Monthly Archives: June 2019

Central Valley Sports, Sacramento River Cats

Sacramento River Cats’ Blach Provides Seventh Straight Win Over Isotopes

Gerber blasts 18th homer, finishes 2-for-4 with 3 RBI in 7-2 victory

West Sacramento, Calif. — The Sacramento River Cats (42-40) continued their dominance over the Albuquerque Isotopes (34-49), winning 7-2 for their seventh straight victory over the Colorado Rockies affiliate.

Ty Blach bounced back in a big way for the River Cats on Sunday afternoon. Coming off a few tough starts in a row, the lefty cruised through six innings before allowing a couple runs in the seventh and giving way to the bullpen. Blach earned his third win of the season, finishing with 6.1 innings and allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out six Isotopes hitters and walked just one. 

Submariner Tyler Rogers and lefty Williams Jerez shined in relief, tossing 2.2 innings of no-hit, shutout baseball to close out the game. Jerez struck out the side in the eighth.

Offensively it was Mike Gerber and Austin Slater providing the thump, combining to go 4-for-8 with four runs batted in and three runs scored. Gerber crushed his 17th homer of the season to pull within one of Zach Green for the team lead in home runs.

The Sacramento River Cats will look to push their streak against the Isotopes to eight on Monday with Conner Menez (0-0, 4.22) taking the mound.  Albuquerque will toss righty Rico Garcia (0-1, 8.10). 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.

Match Recap Courtesy of the Sacramento River Cats Media Relations

Central Valley Sports, Sacramento River Cats

Quiala Shines As Sacramento River Cats Return Home With Victory

Right-hander strikes out career-high nine in seven scoreless innings

West Sacramento, Calif. — The Sacramento River Cats (41-40) began their five-game home series with the Albuquerque Isotopes (34-48) on a winning note, taking the opener 6-1 on the back of starting pitcher Yoanys Quiala.

The Cuban right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings and struck out a career-high nine batters. For Quiala, his previous mark of eight had been set on four occasions dating back to 2016.

The offense entered tonight’s contest with 24 home runs in eight games against the Isotopes and continued that trend with two more on Saturday night. Outfielder Mike Gerber launched his 16th of the year in the first inning and third baseman Zach Green plunked one off the batter’s eye in the second for his team-leading 18th. Green’s hot streak gives him an astounding seven home runs in his last nine games.

The Dorados de Sacramento are back on the field Sunday afternoon and it’ll be left-hander Ty Blach (2-4, 6.38) making his 14th start of the season. On the mound for the Mariachis de Nuevo México will be right-hander Jeff Hoffman (4-3, 7.52). First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. (PT). Catch all of the action live online at rivercats.com, on the MiLB First Pitch app, on Money 105.5 FM.

Match Recap Courtesy of the Sacramento River Cats Media Relations

Central Valley Sports, Sacramento River Cats

Sacramento River Cats’ Bullpen Highlighted As PCL Reveals 2019 All-Stars

Left-handers Fernando Abad and Sam Selman, plus ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte to represent PCL in 2019 Triple-A All-Star Game

West Sacramento, Calif. – With the 2019 RMHC Triple-A All-Star Game less than two weeks away, the Pacific Coast League has unveiled its roster. The 32nd annual contest, which pits the top talent from each of the two Leagues at Minor League Baseball’s highest level, will be played on Wednesday, July 10 at Southwest University Park, home of the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego). The roster is made up of 13 elected players who have received the most votes from ballots submitted by club’s field managers and general managers, members of the media and broadcasters, and online fan voting. The elected players are joined by 20 additional All-Stars selected by Pacific Coast League officials. 

Dave Brundage, the Sacramento River Cats manager, will skipper the PCL roster which features players from all 16 clubs, including a trio of relief pitchers from the Sacramento River Cats, each of whom is having a fantastic 2019 season.

Left-handed veteran Fernando Abad is in his first season with the River Cats, and has a 2.30 ERA in 27.1 innings, with a team-leading nine saves. The 33-year old has made 363 Major League appearances with five different clubs. Abad will be joined by fellow lefty Sam Selman who joined the San Francisco Giants organization this season after spending his entire career in the Kansas City Royals system. The 28-year old boasts a 1.82 ERA with an incredible 49 strikeouts in 29.1 innings pitched. Finally, the third All-Star selection from the Sacramento bullpen is ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte. The switch-pitching veteran has reach the big leagues with five different organizations, and has a 2.56 ERA in 38.2 innings for Sacramento this season.

