River Cats explode in extras to down Grizzlies

Fresno, CA. - The Sacramento River Cats (55-47) hang on in an extra-inning thriller against Fresno Grizzlies (52-50), winning 8-6 after exploding for four runs in the 10th inning.
Sacramento got off to a hot start Tuesday, plating four runs in the first three innings. Mike Gerber blasted a first inning two-run homer, his 21st, just inside the left field foul pole, and the River Cats got a run in both the second and third innings on a fielder's choice and RBI-groundout, respectively. The River Cats led 4-2 after three, but the offense was held in check over the next six frames.
While Fresno was able to claw back to tie the game with two outs in the ninth, Sacramento came right back in the 10th, exploding for four runs on five hits to take an 8-4 lead. Henry Ramos plated the first run with an RBI-double, Francisco Peña came on as pinch hitter to smash a solo home run, and then Joey Rickard capped off the inning with a two-run jack two batters later.
The bottom of the 10th was not without drama of its own, however. The Grizzlies struck for two runs against lefty Steven Okert before Ray Black came on to slam the door, earning his first save of the season and pushing the River Cats' division lead to three games.
The River Cats will be back at it against the Grizzlies tomorrow night, looking for their fifth straight road win. Right-hander Yoanys Quiala (5-5, 6.52) takes the ball for Sacramento on Wednesday night, while Fresno will go with lefty Ben Braymer (0-2, 9.43). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. (PT). Catch all of the action live online at rivercats.com, on the MiLB First Pitch app, on Money 105.5 FM (PT).
Additional Notes

• Mike Gerber has been an offensive force for the River Cats this season. Gerber picked up his team-leading 34th multi-hit game of the season with three hits on Tuesday night. He also picked up his team-leading 19th multi-RBI game by driving in two runs in the contest.
• Left-hander Steven Okert tied the River Cats franchise record for appearances with 186. He has played parts of five seasons with Sacramento from 2015-2019. He tied lefty Ron Flores with his appearance in the 10th inning tonight.

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The Sacramento River Cats are the Triple-A affiliate of the three-time World Champion -San Francisco Giants. The team plays at Raley Field in West Sacramento, consistently voted one of the top ballparks in America. Season Tickets, Mini-Plans, and Flex Plans can be purchased for the River Cats' 20th season by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). The only place to guarantee official River Cats tickets is at www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Raley Field, visit www.raleyfield.com.