Tag: Pacific Coast League

So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance

So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance

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The River Cats entered their series against Reno last week leading the Pacific Coast League (PCL) West, but were one game behind the Sugar Land Space Cowboys in the overall PCL standings. They started their series strong against the Aces but ended up losing the final three games of the series. While the Cats could and should have won two of those last three games, these losses now place them three games behind the Space Cowboys which makes this week’s upcoming series extremely crucial for each team as they each try to secure the first-half championship and a playoff berth in September.

The Space Cowboys have already clinched the Pacific Coast League East Division title but two teams stand in their way of winning the first-half championship; the Tacoma Rainiers and the Sacramento River Cats. The Rainiers will be eliminated from contention if they lose just one of their next six games. On the other hand, the River Cats have a real chance to not only play spoiler to the Space Cowboy’s hopes of a playoff berth, but also to claim the Pacific Coast League first-half championship for themselves.

The Space Cowboys enter the week with a record of 45-24, the second-best in all of Triple-A baseball, and have won 8 out of their last 10 games. It will be a challenging task for the 42-27 River Cats, but if they can win this next series by taking at least four of the six from Round Rock it will really be interesting what their fate holds for them.

I have said it all year, and I will say it again; there is something special about this team. Will the River Cats’ 25th anniversary produce another National Championship as it did five years ago? If the Cats can’t seal the deal this week all hope is not lost. The slate starts new for the teams in the PCL next week, and the Space Cowboys, or whoever wins the first half, will not play a part in who gets that second playoff berth. It’s a long season though so it’s best to get it out of the way now. Claws Up!

And Then There Were Four

And Then There Were Four

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The second half of the Pacific Coast Leage season came down to the wire on the final day as both the Round Rock Express and Reno Aces came into the day tied for first place with a record of 44-30. A win by Reno, or a loss by Round Rock would clinch the second half and playoff berth for the Aces who were facing the Aviators in Vegas. Round Rock was in Tacoma for their match up against the Rainiers. The Aces would lose their game by a score of 6-5 to the Aviators, snapping an eight-game winning streak, and leaving them in limbo to watch the outcome of the Round Rock game which was still only in the fourth with the Express up by a score of 3-2.

Hearts must have sunk in the Reno locker room after the game when the Express piled on seven runs in the fifth to extend the lead that they would not relinquish to go on and win the game by a score of 11-6 and clinch the second half title in the Pacific Coast League, and set the stage for the Pacific Coast League Championship against the Oklahoma City Dodgers.

And then there were four.

Earlier in the week Durham clinched their third straight playoff berth as the reigning Triple-A Champions will take on the Norfolk Tide, Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Tide have a strong lineup including Minor League Player of the year Jackson Holliday.

Round Rock also stocked up their roster this week by calling up this year’s fourth overall pick Wyatt Langford, and their top pitching prospect Jack Leiter who both could play a huge role in the playoffs against OKC.

The League Championship series start tonight in Oklahoma City, and Norfolk respectively as each team won the first have of their divisions. The winners of the best of three series will face off in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 30th. Will Durham be the first team to win FOUR Triple-A Championships, and three in a row?

Here in Sacramento, the River Cats had another losing season with a final record of 67-82 and 23.5 games out of first. The River Cats have not had a winning season since 2019, which has also been their only winning season since becoming an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants in 2015.

The most exciting player to watch this season, and team MVP was Tyler Fitzgerald who become the first River Cats player since Jarrett Parker in 2015 to have a 20/20 season in which he hit 20 home runs and stole 29 bases. He would end the season leading the River Cats in all offensive categories including the aforementioned home runs and steals, along with a .279 batting average, 72 runs scored, and 69 RBI. Tyler’s accomplishments didn’t go unnoticed by the Giants who called him up on September 21, a week after his 26th birthday. Through his first five games Tyler is hitting .250 with a double and a home run in only 16 at bats.

On the mound Nick Avila finished his amazing campaign with a 14-0 record, and an even 3.00 ERA, along with a 1.29 WHIP makes him one of the best pitchers in the Pacific Coast League this year.

Amazingly the River Cats had ten players make their Major League debut this season and that list included not only Fitzgerald, but Tristan Beck, Kyle Harrison, Marco Luciano, Luis Matos, Patrick Bailey, Ryan Walker, Keaton Winn, Casey Schmitt, and Wade Meckler.

The Giants potentially have the right pieces in place to be a solid team with this batch and some of the younger players in the lower levels of the Minor Leagues, but it sure has been rough for their fans. It will be exciting to see what 2024 brings for the both the River Cats, and the Giants, who will return for an exhibition game against Sacramento prior to the start of the season next spring at Sutter Health Park.

2024 marks the River Cats 25th Anniversary in Sacramento and for a long-time fan as myself, it makes me wonder if lightning can strike twice and the team can field a Champion as it did for their 20th Anniversary in 2019. Relive the magic of 2019 with my book, “Let’s Get it All” as I documented the unbelievable season that saw the River Cats go from their worst record in team history in 2018 to a National Championship one year late. Available at the River Cats’ On Deck Shop, and Amazon.