Four-Run Ninth Marks End of Skid for Sacramento

SALT LAKE CITY – The Sacramento River Cats finally put a stop to their eight-game losing streak thanks to a four-run ninth inning, breaking a deadlocked series opener with the Salt Lake Bees leading to a 6-2 victory on Tuesday.

While the Bees (5-8/37-50) started the scoring on an error during a fielder’s choice, the River Cats (4-9/48-40) countered with a run of their own in the top of the second thanks to the fifth homer of the season from Jerar Encarnacion. An inning later and Sacramento had the lead, as Christian Koss singled and scored all the way from first on a Casey Schmitt liner to right field, aided by an error from Bryce Teodosio.

Sacramento starter Carson Seymour was able to dance out of danger most of the contest, inducing a total of four double plays which is tied for a Sacramento season high, he allowed one final run after three straight singles culminated in an RBI knock from Jake Marisnick. Even still, he worked his second quality start of the season with the other coming on June 12 at Reno.

After Austin Warren continued his rehab assignment with a scoreless inning in the seventh, Spencer Bivens (5-0) made his return to Sacramento after having his contract selected by San Francisco. He kept the Bees in check during the eighth, allowing the River Cats time to break the game open in the top of the ninth.

A walk to Hunter Bishop and a single from Logan Porter had runners at the corners with one out, when Grant McCray laid down a perfect RBI bunt single to the left side for the go-ahead run. Two batters later and Marco Luciano added onto the lead with a two-RBI knock into left field, while Schmitt drove home the game’s final run on a sacrifice fly.

Bivens returned for the ninth inning, and though he saw the bases fill up thanks to a single, double and hit batsmen, he remained collected and struck out the final hitter he faced to preserve the 6-2 victory. For Bivens it was his fifth win of the season, first since May 11 at Salt Lake.

Schmitt was the only River Cat with a multi-hit night, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Luciano was the only to drive in multiple runs thanks to his line drive single, while Koss scored a pair of runs and was 1-for-3 with a walk and strikeout.

Having won their first game in the month of July, Sacramento will look to take consecutive contests when they line up for game two against the Bees on Wednesday, with first pitch at 5:35 p.m. (PT).