The Sacramento River Cats (50-27) defeated the visiting Reno Aces (45-32) 8-3 on Saturday night at Raley Field to take the first game of the four-game series. RHP Rich Harden (0-0, 3.52) returned to Sacramento for his second rehab start as he works his way back to the Oakland A’s rotation after suffering a strained lateral muscle below his right arm during spring training. Working with a 75-pitch, five-inning limit, Harden lasted 4 2/3 innings and yielded three earned runs on three hits, with six strikeouts and two walks. Despite struggling to locate his fastball, Harden’s notoriously filthy change-up was effective throughout his start. The righty is clearly building arm strength as his f

The Sacramento River Cats (28-16) defeated Oklahoma City (20-23) 11-2 on Sunday afternoon at Raley Field to earn a series split after dropping the first two games to the RedHawks. After RedHawks starting LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith (2-3, 5.23) issued consecutive walks to Jemile Weeks and Aaron Sogard in the bottom of the first, the River Cats offense set the tone when Michael Taylor tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single to center field that scored Weeks. After advancing to third base on Taylor’s single, Aaron Sogard scored on the next at bat when Josh Donaldson hit a sacrifice ground-out to put Sacramento up 2-1. Rowland-Smith then walked DH Anthony Recker and Taylor swiped his third steal o

The Sacramento Rivercats (27-16) defeated the Oklahoma City RedHawks (19-23) 3-2 on Saturday night at Raley Field in what was the longest game in team history. Rivercats shortstop Eric Sogard ended the 5-hour, 4-minute bout in the wee morning hours of his 25th birthday with an RBI single in the bottom of the 16th inning. The game lasted just one minute longer than what is now Sacramento’s second longest game. The 16 inning contest also tied the team’s record for the most innings played in a single game. In the bottom of the second, Sacramento catcher Anthony Recker hit a towering solo home run that bounced off the club house wall in left field to notch the only run the Rivercats would sc

The Sacramento River Cats (19-11) defeated the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (13-17) 4-0 on Saturday night behind a dominating pitching performance that limited the Sky Sox to just two hits. Guillermo Moscoso (2-2, 3.73 ERA) provided Sacramento with six strong innings of one-hit baseball that included eight strikeouts and two walks. The 27-year-old righty did not allow the lone hit until the top of the fourth inning when Colorado Springs shortstop Chris Nelson led off the inning with a double to right center field. Moscoso quickly regained control and retired the next nine batters before handing the final three innings over to the bullpen. RHP Fernando Cabrera, RHP Fautino De Los Santos and R

The Sacramento River Cats (10-7) defeated the Tucson Padres (6-11) 4-2 on Saturday night at home, backed by solo home runs by second baseman Jemile Weeks and first baseman Anthony Recker. Despite losing star outfielder Chris Carter to the disabled list with a sprained thumb and outfielder Matt Carson with a bulky back, the River Cats hitters found just enough power necessary to support a strong pitching effort by starting pitcher Graham Godfrey (2-0). Weeks wasted little time putting Sacramento on the scoreboard as he launched a leadoff solo home run into the visiting team’s bullpen, on Tucson starting pitcher Will Inman’s (0-2) second pitch of the game. Shortstop Eric Sogard and left f