PCL Sacramento River Cats

Tough Beginning Too Much to Overcome for Sacramento

Published on July 8, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sacramento River Cats News Release


SALT LAKE CITY - The Sacramento River Cats and their six unanswered runs could not overcome an early avalanche of scoring by the Salt Lake Bees, as Salt Lake kept alive its chance for a series split with a 14-6 decision in game five on Saturday.

After the River Cats (40-45) went quickly in the first when Bryce Johnson's walk was erased on a double play ball, the Bees (42-43) scored three batters into their first swings when a leadoff single by Michael Stefanic came around to score on a double by Kevin Padlo.

Three walks loaded the bases and set the stage for Salt Lake's big second inning, as their seven runs in the frame were the most Sacramento has allowed in any inning this season. All three free passes by Sacramento starter Sean Hjelle (1-4) came around to score in the frame, as the Bees used four consecutive run-scoring hits along with their fourth walk of the inning to produce their seven runs. It was the fourth time this season a Sacramento pitcher has walked four batters in a single inning.

Offense continued in the third as Salt Lake scored five more times during the home half of the third, this time using just two walks to start the frame along with a total of four hits, two of which were a pair of two-out doubles, to do the damage.

Needing to flip the momentum, Sacramento broke through onto the scoreboard with their swings in the fourth as a Tyler Fitzgerald triple into the right-center gap got the offense going while David Villar followed with his seventh homer of the season into right field to drive them both in.

Two batters later Heliot Ramos followed suit, sending a ball into a near identical spot for his sixth dinger of the campaign. Both Villar and Ramos have now homered in three consecutive contests, becoming the fifth and sixth River Cats to accomplish the feat this season. For the latter, he continues his impressive rehab assignment as he has gone 14-for-26 (.538) with eight runs scored, four doubles, one triple, four homers and 10 RBI with a 1.787 OPS.

Following the departure of Salt Lake starter Kenny Rosenberg (7-4) after the sixth inning, leaving with a total of 10 punchouts while allowing three runs on six hits, the River Cats strung together four consecutive knocks to start the seventh. The first of those four came from Armando Alvarez, extending his hitting streak to six games, while the final two were RBI singles from Will Wilson and Johnson.

Sacramento was able to strike one final time during the top of the seventh, as Joey Bart walked to start the frame and moved all the way to third on a double by Jakson Reetz, finally scoring on a sacrifice fly from Alvarez. However, the Bees stole the run back in the bottom of the inning with a two-out single from Jared Oliva that brought the game to its 14-6 final.

Even in defeat the River Cats nearly matched the Bees in hits (14-12) as all nine Sacramento hitters tallied hits for the third time in the series, one of which was a double by Bart that kicked off the second inning. That extended his team-leading active hitting streak to 10 games, as he is just the second River Cat to have a hit streak reach double digits. Over that time, he is batting .350 (14-for-40) with nine runs scored, four doubles, three homers, 13 RBI and a 1.084 OPS.

The River Cats still have a chance to take a series victory in the finale of this six-game set tomorrow, with first pitch from Smith's Ballpark at 12:05 p.m. (PT).

Check out the Sacramento River Cats Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from July 8, 2023


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.

OurSports Central