PCL Sacramento River Cats

Kitties Blanked by Rainiers in Game Three

August 18, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sacramento River Cats News Release


WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Four consecutive run-producing innings contained all the scoring in Thursday's contest between the Sacramento River Cats and the Tacoma Rainiers, as Tacoma put up eight runs in the middle third of game three as they went on to a 9-0 victory.

There were just three combined hits through the first three frames, with the Rainiers (63-54) logging one in each the first and second before the River Cats (49-67) produced theirs in the third. Sacramento starter Mason Black (0-2) worked around the knocks, stranding a leadoff single and a hit batter in the first with a pair of strikeouts and a caught stealing. The same happened to the River Cats in the third, as Bryce Johnson was hit by a pitch before Luis Matos singled, but both were left on base.

While Black worked a clean third inning, the Rainiers finally struck in the fourth thanks to a leadoff home run from Jake Scheiner. A single and stolen base by Cooper Hummel set up another run later in the inning, scoring on a two-out double from Robbie Tenerowicz.

That frame started a stretch of four run-scoring innings for Tacoma, as they dropped another pair of runs in the fifth with another homer, this a two-run blast with two outs by Taylor Trammell on the first pitch he saw.

The biggest inning of the night came in the Rainiers' half of the sixth, doubling their lead with a four spot. Three of the runs scored on the third Tacoma dinger of the game, as Bliss also offered at the first pitch he saw and sent it over the wall in left field. That blast came immediately after an RBI single from Adam Engel, pushing the score to 8-0.

Generating the final run was Tenerowicz, who singled into left-center field for his second RBI of the night that brought the contest to its final resting score of 9-0.

Following the third, there were just two more hits for the River Cats in the contest. The first was a leadoff ground rule double in the fourth from David Villar, but he was erased when he was caught trying to advance on a ball that got past Tacoma catcher Pedro Severino. That knock extended Villar's reached base safely streak to 18 consecutive games and extended his season-long hitting streak to seven straight contests.

The last hit for Sacramento was a single up the middle from Casey Schmitt in the sixth, but he was also left aboard after a quick pair of outs.

Both starters were the pitchers of record, with Black handed the loss after allowing two runs on five hits in four innings of work, though he did match his season high in strikeouts with eight. The other instance in which he fanned eight was in his Triple-A debut against Oklahoma City on July 14. Taking credit for the win was Kyle Hart (3-2), as he did not yield a run on three hits in 5.2 innings with seven punchouts.

Sacramento will look to level the series once again in game four on Friday, with the first pitch at Sutter Health Park tossed at 6:45 p.m.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 18, 2023


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