River Cats lose exciting battle of top-20 prospects on Kelly's walk-off home run

June 12, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sacramento River Cats News Release

Tacoma, Wash. - The Sacramento River Cats (14-19) dropped a back-and-forth game to the Tacoma Rainiers (17-15), losing on Ty Kelly's walk-off home run.

Kelly, a UC Davis product, took Silvino Bracho (0-1) deep to win the game with his second home run on the season.

The River Cats were down to their final strike in the top of the ninth, but a clutch home run extended the game. Down 3-2 with two outs and an 0-2 count against left-hander Aaron Fletcher (1-0), shortstop Arismendy Alcántara blasted a game-tying home run to right field.

Tacoma outfielder Jarred Kelenic, the No. 4 prospect on MLB Pipeline, showed how much he can impact a game on Saturday. He led off the bottom of the first with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a hit, and scored on a Luis Torrens sacrifice fly for the game's first run. Kelenic doubled the Rainiers' lead to 2-0 when he hit his third Triple-A home run against Sacramento right-hander Aaron Sanchez in the third inning.

Not to be outdone, Sacramento catcher Joey Bart (No. 18 prospect on MLB Pipeline), lined a game-tying two-run home run which ricocheted off the top of the left field wall. In his last six games, Bart is 10-for-28 with three home runs and 10 RBIs.

Former Kansas City prospect, right-hander Gerson Garabito, makes his Triple-A debut on Sunday. He'll take on a Tacoma TBD. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. Listen to all of the action live online at rivercats.com, and on the MiLB First Pitch app.

Additional Notes

Left fielder Joe McCarthy's second-inning single extended his hitting streak to 15 games. The River Cats' record hitting streak as an affiliate of San Francisco is 18, and was set in 2018 by infielder Kelby Tomlinson.

Sanchez threw 27 of his 51 pitches for strikes in his second rehab outing. In two-plus innings of work, he allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one.

Prior to the ninth, right-hander John Russell (two innings), left-hander Sam Selman (two innings), and right-hander Yunior Marte (one inning) combined for five hitless and scoreless frames with Selman striking out five. Things remained tied until the bottom of the eighth when Torrens welcomed reliever Trevor Gott with a solo home run.

• Discuss this story on the Pacific Coast League message board...

Pacific Coast League Stories from June 12, 2021

• Rengifo Powers Bees Past Isotopes - Salt Lake Bees
• Bees Take Game Three of Six-Game Series - Albuquerque Isotopes
• River Cats lose exciting battle of top-20 prospects on Kelly's walk-off home run - Sacramento River Cats
• El Paso Edges Dodgers in 10 - Oklahoma City Comets
• Chihuahuas Stop Oklahoma City in Extras - El Paso Chihuahuas
• Skeeters Unable to Hold on for Win vs. Round Rock - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
• Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes - June 12, 2021 vs. Sacramento River Cats (5:05 p.m. PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
• Bees Late Game Rally Not Enough - Salt Lake Bees
• Evan White Crushes Three-Run Blast in Big Inning for Rainiers, Tacoma Evens Series with Sacramento - Tacoma Rainiers
• OKC Dodgers Game Notes - June 12, 2021 - Oklahoma City Comets
• Red-Hot Schwindel Powers Aviators Past Reno, 8-3 - Las Vegas Aviators
• McCarthy extends hitting streak to 14 in loss to Tacoma - Sacramento River Cats
• Varsho Extends Hitting Streak to Nine, Aces Fall to Aviators, 8-3 - Reno Aces
• Ruiz Powers OKC past El Paso - Oklahoma City Comets
• LHP Wade LeBlanc Dominates as Express Rout Skeeters 7-0 - Round Rock Express
• Ducks Left on the Pond in 9-1 Setback - El Paso Chihuahuas

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.

Other Recent Sacramento River Cats Stories

• Second Half Promotional Schedule Announced by River Cats
• Whisenhunt Carves Way to PCL Pitcher of the Week Honor
• Sacramento River Cats Unveil Gold Diggers Alternate Identity
• Carson Seymour Tabbed PCL Pitcher of the Week
• Brett Auerbach Named PCL Player of the Week