Auerbach Grand Slam Gets Sacramento Close, Cats Still Fall 11-8

LAS VEGAS – An eighth-inning grand slam from Brett Auerbach brought the Sacramento River Cats within a run, but they could not close the gap all the way as the Las Vegas Aviators outlasted Sacramento by 11-8 in the series finale on Sunday.

While the River Cats (3-3/47-34) had a pair of runners on with two outs in the first that included a double from Hunter Bishop, it was the second frame when they broke the scoreless tie as Jerar Encarnacion launched his second homer of the year in leadoff fashion for the early edge. The lead did not last long as the Aviators (3-3/40-41) countered with three in the home half, plating all three runs on a Colby Thomas Blast three batters into the inning.

Both teams stayed quiet in the third before dropping multiple runs in the fourth, starting with a pair from Sacramento when Encarnacion smashed his second homer of the game, the seventh River Cat this season to do so. After a Blake Sabol double, Encarnacion crushed a 0-1 offering 468 feet to tie the contest. Once more the tie was short-lived, as Las Vegas used a pair of doubles and a homer from Carlos Perez to jump back ahead, 7-3.

Sacramento earned a run back in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Logan Porter, but it was not enough to counter the pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh by Las Vegas, as the rally consisted of doubles from Jacob Wilson and Nick Allen along with a single from Seth Brown.

That brought the top of the eighth where Auerbach struck for the fourth grand slam of the Sacramento season, doing so with two outs in an 0-1 count against Gerson Moreno. It brought the game within a run by scoring Ryan McKenna and Donovan Walton, who each singled, and Logan Porter, who reached on a walk.

Brett Auerbach hits a GRAND SLAM in the 8th inning

It’s not over until it’s over! pic.twitter.com/eJXlZXZRJB

— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) July 1, 2024

The River Cats could come no closer as the Aviators pushed across two insurance runs in the eighth, using a wild pitch and passed ball in front of a pair of RBI singles from Allen and Brown leading to the game’s final of 11-8.

Charged with the loss was Carson Whisenhunt (2-5), Sacramento’s starter who tossed four innings and allowed seven runs on eight hits, both of which are tied for season highs. The southpaw also walked two while punching out four.

Only Sabol and Encarnacion had multiple hits, the former going 2-for-4 with a double and run scored while the latter was 2-for-3 with his two homers and two RBI. Meanwhile, McKenna played in his first game since June 11 and was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and two runs scored.

There will be a short turnaround for the River Cats, as they will travel home to begin a three-and-three series with the Reno Aces next week. The series begins with three games at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Calif. from July 1-3 before finishing with three in Reno, Nev. from July 4-6. First pitch on Monday gets underway at 6:45 p.m.