two, and they will look to turn their fortunes around when they begin their next set on Tuesday, May 6 at Tacoma.