Walk-Off Homer Gives Sacramento River Cats Opening Win
The Sacramento River Cats started the 2015 season in the right direction. The new AAA affiliate of the San Francisco Giants opened the new season with a home stand against the Salt Lake Bees. It was an exciting game that saw fans go home excited as the team opened with a 1-0 victory over the Bees before an announced crowd of 12,896.
The game began with a little glitch on the part of the fans. Many fans showed up wearing orange and black, the colors of the Giants, instead of green and gold, the River Cats colors. There were also new rule changes that were implemented, including pitch clocks mounted along the outfield wall. Despite the new adjustments, the two Pacific League teams opened with an exciting affair, which had the fans on the edge of their seats throughout.
The teams held each other scoreless until the 9th inning. The starting pitcher for the River Cats, Robert Coello, had an outstanding start to the season. The 6’5″ 250 lb. right hander threw 6 innings, striking out 7 without giving up a run. He did walk 3 batters, yet maintained his composure and held the Bees scoreless.
Bees starter Adam Wilk was equally as impressive. He finished with just one hit allowed in 5 innings of work, walking two and striking out 4. Both pitchers were on a pitch count for the evening, with Wilk leaving the game after tossing 67 pitches and Coello after 70.
In the eighth inning, Salt Lake looked like they were going to jump out on top. Brett Bochy replaced Coello in the seventh, and yielded a single hit in that inning before retiring the side. However, back-to-back singles in the eighth gave the Bees runners at first and second and no one out. Steven Okert entered the game and walked Kyle Kubitza to load the bases. This had the makings of a huge inning for the visitors, but Okert remained cool. He struck out Marc Krauss, then got Alfredo Marte to pop up to the second baseman to keep the bases loaded. That brought Roger Kieschnick to the plate. The River Cats pitcher came right after him, and got Kleschnick to fly out to right field to end the threat.
The River Cats were struggling to mount any kind of a rally. They had just four hits through the first eight innings, and no runner had reached third base. In the ninth that would change. Adam Duvall was going to bring the crowd to their feet. Ryan Mattheus took to the mound in the ninth and Duvall was able to work the count full. The Bees pitcher then challenged Duvall on the 3-2 pitch, but he ripped the pitch over the centerfield wall to give the Sacramento River Cats the 1-0 walk-off win. The fireworks exploded and the fans filed out of Raley Field with great excitement to the beginning of the new season.
Curtis Partch (1-0) took the win. He pitched one inning, walked two and struck out one.
The fan favorite was clearly the hometown boy, Andrew Susac. Growing up in Roseville, Ca. and playing high school baseball at Jesuit High School, he drew huge cheers from the crowd at every plate appearance. He was also the backup catcher to Buster Posey in the 2014 World Series, which gives all of the newly orange and black wearing River Cats fans every reason to love him.
The two teams square off again Friday night.
By Joe Vicory