Five-Run Lead Slips from Sacramento Against Las Vegas

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Cruising through the early innings, one inning made it all come undone for the Sacramento River Cats as the Las Vegas Aviators scored six times in the seventh inning before adding two insurance tallies in the ninth that resulted in a 9-8 win over Sacramento on Wednesday.

Countering an Aviators (26-26/63-64) tally in the top of the second when Carlos Perez started the inning with a solo homer to left center, the River Cats (24-29/68-60) turned three hits into three runs starting when Marco Luciano scored on a Hunter Bishop double. Meanwhile, newest River Cat Cavan Biggio showed patience at the dish to work a full-count walk, and Luis Matos chipped in a sacrifice fly.

Sacramento then launched solo homers in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings, the first to do so was Brett Wisely as he crushed the first pitch he saw in his at-bat into the right-field bullpens. Following was Blake Sabol, who led off the fourth by smashing a 3-1 offering out to straightaway center field, a feat that was repeated in the fifth by Luciano though his came in a 2-2 count.

That lead held until the top of the seventh when the Aviators unleashed six runs on four hits, the highlight being a two-out, three-run homer from Tristan Gray who was making his Athletics organization debut. Also included in the frame was a Darell Hernaiz two-RBI single, while Jordan Diaz chipped in an RBI groundout.

Before the River Cats could match the Aviators added two on in the top of the ninth, plating two with yet one more swing of the bat, this time by Diaz as he jumped on the first pitch of his at-bat and sent it over the wall in center immediately following a walk to Ryan Noda.

Down but not out, Sacramento immediately started its own rally when the first two batters of the inning walked, scoring shortly after on a two-RBI double from Hunter Bishop. A pitching change seemed to do the trick for Las Vegas, as Dany Jimenez entered and recorded all three outs in the ninth for his second save of the season.

The defeat spoiled an outing by right-hander Tristan Beck, who was making his fifth rehab appearance and allowed just one run on two hits with five strikeouts over three innings. Entering was Trevor McDonald, who was shutdown until he ran into the seventh, ending with a final line of five runs allowed on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts in 3.2 innings.

However, the loss went to left-hander Kolton Ingram (1-1), who was the one to surrender the go-ahead home run in Las Vegas’ large inning.

All nine River Cats reached base in the contest, and five extended the active hitting streaks consisting of Wisely (seven games), Luciano (six games), Bishop (six games), Sabol (six games), and Donovan Walton (six games). Bishop tallied the most RBI in the contest thanks to his pair of RBI doubles, while the Sabol closed the night 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored.

This series is now even at a game apiece, and both sides will look to take an advantage in game three of this series on Thursday at 6:45 p.m. (PT).