Late Cats Comeback Denied by Aviators

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The first instance of back-to-back home runs this season had the Sacramento River Cats ahead at the end of the second inning on Saturday, but unlike the contest a night prior, Sacramento could not hold onto the lead despite a late comeback attempt as 11 unanswered Las Vegas runs propelled the Aviators to an 11-6 victory.

Instantly there were choppy waters for the River Cats (28-34) on Princess and Pirates night at Sutter Health Park, as opener Daniel Tillo issued three walks in the frame but left all runners stranded on base with a final groundout. The Aviators (29-33) earned another free pass with one out in the second, but Tillo stiffened up and shut down the inning with a pair of punchouts.

Sacramento rode that momentum into their swings in the second, blasting a pair of back-to-back homers for the first time this season to snatch a 2-0 advantage. Lifting off first was Ford Proctor, hitting a ball towards right field that kept carrying until it landed in the Sacramento bullpen. He was followed shortly after by Will Wilson, who took his blast the other way to left field that made him the first River Cat to hit double-digit home runs on the year.

For Wilson it marked his fourth consecutive at-bat with a home run dating back to Thursday evening when he homered in his final at-bat. The NC State product also did so twice yesterday in his first two trips to the plate before drawing a free pass in his final two. Wilson is believed to be the first River Cat in franchise history (since 2000) to accomplish the feat, though home run data is not available from 2000-2004.

However, following those dingers the River Cats bats were locked down by Las Vegas starter Aaron Wilkerson (3-1) as he retired each of the next seven hitters he faced. That stretch finally broke on a single from Proctor to start the fifth, and while he was joined on base by Gigliotti with a one-out walk, Sacramento could not find the timely hit.

With Wilkerson was dealing, the Aviators’ bats sprang to life by scoring all 11 of their runs in unanswered fashion in four consecutive innings from the fourth through the seventh. A pair of triples were the catalyst in the first two frames, as a Max Schuemann three-bagger put him in position to score on a single from Tyler Wade. In the fifth, it was a Tyler Soderstrom RBI triple that scored Cody Thomas, who had singled his way aboard.

It was a four-run frame for Las Vegas in the sixth, the first two scoring on a two-RBI single from Conner Capel while the others came home on a wild pitch that was combined with a throwing error. Most of the damage came in the seventh when the Aviators plated five runs on three hits, returning the favor with their own back-to-back homers from Soderstrom and Dermis Garcia to start the inning.

Fighting all the way until their final out, Sacramento tallied once in the eighth before adding three more in the ninth. First it was Matos, as he hammered a full-count pitch over the left-field wall for his fourth blast of the campaign. All have come in June, but three have come in the past four games after he also homered on Wednesday and Thursday.

Two singles and a walk helped load the bases for Sacramento in the ninth, pushing home a run on a bases loaded walk by Shane Matheny in a pinch-hit opportunity. Following was Matos as his third knock of the night was an RBI single, which marked his sixth three-hit effort of the year. Additionally, it tied him for the team lead in multi-hit games along with Casey Schmitt at 13.

While Tyler Fitzgerald earned the final RBI on a fielder’s choice, that was as far as the River Cats would go with the final resting at 11-6. Wilkerson captured the win after allowing two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings, while Melvin Adon (1-4) took the loss for Sacramento.

In the losing effort Sacramento totaled 10 hits led by the 3-for-5 night from Matos, who also earned a pair of RBI. Each of the trio of Ricardo Genoves, Proctor and Wilson notched a pair of hits, with Wilson scoring twice while Genoves and Proctor each crossed the plate once.

Sacramento will look to split this six-game set in the series finale on Sunday, which begins at 1:05 p.m. from Sutter Health Park.