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Sacramento River Cats

Series Preview: River Cats Take on Baseball's Best Offense

June 17, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Sacramento River Cats News Release


West Sacramento, CA - The Sacramento River Cats (26-42) will welcome the El Paso Chihuahuas (39-27) to town just five days since the two teams last clashed in El Paso. The River Cats are currently 2-6 this season against last year's Pacific Southern champions but have yet to face them in the friendly confines of Raley Field.

Scouting the Teams

The El Paso Chihuahuas make their way west for the first time this season, bringing the best offense in all of professional baseball with them. The Chihuahuas lead the Pacific Coast League in just about every offensive category and are 10-5 so far in the month of June. They are hitting .311 this month with 14 home runs and are outscoring their opponents 83-62. With runners in scoring position, the Chihuahuas are hitting .336, best in the PCL. If there's a silver lining for the River Cats, it's that the El Paso pitching staff is average at best, and are currently ranked 14th in the league with a team ERA of 4.88 and have the fewest strikeouts (454).

The Sacramento pitching staff has turned things around of late, as their 3.86 team ERA in June is the best it's been all year. Offensively, the offense has regressed to the tune of a .231 batting average this month. In their last 10 games, Sacramento has only managed to push across 25 runs and are currently hitting .230 at home. The River Cats have the best record in two-run games in the PCL this season (6-2) and are undefeated when leading after eight innings (21-0). In their first four-game series against El Paso, Sacramento surrendered 27 runs in route to being swept. In their second trip to the Lone Star state, the River Cats split the series while holding El Paso to 20 runs.

Players to Watch

If you're looking for players to watch on El Paso, the outfield would be a good place to start. Pacific Coast League batting average leader Alex Dickerson (.407) is the catalyst for the offense and is hitting .342 with one home run and six RBI in his last 10 games. Dickerson also leads the team with a .376 batting average on the road, along with six home runs and 23 RBI. Moving from right field to center is Manuel Margot, the league-leader in runs scored (53). Left fielder Hunter Renfroe leads the Chihuahuas in RBI (53), 11 of which have come in bases-loaded situations. Right-hander Daniel McCutchen, who the River Cats will see in tonight's series opener, leads the Chihuahuas in innings pitched (71) and wins (7). McCutchen will be looking to continue his success against Sacramento, as the Texas native is 1-0 in two starts against them with a 0.75 ERA.

Gorkys Hernandez has been the unsung hero for Sacramento this season, leading the team in runs (38), hits (70), stolen bases (13) and walks (27). He is tied with El Paso's Margot for most games played (64) and trails only Margot and Renfroe for most at bats (254) in the league. Utility man Grant Green currently leads Sacramento in RBI (32) while also hitting .300 in June. Left-hander Ty Blach will be looking to earn his seventh win tonight, as he leads the team in innings pitched (75.2), starts (13), and total batters faced (314). Fellow left-hander Matt Lujan will get the call tomorrow night as he attempts to earn his first win of the season. Lujan has been magnificent in his last two starts, going 11 innings while surrendering two runs with 12 strikeouts.

Matchup History

The River Cats will play their first game this season at Raley Field against the Chihuahuas Friday night. In their eight games at Southwest University Park this season, hit .283 as a team with 30 runs scored, whereas El Paso hit .316 and scored 47 runs. The pitching staff had their share of trouble as well, giving up nine home runs in the eight games while posting a cumulative ERA of 5.40 against El Paso.

Probable Pitchers

Friday, June 17 (7:05 p.m. PT): LHP Ty Blach (6-4, 4.28) vs. RHP Daniel McCutchen (7-3, 5.20)

Saturday, June 18 (7:05 p.m. PT): LHP Matt Lujan (0-5, 4.04) vs. LHP Frank Garces (1-1, 3.47)

Sunday, June 19 (1:05 p.m. PT): RHP Joan Gregorio (1-3, 5.10) vs. TBA

Monday, June 20 (12:05 p.m. (PT): RHP Clayton Blackburn (4-4, 3.55) vs. RHP Carlos Pimentel (6-4, 6.45)

***

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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