photo from @RiverCats

Kyle Harrison unable to get first Triple-A win, as River Cats lose tight one

By Stephen Ruderman

SACRAMENTO–The River Cats let one get away from them late, as the Salt Lake Bees beat them by a final of 5-2 in game three of their six-game series.

Kyle Harrison, the Giants’ top prospect, made the start for the River Cats, and struck out the side through a one-out walk in an 18-pitch top of the first inning. The River Cats got runners to first and second off Bees’ starter, Luis Ledo, in the bottom of the first, but were unable to come through.

Harrison pitched a 1-2-3 top of the second, but was shaky again in the third, as he pitched through a pair of walks. Sacramento got on the board in the bottom of the second, when Bees’ second-baseman, Michael Stefanic, kicked a ground ball off the bat of Ford Proctor, and then threw to third to check on the lead runner, Shane Matheny, only for the ball to sail into the River Cats’ dugout, allowing Matheny to score. Tyler Fitzgerald led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left to make it 2-0 River Cats.

Harrison started off the top of the fourth by striking out Kevin Padlo for his seventh strikeout of the night, but he then ran into more trouble. Harrison hit Stefanic with a pitch, and then gave up a double to Jordyn Adams, which put runners at second and third with one out for Salt Lake.

Bees’ catcher, Zach Humphreys, then came to the plate, and had an automatic pitch clock violation strike called on him, which caused Bees’ manager, Keith Johnson, to come in from his spot in the third base coach’s box and get ejected by home plate umpire, Tanner Moore.

Johnson had a few words for the first-base umpire and crew chief, Jacob Metz, as well, and then proceeded to slowly walk off the field. Humphreys then hit a triple to right-center field to tie the game and knock Harrison out of the game.

Melvin Adon escaped further damage in the fourth, and pitched through a one-out walk in the fifth. Drew Strotman then came in for the River Cats in the top of the sixth, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning, but he crumbled in the seventh, as the Bees exploded on him for three runs.

Tyler Cabbage knocked in David Fletcher with a one-out triple; Stefanic knocked in Cabbage with a base-hit; Adams singled Stefanic to third and then Adams stole second, which allowed Stefanic to steal home on the throw.

The eighth and ninth innings went by with little drama, as Jonathan Holder struck out Patrick Bailey swinging to end it.

Luis Ledo got his first win of the year, and improves to 1-0; Drew Strotman takes the loss, and falls to 1-4; and Jonathan Holder picked up his first save of the year. The River Cats fall to 17-19; remain tied for second place; and fall three games back of the Reno Aces in the Pacific Coast League West.

Game four of the series will be tomorrow night at 6:45, as the left-hander, Kenny Rosenberg will take the mound for the River Cats, up against the right-hander, Keaton Winn, for the Bees.