River Cats Boot Four-Run Lead, Lose 6-5 in Series Finale
April 11, 2014 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Sacramento River Cats News Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - A five-run eighth inning aided by two Sacramento errors helped the Las Vegas 51s defeat the River Cats 6-5 at Cashman Field on Thursday night, giving them the series victory.
With one out in the top of the second inning, River Cats OF Michael Taylor launched Las Vegas starter Jacob deGrom's offering over the wall in left field for a solo home run. Taylor's home run was the 99th of his minor league career and gave the Cats an early 1-0 lead. Both clubs went scoreless until the sixth inning, when Nate Freiman doubled to left field, scoring Alden Carrithers to give Sacramento a 2-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, the 51s answered right back with a run of their own on Daniel Muno's first home run of the season.
The River Cats responded with two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth. Starter Joe Blanton (1-0, 5.06 ERA) tossed 5.2 innings of one-run baseball, surrendering just 4 hits and one walk while striking out six. RHP Jeremy McBryde relieved Blanton during the sixth inning, pitching out of trouble in the inning and coming back out to throw a scoreless seventh frame.
Leading 5-1 going into the bottom of the eighth inning, the River Cats began to unravel. Las Vegas catcher Juan Centeno reached on a throwing error by Cats shortstop Jose Martinez to start the inning. With two runners on, RHP Deryk Hooker relieved Fernando Rodriguez to face 51s outfielder Eric Campbell, who doubled home Las Vegas's second run of the game.
After an RBI single by 51s outfielder Bobby Abreu cut the lead to two, Hooker got Las Vegas shortstop Wilmer Flores to ground into a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning. Kirk Nieuwenhuis came to bat with two runners on with two outs and reached on an error by second baseman Alden Carrithers to keep the Las Vegas rally alive.
With the score now 5-4, Las Vegas third baseman Zach Lutz doubled home two runs off of Hooker to give the 51s a 6-5 lead heading into the ninth inning. Reliever Jeff Walters held the Cats scoreless in the ninth, getting OF Michael Taylor to ground into a game-ending double play.
Raley Field sees its first action of the season as the River Cats host the Salt Lake Bees on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Matt Buschmann (1-0, 4.76 ERA) takes the hill against LHP Wade LeBlanc (0-1, 11.25 ERA) of the Bees in the Cats first home game of the season.
Sacramento kicks off its 2014 home slate on a Fireworks Friday, opening an eight-game River Cats homestand with Friday night's game against Salt Lake.
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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 11, 2014
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