Slim Lead Slips from Sacramento, Sugar Land Snatches 4-2 Win

SUGAR LAND, Texas – A pair of RBI singles from Brett Wisely and Logan Porter had the Sacramento River Cats nursing a one-run lead late in the contest, but unfortunately they could not hold the lead as the Sugar Land Space Cowboys scored three times in the eighth to hand Sacramento a 4-2 defeat in game two of their series on Wednesday.

Quickly the Space Cowboys (33-25) took the advantage in the contest, plating a run in the home half of the first without recording a hit. River Cats (28-31) starter Carson Ragsdale issued four free passes in the inning, the last of which forced home the game’s first run.

That was the only blip on the radar for the River Cats through much of the contest, as Ragsdale settled down and allowed only that one tally through 2.1 innings for a second straight outing. Taking the baton was Juan Mercedes, who did a fantastic job by allowing only one hit with four strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work.

While Mercedes was dominating on the mound, the River Cats were looking to get the bats going at the dish. In the third they had the bases loaded with one out, but a pair of strikeouts left the bases loaded.

It was not until the sixth inning when the River Cats broke through, using a Grant McCray walk and stolen base to reach scoring position where he was driven in on a single to right center from Wisely. A failed pickoff attempt on a strikeout allowed Wisely to scamper from first to third, setting up Porter who deposited a knock into left field for the 2-1 lead. There was a chance for more in the inning as Hunter Bishop drilled a ball down the right-field line, but it bounced over the wall for a ground rule double to hold Porter at third.

Tasked with holding the lead was one of the team’s newest River Cats, Trent Harris, who was making his Triple-A debut after being promoted from Double-A Richmond prior to the game on Tuesday. It was a less than memorable debut, as Harris faced five batters but allowed a pair of hits and walked one, all three of which came around to score.

Needing to rally, Sacramento went down quietly in the top of the ninth, leaving Harris on the hook for the loss.

Late in the contest the other newest River Cat, the No. 1 prospect in the San Francisco organization Bryce Eldridge, was able to rip a ball into right field for his first knock in the seventh with two outs. He closed his night 1-for-3 with a pair of walks.

Meanwhile, Bishop had the team’s only extra-base hit by going 1-for-4 with a double, and Sergio Alcántara also earned a hit by going 1-for-4.

The series is now even at one game apiece, and each team will try to gain an edge during game three of the series on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. (PT) from Constellation Field.