The Sacramento River Cats faced off against their division rival the Tucson Padres on a hot Sunday afternoon at Raley Field.

Tucson pitcher Bear Bay during Sunday's first inning (Image by: David Alvarez)

The Tucson Padres were quiet for the first four innings as the River Cats’ starting pitcher Tyson Ross kept them without a hit.

Tyson Ross faces the Padres (Image by: David Alvarez)

In the first inning the River Cats looked strong, as Jermaine Mitchell started off the River Cats’ bottom of the inning with a double. Collin Cowgill followed with a walk and Josh Donaldson singled to left field.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, prospects looked good for a high-scoring first inning.

River Cats take an early lead (Image by: David Alvarez)

Kila Ka'aihue registered the first out as he popped to second base. Michael Taylor reached first on a fielding error and Mitchell scored the first run of the game.

The error also moved Cowgill to third and Donaldson to second.

River Cats threaten with the bases loaded (Image by: David Alvarez)

With the bases still loaded, Daric Barton came to bat. Barton hit into a confusing double play, ending the River Cats’ rally. The double play was contested by manager Darren Bush and other players, but to no avail. Somewhere between the bottom of the first and the top of the second, Bush was ejected from the game.

No other scoring by either team materialized until the top of the fifth inning.

Tucson was hitless until Matt Clark started off the top of the fifth with a triple to center field. Jeremy Hermida followed with a single and Clark scored Tucson’s first run and tied the game.

Matt Clark's hit bounces off the top of the wall (Image by: David Alvarez) Matt Clark slides into third (Image by: David Alvarez)

Sawyer Carroll grounded into a force out, and Hermida was out at second base. The Tucson threat ended when Beamer Weems grounded into a double play. 

When Mitchell came to bat to start the fifth, he delivered a go-ahead home run to right field. With the River Cats leading 3-1, Cowgill flied out to record the first out of the inning.

Mitchell rounds the bases after his homerun gave River Cats the lead (Image by: David Alvarez)

Mitchell is greated at the dugout (Image by: David Alvarez)

Donaldson must have received a tip from Mitchell, and he followed with his 11th homer of the season to left field.

Donaldson watches ball go over the fence to Home Run Terrace (Image by: David Alvarez)

Ka'aihue and Taylor recorded outs that ended the fifth inning, and neither team could muster any runs in the sixth. The River Cats could not score any more runs after the fifth, but Tucson was not done scoring.

At the top of the seventh inning Clark struck out for Tucson’s first out. Hermida followed with his first homer of the year on a fly ball to right field. Carroll grounded out and Jesus Merchan followed with a single.

Hermida comes home after his first home run of the season. (Image by: David Alvarez)

Ross was replaced by relief pitcher Rich Thompson. Thompson walked the first batter he faced, and that moved Merchan to second. Robert Kral followed with a single, Merchan scored and also moved Weems to second.

Robertson flied out to left field, ending the inning, and by this time the score was once again tied at 3-3.

The Padres scored again in the eighth when Merchan was walked with the bases loaded. Tucson did not give up their first lead of the game as they went ahead 4-3.

A River Cats walk allows Merchan to score from third (Image by: David Alvarez)

A Tucson victory was sealed in the ninth after a wild pitch brought pinch runner Andy Parrino home.

The Sacramento River Cats, who have the best record in the Pacific Coast League, Pacific Southern Division, lost to the Tucson Padres, who hold the worst record in that division, by a final score of 5-3.