OKC Gets Over the Hump in Sacramento

Oklahoma City Baseball Club – 5

Sacramento River Cats – 3

Saturday, May 18, 2024 – Sutter Health Park – West Sacramento, Calif.

Game Summary: The Oklahoma City Baseball Club started to emerge out of an offensive funk and the bullpen covered all nine innings in a 5-3 win over the Sacramento River Cats Saturday night at Sutter Health Park. Oklahoma City (24-20) grabbed a quick lead when Andre Lipcius hit a solo home run in the first inning. Hunter Feduccia notched a RBI single in the fourth inning before a key two-run single by Kody Hoese with two outs in the sixth inning extended the lead to 4-0. Sacramento’s Casey Schmitt homered leading off the seventh inning, and the River Cats (26-18) scored twice on wild pitches in the eighth inning to cut OKC’s lead to one run. OKC then added a bit of breathing room in the ninth inning when Drew Avans scored on a close play at the plate during a fielder’s choice.

Of Note:

-Oklahoma City snapped a season-long four-game losing streak with Saturday’s victory. The team also won for just the second time in the last eight games.

-After scoring three runs over the first four games of the series combined, OKC plated five runs Saturday night. It’s the second-most runs OKC has scored over the last eight games.

-Andre Lipcius homered in a second consecutive game and moved into a tie for the team lead with his 12th home run of the season. Lipcius finished with a game-high three hits, going 3-for-5 with two extra-base hits…Lipcius has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, going 14-for-35 (.400) with three home runs, five doubles and nine RBI.

-Saturday was a bullpen game for OKC with seven relievers combining to complete nine innings. Drew Pomeranz opened the game by retiring six of seven batters, including five via strikeout. Gus Varland was the only other pitcher to work multiple innings, retiring all six batters across the fourth and fifth innings. Michael Petersen was credited with the win, and Michael Flynn struck out two batters during a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save with OKC.

-During one stretch between the first and sixth innings, the OKC pitching staff retired 16 consecutive batters and retired 18 of the first 19 Sacramento batters of the night…The pitching staff finished with 12 strikeouts against one walk.

-Austin Gauthier reached base three times, collecting a double and two walks.

Next Up: Oklahoma City finishes the season series against Sacramento at Sutter Health Park beginning at 3:05 p.m. CT Sunday. Live radio coverage of each OKC Baseball Club game begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com and through the free iHeartRadio or MiLB First Pitch apps.