Sacramento offense stays hot as Dubón reaches base five times in blowout win

July 3, 2021

Las Vegas, Nev. — For the seventh consecutive game, the Sacramento River Cats (22-27) pounded out a double-digit hit total and used it to handedly defeat the Las Vegas Aviators (23-27). The River Cats have outscored the Aviators 22-5 in the first two games of this six-game series, and on

Las Vegas, Nev. — For the seventh consecutive game, the Sacramento River Cats (22-27) pounded out a double-digit hit total and used it to handedly defeat the Las Vegas Aviators (23-27).

The River Cats have outscored the Aviators 22-5 in the first two games of this six-game series, and on Saturday night the offense jumped all over Las Vegas starter Jesus Luzardo in the first inning. After seven earned runs on six hits, the left-handed prospect was removed from the game after recording just two outs. All seven runs were scored without the benefit of an extra-base hit and additionally, two of the seven were scored on a walk and a hit batsman.

Center fielder Mauricio Dubón’s RBI single to cap off the seven-run first inning was his second hit of the inning, and would be the second of five times he would reach base on Friday night. The recently-optioned Dubón finished 4-for-5 with a walk and a double

While the River Cats have yet to name a starter for Saturday’s contest, the Aviators will send right-hander Daulton Jefferies to the bump. Jefferies, a native of Atwater, Calif., was perfect through four innings the last time he faced Sacramento. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. (PT). Listen to Johnny Doskow call the game online at rivercats.com or on the MiLB First Pitch app.

Additional Notes

The San Francisco Giants made a trade prior to Friday night’s contest, sending River Cats starting pitcher Anthony Banda to the New York Mets in exchange for infielder Will Toffey. Banda made five starts among 10 total appearances for Sacramento this season, while Toffey had 123 plate appearances for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Toffey, a former fourth-round pick by the Oakland Athletics, was teammates at Vanderbilt University with former River Cats lefty Phil Pfeifer, as well as 2015 No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson and Los Angeles Dodgers ace Walker Buehler.
Outfielder Braden Bishop had another productive night in the leadoff spot, going 3-for-6 with three runs scored and a three-run homer in the ninth, giving him three home runs in his last five games.