Teng, Pitching Stymies Aces on Wednesday for 3-1 Victory

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – While the offense shined in Tuesday’s series opener, this time it was the turn for pitching to take center stage as the efforts of four Sacramento River Cats pitchers combined with a trio of timely runs late for a 3-1 victory over the Reno Aces at Sutter Health Park.

Forced into a starting role earlier in the day after originally scheduled starter Mason Black was recalled to San Francisco, Kai-Wei Teng (2-1) took the ball first and proceeded to toss one of his best outings of the season. Despite starting with a walk to open the contest, Teng struck out seven of the next eight hitters he faced.

That stretch included a streak of four straight strikeouts, something that Teng would do twice in his outing. The second instance came immediately after he surrendered his only hit in the contest, a single through the hole on the left side of the infield with one out in the fourth.

Teng eventually checked out after five frames and 11 strikeouts, which are the most in a game this season by a River Cats pitcher and just one shy of his Triple-A career best of 12 that he accomplished on Aug. 1, 2023 against this same Reno ball club.

The River Cats (4-4/40-43) were able to put Teng in line for the win when they scored in the bottom of the fifth, taking the lead with one swing of the bat from Devin Mann. Sitting in a 1-2 count, he unleashed on an offering from Aces (3-5/40-43) starter and former River Cat Casey Kelly (1-4) and turned it around over the wall in left field a total of 409 feet.

Insurance came in the sixth when Wade Meckler doubled to start the inning and moved up to third on a ground ball to the right side by Osleivis Basabe. Sitting 90 feet from home, Meckler scored easily when Grant McCray lifted a sacrifice fly into left field.

All River Cats relievers to enter the game earned a hold, starting with Antonio Jimenez who went 1.1 frames with a pair of walks and one strikeout. Miguel Díaz stranded a pair of inherited runners but allowed the only run of the game to the Aces in the top of the eighth, though the run scored after reliever Ryan Watson had entered with two on and two out on a double to left center by Connor Kaiser.

However, Sacramento reclaimed that run near instantly when a stolen base by McCray forced a bad throw from catcher Aramis Garcia, with the throw down skipping into center field and allowing Basabe to score.

Sacramento scored their three runs on five hits, all of which came from different bats. The duo of Meckler and Basabe were each 1-for-4 with a double and run scored, while Bishop was also 1-for-4 and logged a double but did not score. McCray closed his night 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk, while the only other Sacramento hit was the Mann homer in the fifth.

The River Cats has already clinched this short three-game series by winning each of the first two contests, and they will look to secure the sweep when the two teams line up for their series finale on Thursday. Tomorrow’s contest will be Sacramento’s Independence Eve Extravaganza, with a special fireworks show following the conclusion of the contest.