The River Cats dropped game three of their series against Salt Lake tonight.
Seth Lonsway was the starter for the River Cats and sent the Bees down in order to begin the first.
Scott Bandura led the Cats off with a double, his third leadoff extra-base-hit with Sacramento this season. Bo Davidson drew a walk and Diego Velasquez singled to load the bases, but the Cats were unable to capitalize.
Velasquez extended his hitting streak to eight-straight games, he is now batting .464 (13-for-28) with three doubles, one RBI, and a 1.116 OPS in that span since August 26.
Salt Lake struck first for the third-straight game as Lonsway allowed a pair of singles the begin the third, followed by a sac bunt from Nelson Rada to put both runners in scoring position, then a two-run single from Pablo Reyes. He escaped without any more damage, forcing a Ben Gobbel to ground into a double play.
The Cats knocked in a run of their own on a double from Velasquez to score Bo Davidson, but Salt Lake answered right back with a 389-foot, leadoff homer from Jeimer Candelario, his 15th of the season. Lonsway has allowed at least one home run in four of his last five starts with Sacramento.
After allowing a single, wild pitch, and a walk in the sixth, Lonsway was pulled and replaced by R.J. Dabovich who recorded the final out.
Seth allowed three total runs on six hits (1 HR), with two walks and three strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work.
Last night’s hero, Charlie Szykowny, singled in the sixth, followed by a single from Darren Baker, son of Giants legend Dusty Baker, but Sac was unable to score after Aeverson Arteaga grounded out to short to end the inning.
Baker signed a minor league contract with San Francisco on Tuesday and was assigned to the River Cats. The Giants mark his third organization after spending time in the Nationals and White Sox orgs.
Velasquez knocked his third hit of the night in the eighth; his sixth three-hit game of the season and second with Sacramento. Szykowny then reached on a fielder’s choice as Velasquez went to third, and advanced to second on a throwing error. Fernando Gonzalez then walked to load the bases.
Arteaga then knocked a two-run double to give Sacramento their first runs since the third and tie the game, 3-3. Scott Bandura walked to load the bases once again, but Parks Harber flied out to center to end the inning.
Eric Cerantola, who quickly became the go-to closer upon Michael Fulmer’s departure, entered in the ninth. He plunked Yolmer Sánchez to lead off the inning, followed by a strikeout of Bryce Teodosio and a walk to Omar Martinez, but escaped the inning with no damage, striking out Arol Vera and forcing a groundout from Raudi Rodriguez.
Davidson flied out before Will Brennan picked up his first hit of the night with a single and Velasquez drew a walk. Szykowny flied out and Gonzalez drew a walk to load the bases but Arteaga grounded out to send the game to extras.
Nick Zwack entered to pitch the 10th. Nelson Rada immediately advanced the ghost runner, Rodriguez, to third on a sac bunt and Pablo Reyes scored him with a sac fly to center, and Zwack fanned the final batter, Gobbel.
Thomas Gavello was first up to the plate, drawing a walk as ghost runner Arteaga reached third on a passed ball. Scott Bandura was called out on strikes. Parks Harber struck out swinging, making him 0-for-6 on the night. He is now on an 0-for-22 streak. Bo Davidson, named PCL Player of the Month for August this morning, was the final out, striking out swinging, giving Salt Lake a 4-3 victory.
Nick Zwack was dealt the loss, his third of the season.
Dillon Tate earned the win, also his third of the season.
With Sugar Land taking an 11-4 victory over Reno tonight, Sacramento falls back to 4.0 games behind first place in the second half standings.