The PCL will look to claim its third consecutive All-Star victory after last season’s 12-7 victory at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. Josh Fuentes (Albuquerque) earned PCL Top Star honors after going 2-for-3 with a solo home run and two RBI. In the 21 years since the event changed to the current IL vs. PCL format, the International League has taken 13 of the 21 contests.

Press Release Courtesy of the Sacramento River Cats Media Relations

Central Valley Sports, Sacramento River Cats

Late-Inning Peña Double Lifts Sacramento River Cats Over Chihuahuas

Menez settles down after allowing four runs in first inning

El Paso, Texas — The Sacramento River Cats (40-38) got back in the win column with a narrow 5-4 victory over the El Paso Chihuahuas (48-30) on Wednesday night.

Sacramento trailed 4-1 after one inning but fought back with three runs in the fourth and then the game-clinching run on a Francisco Peña RBI double in the seventh. Third baseman Zach Green led the offense as he reached base three times and scored the winning run after his 13th double of the season preceded Peña’s.

Left-hander Conner Menez got off to a rough start with four earned runs in the first inning, but pitched the next four frames scoreless before handing it over to a trio of relievers. Tyler Rogers, Fernando Abad, and Jandel Gustave collaborated to shut down El Paso and preserve the win. 

For the second time in three games, the River Cats will employ the opener strategy, sending right-hander Sam Coonrod (2-4, 8.25) to the mound. He’ll be primed for the task as he served as a starter for multiple seasons before being transitioned into a reliever in 2018. The Chihuahuas will counter with an opener of their own, listing reliever Robert Stock (3-0, 3.333) as their probable. Left-hander Andrew Suarez (3-5, 5.34) is scheduled to follow Coonrod for the River Cats. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. (PT). Catch all of the action live online at rivercats.com, on the MiLB First Pitch app, on Money 105.5 FM.

Match Recap Courtesy of the Sacramento River Cats Media Relations

Central Valley Sports, Sacramento River Cats

Sacramento River Cats Come Up Short In Wild Game Vs. Chihuahuas

Shaw, Avelino each deliver three RBI in back-and-forth 12-11 loss

El Paso, Texas — The Sacramento River Cats (39-38) found themselves on the wrong side of a slugfest against the El Paso Chihuahuas (48-29), dropping the series opener 12-11. 

Runs were not hard to come by in El Paso, Texas on Tuesday night. The lead changed hands seven times throughout the night, but in the end, the River Cats’ final rally came up just short. Sacramento plated the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth on a Levi Michael RBI-groundout, which gave them a 10-9 lead. However, El Paso would respond with three in the bottom half of the inning to give them just enough breathing room to withstand the River Cats’ ninth inning rally.

Sacramento tallied 14 hits on the night, just a few shy of their season-high of 17. Chris Shaw and Abiatal Avelino led the charge for the River Cats, as the duo combined for five hits, including two homers, and six runs batted in. 

Catcher Ronnie Freeman returned to the lineup for the first time since June 9 and wasted no time, going 2-4 with a double and home run. Freeman has made the most of his at-bats in June, batting .473 (9-for-19) with two home runs and seven RBI in five games. 

Lefty Conner Menez (0-0, 3.31) will take the hill in game two looking for his first win as a River Cat this season. The Chihuahuas will turn to lefty Dietrich Enns (7-5, 5.88)). First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. (PT). Catch all of the action live online at rivercats.com, on the MiLB First Pitch app, on Money 105.5 FM.

Match Recap Courtesy of the Sacramento River Cats Media Relations

Bay Area Sports, Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders To Host Rams For Joint Training Camp Practices

ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Oakland Raiders will host the Los Angeles Rams for two joint practice sessions as part of the team’s 2019 Training Camp schedule, the team announced Monday.

The Raiders and Rams will practice on Wednesday, Aug. 7 and Thursday, Aug. 8 at the Silver and Black’s training camp home in Napa, Calif. The Raiders will then host the Rams in the preseason opener for both teams at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 5 p.m.

It marks the second-straight season that the Raiders have hosted a visiting team at training camp, as the Silver and Black welcomed the Detroit Lions to Napa Valley last summer.

The remainder of the Raiders’ training camp schedule, including specific dates and times, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Press Release Courtesy of the Oakland Raiders Media Relations

Central Valley Sports, Sacramento River Cats

Sacramento River Cats Bullpen Bounces Back In 4-3 Comeback Victory

Garcia homers again, three relievers combine to toss 4.1 shutout innings

Las Vegas, Nevada — The Sacramento River Cats (38-36) leaned on their bullpen to keep them in the game, then used timely hitting to defeat the Las Vegas Aviators (41-33) 4-3. After losing their first five games at the brand new Las Vegas Ballpark, the River Cats have now won two straight in the Aviators’ home yard. 

