Cats Score Four Late but Still Bested by Reno, 10-7
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Despite being within a pair of runs in the middle innings and scoring four runs late, the Sacramento River Cats could not get over the hill against the Reno Aces and dropped their fourth straight game behind a 10-7 final. The Aces (7-1/42-41) were the first
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Despite being within a pair of runs in the middle innings and scoring four runs late, the Sacramento River Cats could not get over the hill against the Reno Aces and dropped their fourth straight game behind a 10-7 final.
The Aces (7-1/42-41) were the first to strike, getting to River Cats (3-5/47-36) starter Mason Black (3-5) for a run in the first before tallying four in the second. Among the highlights was a Sergio Alcantara home run, his fourth of the season, while Adrian Del Castillo chipped in an RBI single.
Sacramento started its response in the third, plating a run in each of the third, fourth and fifth frames. First it was a sacrifice fly from Hunter Bishop, Brett Auerbach had an RBI single in the middle, and Casey Schmitt hammered a ball to deep left field for his 12th homer of the season.
Continuing its seesaw nature, Reno put three on the board in the sixth before adding one in each the seventh and eighth. It was a pair of run-scoring hits for Pavin Smith (single) and Andres Chaparro (double), while a wild pitch was responsible for the run in the seventh and Smith homered later in the eighth.
Down but not out, Sacramento continued to fight in the final two frames, scoring twice in each the eighth and ninth. All four runs scored on a pair of homers, first a two-run blast from Marco Luciano for his third of the year, while Blake Sabol crushed his own two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth.
Charged with the loss was Black, his fifth of the season as he allowed five runs on six hits with three walks and a strikeout. However, there were a trio of River Cats that put up scoreless appearances, starting with Tanner Andrews’ two frames in the third and fourth while Austin Warren continued the stretch in the fifth. Last to do so was Donovan Walton, who worked a clean ninth with one walk.
Schmitt closed his night with three hits, two of which went for extra bases with his homer and a double. Meanwhile, both Sabol and Auerbach had a pair of hits, which included the team-leading fourth triple of the year from Auerbach.
Down two games in the series, Sacramento will look to capture some revenge when the two teams line up for game three tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.