Cats Shutout by Rainiers on Wednesday, 3-0

TACOMA, Wash. – Despite pounding out six hits, the Sacramento River Cats were shutout for the second time this season as the Tacoma Rainiers tallied a trio of runs for a 3-0 victory in game two of their series on Wednesday.

River Cats (17-18) starter Carson Whisenhunt (2-3) worked around four hits through the first four innings, keeping the Rainiers (12-23) at bay early. However, Tacoma finally broke through in the fourth and did so with a pair of solo homers. Leading off the inning was Colin Davis, and he crushed an 0-1 offering from Whisenhunt out to left field. Later in the frame with two outs, Cole Young matched it and deposited the first pitch he saw over the wall in right field.

Sacramento had a chance to score with their first set of swings, putting runners at the corners with one out thanks to a Marco Luciano double and Daniel Johnson single. However, a pop up and strikeout ended the frame prematurely.

Again, the River Cats had a pair of hits in the fourth, but a double play disrupted the flow of the frame. Those were Sacramento’s last hits until the top of the ninth, putting up little resistance in the final frames.

Tacoma tacked on insurance in the home half of the eighth against Sacramento reliever Sean Hjelle, who allowed a leadoff double followed by a walk, with the first scoring on another double later in the frame with one out by Dominic Canzone.

All six hits in the contest came from different bats, two of which were doubles as they came from the top two spots in the lineup in Grant McCray and Luciano. McCray closed his night 1-for-4, while Luciano ended the game 1-for-3.

Now tied at one game apiece in the series, the two teams will look to take an edge in the set when they lineup for game three on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. (PT).