Sacramento Rivercats – Page 2 – Sports Radio Service

Sacramento River Cats celebrate a win and Mother’s Day at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on Sun May 14, 2023 (Photo Credit to Ralph Thompson/River Cats)

By Stephen Ruderman

SACRAMENTO–The River Cats, twice down to their last strike, beat the Salt Lake Bees 4-3 on a walk-off nubber to take five of six in the series, as they have now won nine of their last 11 games.

Sean Hjelle took the mound for the River Cats, and pitched through jams in the first, third and fourth innings, as he pitched four shutout innings in total. Jake Lee started for Salt Lake, and his outing was more smooth sailing, as he pitched five shutout innings, giving up just a pair of hits, a triple and a double to Tyler Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald’s pursuit of the cycle was the lone drama early in the game, but it was ended by a pair of walks.

Cam Vieaux came in for the Bees in the bottom of the sixth, and pitched his way through a one-out walk, as he got Matt Beaty and Patrick Bailey on back to back strikeouts to end the inning. Vieaux struck out Shane Matheney to start the bottom of the seventh; gave up a single to Clint Coulter; and got Ford Proctor to fly out to center. Bees’ manager, Keith Johnson, then brought in the left hander, Gerardo Reyes, to face Will Wilson. Coulter stole second, and then Wilson hit a two-run home run to left to put the River Cats on the board.

Drew Strotman pitched three shutout innings, following Hjelle, and then the lefty, Chris Wright, came in for Sacramento in the top of the eighth. Wright got Michael Stefanic to pop out to start the inning; walked Jared Walsh; and then struck out Jo Adell for the second out. Trey Cabbage then came up, and hit a towering drive to right for his 10th home run of the year to tie it up.

The River Cats loaded the bases off Reyes with nobody out in the bottom of the eighth, but Reyes struck out the side to get out of it unscathed.

The game remained tied at 2-2 going to the ninth, as Melvin Adon came in for the River Cats. Jared Oliva beat out a ground ball to short for an infield hit to lead off the inning, and then stole second on a botched hit and run. Zach Humphreys struck out swinging, and then pinch-hitter David Fletcher grounded out to third, which allowed Oliva to advance to third. Michael Stefanic then beat out a roller up the third base line, which knocked in Oliva to give the Bees the lead.

The bees brought in the major league veteran Jonathan Holder in the bottom of the ninth, who gave up a single to Will Wilson on the first pitch of the inning. Michael Gigliotti struck out swinging, and Cal Stevenson flew out to left-center, which left the River Cats down to their last out. Up came Tyler Fitzgerald, who down to his last strike, lined his second double of the game down the left field line, which got Wilson to third.

The bees elected to intentionally walk Matt Beaty to load the bases, which left it up to Patrick Bailey. Bailey, also down to his last strike, hit a nubber off the end of the bat along the third base line that Bees’ third-baseman, Taylor Jones, booted, and Wilson and Fitzgerald both scored, sending the 6,044 fans at Sutter Health Park home happy.

Through it all, Melvin Adon got the win to improve to 1-1, and Jonathan Holder took the loss to fall to 0-4. The River Cats are now back over .500 at 20-19, as they will head to Reno to face the first-place Aces for a six-game series starting Tuesday.

Today’s game also featured the challenge version of the Automated Balls and Strikes System that Major League Baseball plans to implement next season. Jared Walsh of the Angels, who was here for a rehab assignment, was called out on strikes by home plate umpire, Tanner Moore, and spent close to 10 seconds arguing with Moore instead of requesting a challenge.

Today’s game was also the final one in Sacramento for the 29-year voice of the Bees, Steve Klauke, who is retiring at the end of the season.

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.