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Sacramento River Cats

Gregorio, Romo Dazzle on Mound in 4-2 Win

May 24, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Sacramento River Cats News Release


WEST SACRAMENTO, CA - The arms were on display Monday night at Raley Field as the River Cats (18-27) took the series opener from the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (18-22) by a score of 4-2. San Francisco Giants' reliever Sergio Romo made his first rehab appearance following a stellar outing from starter Joan Gregorio.

Standing at 6'7", Gregorio proved an intimidating presence from the mound, opening the night by striking out the side. A low-90's fastball mixed with a sharp slider kept Colorado Springs off-balance and out in front all night. In total, the tall right-hander struck out a season-high eight, seven of which were swinging. He finished his night going five innings, giving up one run on two hits and three walks.

Following Gregorio was Giants' reliever and fan-favorite, right-hander Sergio Romo. Making the first appearance of his rehab assignment, Romo was scheduled to go one inning or 20 pitches. The crafty righty needed just 17 of those 20 to strikeout the side in the sixth inning.

"I think the best thing is I didn't feel anything," Romo said after his inning. "My arm felt great and I think that's the best part. Also, the adrenaline you get in this situation, experiencing that is huge, something I haven't been able to feel in a little while."

As much as the adrenaline may have been flowing, it didn't mean Romo was perfect. The lone blemish on his outing was a solo blast off the bat of Sky Sox shortstop Orlando Arcia. Arcia, the top prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers system, crushed the first pitch he saw to straightaway center to tie the game at two.

"The worst part of that was that I cost Gregorio his decision. He pitched great, and that's always a hard pill to swallow, when you do that to your starter. But I had to keep going and was able to get the next guys."

Romo got the next two batters with a mix of his mid-80's fastball and his signature slider, cutting down and away from right-handers at 75 or 76 miles per hour. His final strikeout came against Colorado Springs' batting average leader Manny Pina, who flailed at a slider that ended up nearly a foot outside.

There will be opportunities for Romo to get a few more, as well, as he is expected to make at least two more appearances with the River Cats before the Giants consider reactivating him. He was placed on the Disabled List on April 16 with a right elbow flexor strain and has not pitched in the Majors since April 10.

In addition to Gregorio's eight strikeouts and Romo's three, Steven Okert added two of his own over two innings, bringing Sacramento's total for the night to 13. The team's previous high was 12, which came on May 6 in a 5-3 win over Las Vegas. Chris Stratton led the way that night with nine strikeouts, the most by a River Cats pitcher this season.

The Sacramento bats were able to provide just enough offense to keep the River Cats on top, scoring four runs for the first time in four games. Ramiro Pena provided the big hit, a two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning to stake the River Cats to a 4-2 lead. Miguel Olivo and Mitch Delfino were responsible for the other two runs, each recording an RBI in the win.

The two teams will be back at it again tomorrow as Matt Lujan (0-3, 4.44) looks for his first win of the season. The lefty is coming off back-to-back strong outings and has allowed just three runs in his last nine innings of work. Opposite him will be Colorado Springs' Taylor Jungmann (1-2, 14.85). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and the game can be heard live online at rivercats.com. The game will air again online at ESPN 1320 following the conclusion of the Warriors game.

***

The Sacramento River Cats are the Triple-A affiliate of the 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants. The team plays at Raley Field in West Sacramento, consistently voted one of the top ballparks in America. River Cats Season Tickets, Mini-Plans, and Flex Plans can be purchased for the 2016 season by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). For more information about the River Cats, visit www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Raley Field, visit www.raleyfield.com.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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