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PCL Sacramento River Cats

Cats Come from Behind to Down Express in Game Four

June 24, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sacramento River Cats News Release


ROUND ROCK, Tex. - The eventual winning run in game four between the Sacramento River Cats and the Round Rock Express scored in controversial fashion when it was ruled the Round Rock catcher blocked the plate, but Sacramento backstop Ricardo Genoves that sealed the victory when he crushed a two-run homer that ensured a 5-2 win on Saturday.

Offense was slow to come by through the first four innings, with the Express (43-40) stranding one runner in each of the first three innings and two in the fourth. Meanwhile, the River Cats (34-39) saw each of the first 11 hitters sat down by Round Rock starter Glenn Otto, who was appearing on his rehab assignment. Sacramento did log consecutive singles to break that stretch, but both were left aboard after an inning-ending strikeout.

Much like yesterday, it was the River Cats that broke the scoreless tie, today doing so in the away half of the fifth. Will Wilson opened the frame with a walk and moved up 90 feet on a single from Colton Welker, and then Michael Gigliotti was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Into the box came Ricardo Genoves, and though he hit into a groundball double play, it scored the run from third to take the lead.

Right away the Express answered, striking twice in the bottom of the inning when a Matt Whatley leadoff double came around to cross on an RBI single from Davis Wendzel. The other run came courtesy of Elier Hernandez, who extended his franchise-record hitting streak to 25 games with an RBI double to left center that scored Wendzel.

For the second consecutive contest the River Cats equalized the game with a solo homer, and doing so today was Ford Proctor with his second opposite field home run of the series. Sitting in a full count in the first at-bat of the inning, Proctor launched his sixth of the season over the left field wall to bring the game to 2-2.

Action slowed down until the away half of the eight when Sacramento put a pair in scoring position thanks to consecutive singles with only one out, but the River Cats were unable to find the timely hit.

They would not be denied two innings in a row, however, as Armando Alvarez singled to right center and was immediately sacrificed up to second base by Wilson. In the next at-bat, Welker flared a ball over second base into shallow right field and as Alvarez tried to score from second, he was bumped into by Round Rock catcher Whatley. Following the collision where both players fell to the ground, it was ruled that Whatley blocked the plate and thus resulted in the go-ahead run scoring.

Needing insurance in what had been a back-and-forth contest but now with two outs, Genoves provided some pop as he mashed his third homer of the year in the form of a two-run shot to left that put Sacramento further ahead, 5-2.

On to close out the night was Nick Avila (S, 1), who had to work a bit harder in the inning due to a throwing error and subsequent double. Staying calm, Avila notched his second punchout and induced one final groundout to convert his first save opportunity of the campaign.

River Cats starter Drew Strotman turned in another solid outing, allowing the two runs on six hits over a season-high 5.0 innings with five strikeouts (third straight game fanning five), but did not factor into the decision. Following a scoreless pair of innings from Sean Newcomb in which the southpaw yielded just one hit and punched out three, Cole Waites (3-3) walked one and surrendered one hit but kept the Express from scoring in the eighth to take credit for the win. Charged with the loss for Round Rock was Jake Latz (1-3), as he pitched the ninth and gave up the three runs on three hits.

Seven of nine River Cats posted hits on the night, led by 2-for-4 efforts from Proctor and Welker with each player driving in a run while Proctor also scored thanks to his big fly. Of all hits, the homer from Genoves was of the most important and helped him finish 1-for-4, while Dalton Guthrie earned his first hit in his Sacramento debut thanks to a single in the eighth to close the night 1-for-5.

Tonight's win leveled Sacramento's long road trip at five wins and five losses, and tomorrow's series finale against the Express will see the Cats aim to finish the trip above .500 when first pitch gets tossed from Dell Diamond at 4:05 p.m. (PT).

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