First baseman Aramis Garcia got the River Cats on the board in the third with a solo home run, his 11th of the year. With the early run, Sacramento has scored first in each of the three games in this series. The River Cats then used small-ball to scratch across their next three runs: an RBI-single from Abiatal Avelino in the fourth, a Ryan Howard RBI-infield-single in the eighth, and a sacrifice fly from Francisco Peña that drove in the eventual winning run. 

The River Cats bullpen, which was near the top of the Pacific Coast League in ERA coming into the series, had an awful first two games in Las Vegas, allowing 12 earned runs in 7.1 innings. On Saturday however, lefty Sam Selman, and righties Ray Black and Tyler Rogers combined for 4.1 innings of shutout baseball to keep the River Cats in the ballgame before closing the door in the ninth.

The River Cats will go for three in a row against the Aviators on Sunday afternoon in game four of this five-game series. Sacramento will send right-hander Enderson Franco (2-2, 6.71) to the mound for his 14th start, and the Aviators will counter with righty Jake Buchanan (3-5, 6.04). First pitch is set for 12:05 p.m. (PT). Catch all of the action live online at rivercats.com, on the MiLB First Pitch app, on Money 105.5 FM, or on CW31 throughout the Sacramento region.

Match Recap Courtesy of the Sacramento River Cats Media Relations

Central Valley Sports, Sacramento River Cats

Nine-run Sacramento River Cats Lead Does Not Hold Up In Rough Loss To Aviators

Ramos and Garcia homer, every River Cats starter picks up at least one hit

West Sacramento, Calif. — The Sacramento River Cats (36-36) jumped out to a 10-1 lead in the desert, but the Las Vegas Aviators (41-32) come all the way back to get the win 11-10 in walk-off fashion.

Every Sacramento starter picked up at least one hit in this one, with nine of their 12 total hits coming in the first two innings. Henry Ramos led off the second inning with a solo home run, and Aramis Garcia had the biggest hit of the night for the River Cats – a three-run shot to center field in the fifth. However just two River Cats would reach base over the final 4.2 innings, as the Las Vegas bullpen was spectacular in relief of starter Paul Blackburn.

The River Cats built up a 10-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth, but the Aviators would storm back, scoring ten unanswered runs in the final five frames. The Aviators tied the game against Fernando Abad in the ninth before walking off on a Corban Joseph RBI-single to center.

Starter Ty Blach took a no decision on Thursday, working 5.2 innings and allowing five runs. He sailed through five innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth and gave way to the bullpen.

The River Cats will be back at it tomorrow night, with young left-hander Conner Menez (0-0, 4.09) taking the ball and looking for his first Triple-A win of 2019. The Aviators will counter with righty Parker Dunshee (2-4, 5.20). 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, or on Money 105.5 FM.

Match Recap Courtesy of the Sacramento River Cats Media Relations

Bay Area Sports, Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders Sign First-Round Pick S Johnathan Abram

ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Oakland Raiders have signed first-round draft pick S Johnathan Abram, the club announced Tuesday.

Abram was selected 27th overall by the Raiders in the 2019 NFL Draft. Abram, a hard-hitting, instinctive safety who played two years at Mississippi State, appeared in 26 contests and made 18 starts, compiling 170 tackles, including 14 for loss, five sacks, two interceptions, 10 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery during his time with the program. The 6-foot, 205-pound safety also spent one year at Jones County Junior College after playing for Georgia during his freshman year in 2015.

In 2018, he earned six All-American honors, including second-team recognition from The Athletic, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports and American Football Coaches Associated, while earning a third-team honor from the Associated Press and Phil Steele. He posted a team-leading 99 tackles as a senior, tops among SEC defensive backs, while adding three sacks, two interceptions, five passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Press Release Courtesy of the Oakland Raiders Media Relations

Bay Area Sports, Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders Sign Second-Round Pick CB Trayvon Mullen

ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Oakland Raiders have signed second-round draft pick CB Trayvon Mullen, the club announced Tuesday.

Mullen was selected 40th overall by the Raiders in the 2019 NFL Draft. Mullen appeared in 41 games and made 26 starts during his career at Clemson, totaling 93 tackles (68 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, one forced fumble and 12 passes defensed. He was named second-team All-American by ACFA and second-team All-ACC in 2018 while earning All-ACC Honorable Mention in 2017. 

A native of Fort Lauderdale, FL., Mullen logged 37 tackles (30), two sacks, one interception and four passes defensed in 15 games as a junior in 2018. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound cornerback earned Defensive MVP Honors after posting a season-high six tackles, one interception, one sack and one forced fumble in a win against Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Press Release Courtesy of the Oakland Raiders Media Relations