River Cats Take Season-Opener Over Las Vegas, 11-6
April 6, 2012 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Sacramento River Cats News Release
LAS VEGAS -- Grant Green hit a home run in the first at-bat of the 2012 River Cats season, and Sacramento held on to defeat Las Vegas, 11-6, on Opening Night at Cashman Field.
Green's long ball was the first of three Cats homers on Thursday, as Brandon Moss and Derek Norris also went deep. Norris' home run gave the Cats a 7-2 lead in the fifth inning, but the 51s answered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth, cutting Sacramento's lead to 7-6.
The 51s comeback fell short, however, as Neil Wagner (1-0) relieved River Cats starter Travis Banwart, and kept Las Vegas off the scoreboard for 2.1 innings. Wagner earned the win after Banwart gave up six runs-five earned-in 4.1 innings or work.
Aaron Laffey (0-1) started and took the loss for the 51s, allowing 11 hits and seven earned runs in 4.2 innings.
Eight River Cats hitters recorded multi-hit games Thursday, led by Chris Carter and Michael Taylor, who picked up three hits apiece. Norris finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs in his first game in the Oakland organization, after coming over in last winter's Gio Gonzalez trade.
Sacramento and Las Vegas square off again Friday night from Cashman Field, with A's top prospect Jarrod Parker set to make his Triple-A debut. The 51s counter with RHP Jesse Chavez, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
The River Cats open the 2012 home slate on April 13 at 7:05 p.m. against the Reno Aces, in a rematch of the 2011 PCL Pacific Conference championship series.
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To purchase 2012 Sacramento River Cats Season Tickets, Mini-Plans and group outings, call the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487) or visit www.rivercats.com. In their first 12 seasons, the River Cats have won two Triple-A championships, four Pacific Coast League championships and 10 Pacific South Division championships. No other major American sports team has won 10 division titles in that span.
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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 6, 2012
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- Storm Chasers Beat the Isotopes, 8-4, on Opening Night - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Rainiers Drop Season Opener to Salt Lake - Tacoma Rainiers
- River Cats Take Season-Opener Over Las Vegas, 11-6 - Sacramento River Cats
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