Four-run fifth inning sinks River Cats

September 5, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sacramento River Cats News Release

West Sacramento, Calif. - With the exception of a tough final inning for starter Logan Ondrusek, the Sacramento River Cats (46-57) were in Sunday afternoon's game with the Salt Lake Bees (45-60), who took game four to draw the series even.

Infielder Jose Rojas got Salt Lake on the board in the first inning with his eighth home run of the year. Then it wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that an Heliot Ramos RBI single was able to knot things up at one apiece, scoring infielder Jason Vosler from second base. Vosler returned to the lineup for the first time since August 27 and went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.

On came the back-breaking fifth inning, where what would have been a solid outing for Ondrusek turned for the worse. Three consecutive singles with one down in the inning broke the tie, followed by a run-scoring groundout, and finally a massive two-run shot off the bat of Clovis, Calif. native Jake Gatewood.

Labor Day's matinee will feature veteran right-hander Matt Shoemaker facing his old Triple-A club. The 32-year old from the suburbs of Detroit, Mich. started 65 games for the Bees between 2012 and 2016, as well as 93 for their big-league affiliate Los Angeles Angels from 2013 to 2018. Salt Lake will go with another left-hander - Brian Johnson - as the River Cats will face a southpaw for the fourth straight game. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. (PT). Listen to Johnny Doskow call the game live online at rivercats.com or on the MiLB First Pitch app.

Additional Notes

The two clubs ended their streak (3) of consecutive games kept under three hours. Prior to this series, the River Cats had not strung together more than two sub-three-hour games in 2021.

Heliot Ramos's older brother Henry, who faced the River Cats earlier this week with the Reno Aces, made his major-league debut on Sunday with the Arizona Diamondbacks after 11 years in the minors. He came on as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the seventh and lined a single into center field for his first big-league hit.

Pacific Coast League Stories from September 5, 2021

• Skeeters Walk It off over Las Vegas - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
• Strong Pitching Leads Bees - Salt Lake Bees
• Four-run fifth inning sinks River Cats - Sacramento River Cats
• Dodgers Can't Break Albuquerque's Pen - Oklahoma City Comets
• Duncan, Bullpen Dominate in Sunday Afternoon Triumph - Albuquerque Isotopes
• Aces Notes - Reno Aces
• OKC Dodgers Game Notes - September 5, 2021 - Oklahoma City Comets
• Pannone Gem Snaps Streak - Salt Lake Bees
• Walton Witte West: Rainiers Pull Back Within a Game of Division Lead After Wild Win in Reno - Tacoma Rainiers
• Hjelle's solid outing wasted in loss to Bees - Sacramento River Cats
• Reno Falls Late to Tacoma 7-6 - Reno Aces
• Express Holds Steady for 3-1 Win over Chihuahuas - Round Rock Express
• Chihuahuas Waste Chances, Fall to Round Rock - El Paso Chihuahuas
• Early Deficit Too Much as Albuquerque Drops Second Straight - Albuquerque Isotopes
• Dodgers Beat Isotopes, Rain Thanks to Early Scoring - Oklahoma City Comets

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