Cardiac Cats Strike Again, Seize Victory in 11th Inning

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Sacramento River Cats live for the late innings of late, and Saturday was no different as the River Cats scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings where they earned their eighth consecutive walk-off win behind a 5-4 final in 11 innings over the El Paso Chihuahuas.

A quick game with neither team scoring through the first six innings saved all its drama for the final stages, as all nine runs in the game were scored from the seventh through the 11th innings. The Chihuahuas (30-20/66-59) were the one to break that tie with a pair in the seventh, both of which ame on solo home runs. The first was the 23rd of the season from Luis Campusano, while Tirso Ornelas joined shortly after with his sixth of the season.

Jesus Rodriguez cut that deficit in half during the home half of the inning, driving in Osleivis Basabe who had reached earlier in the frame with a walk. However, El Paso captured that run back in the top of the ninth when a Yonathan Perlaza double eventually scored on a Keaton Winn wild pitch, taking a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth.

One swing of the bat from Thomas Gavello split that deficit in half, as he hammered a full count pitch out to right field for his sixth homer of the year to start the inning. Now trailing by just one, Sam Huff kept the inning alive with a single through the left side that eventually brought Bryce Eldridge to the plate.

No stranger to big moments, Eldridge delivered in the clutch yet again when he was down to his final strike by blasting a ball that bounced on the warning track and over the wall for a ground rule double to tie the game.

Both teams failed to score in the 10th, setting up a chaotic 11th inning which matched Sacramento’s longest game (by innings) this season. It took but two batters into the inning for the Chihuahuas to take advantage of the free runner at second, as a Perlaza single seemingly put El Paso in the driver’s seat in the contest with a 4-3 lead.

Needing another comeback victory, Eldridge moved the free runner to third and Sacramento eventually equalized the game on a Logan Porter sacrifice fly. Two intentional walks kept the River Cats in a threatening situation, where Basabe played the hero once more by sending the first pitch he saw into right-center field that delivered Sacramento another walk-off win.

Tonight’s victory marked the eighth consecutive walk-off victory for Sacramento, each of the last three have come at the bat of Basabe. After a single that delivered a 4-3 win on Aug. 9 and a sacrifice fly in the series opener on Aug. 19, he produced a second walk-off single that moved Sacramento to 8-1 in walk-off games.

Additionally, tonight marked Sacramento’s eighth extra-innings games, with the River Cats claiming seven wins in that time. Five have come consecutively, with the last being the same Tuesday contest with El Paso.

Sacramento ran out five different pitcher on the night, the first of which was JT Brubaker who made his second appearance with the River Cats. It was a solid performance to start the night, tossing four innings and allowing only one hit while striking out two and walking two.

Though he allowed the free runner to score, Miguel Díaz (5-1) ended as the night’s winning pitcher with just one hit allowed and one walk and strikeout each in two innings.

The River Cats logged 10 hits on the night, four of which came from Wade Meckler and Jesus Rodriguez as the former was 2-for-5 with a walk while the latter was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Gavello’s only hit on the night was his homer in the ninth, while both Eldridge and Wisely recorded a two-bagger for their only hit of the night.

Winners in four of five so far this series, the River Cats will look to close on a high note when the two teams meet for the series finale on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. (PT) at Sutter Health Park.