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PCL Sacramento River Cats

Four-Run Ninth the Difference in 9-5 Sacramento Win

June 14, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sacramento River Cats News Release


SUGAR LAND, Tex. - Saving their best for last, a four-run ninth inning marked the difference for the Sacramento River Cats as they leveled their series at a game apiece with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys thanks to a 9-5 win on Wednesday.

From the first pitch the River Cats' (30-35) bats were ready to go, using a pair of singles and a two-out walk to load the bases during their first set of swings, but all three runners were left stranded. Meanwhile, the Space Cowboys (30-35) had their big inning in the second, using four hits to drive home three runs which included a two-run homer from Alex McKenna on the first pitch he saw. Scoring on the play was Joe Perez, who reached on his own RBI single earlier in the frame.

Immediately Sacramento countered, with Tyler Fitzgerald starting the away half of the fourth with a single before moving up to second on a wild pitch. He was joined aboard by Isan Diaz after he drew a free pass, setting up Joey Bart to collect an RBI on a double on a ball grounded through right side. Two batters later the River Cats loaded the bases for a second time in the contest, and finally pushed home a run on a sacrifice fly from Ford Proctor which scored Bart.

Sacramento starter Drew Strotman tossed the game's first clean inning in the fourth, but the Space Cowboys struck quickly in the fifth as a leadoff walk immediately came back to hurt when Bligh Madris hit a two-run homer to center in the next at-bat.

Much like their first runs, the River Cats put up a response right away in the sixth as a Clint Coulter leadoff double came around to score two batters later on an RBI single from Bryce Johnson. A pair of one-out singles had Sacramento on the verge of scoring in the seventh, but a pick off shifted momentum and resulted in a quiet end to the inning.

Undeterred but still trailing by two, the River Cats found the tying runs in the eighth as Michael Gigliotti singled and later scored on another Johnson single that landed just over the head of the second baseman. The equalizing knock came from Isan Diaz, as he sent a double through the right side to bring home Johnson to knot the game at 5-5.

The final swings of the night were the most productive for Sacramento, scoring their four runs in the frame by the time they recorded their first out. Brett Wisely began the frame with a walk and advanced 180 feet to third on a Jacob Nottingham single, and then became the first run of the inning when he crossed the plate on a Ford Proctor RBI sacrifice bunt.

With runners at first and second and still not outs, Coulter produced yet another clutch knock this season by lining his second double of the contest towards the left-field corner, which easily scored Nottingham. Of Coulter's 37 Rbi this season, 13 have come in the eighth and ninth innings combined. A passed ball forced Proctor home for the third run of the inning, while the final run came in the form of a sacrifice fly from Michael Gigliotti.

Unforeseen at the time, the Sugar Land homer in the fifth inning would be their final hit of the night. Phoenix Sanders entered to log the final two outs of the fifth for Strotman, starting a stretch of 12 straight Space Cowboys retired from the fifth through the beginning of the ninth. Sanders officially went 1.2 innings, while Mauricio Llovera tossed a clean inning while fanning two.

Following Cole Waites (2-3) facing one over the minimum with a walk and strikeout in the eighth, leaving in line for the win, Joey Marciano took over in a non-save situation in the ninth. The inning was a bit of a rollercoaster, as he walked the bases loaded but also recorded his final two outs via the strikeout to secure the 9-5 Sacramento victory. Charged with the loss was Blake Taylor (0-2), giving up all four earned runs in the ninth.

Eight River Cats tallied hits in the contest, and all but one had a multi-hit effort as Sacramento totaled 17 knocks in the game. Johnson had hits in half hits at-bats by going 3-for-6 with a run and RBI, while Coulter also delivered a trio of hits by going 3-for-5 two runs, two doubles and an RBI.

This series with the Space Cowboys rolls on when game three gets underway on Thursday beginning at 5:05 p.m. from Constellation Field.

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