In a thrilling display of power hitting, Bryce Eldridge hit his inaugural Triple-A home run—a grand slam in the seventh inning—leading the Sacramento River Cats to an 8-3 victory over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Thursday. This pivotal moment in the game occurred when the River Cats were trailing by just one run, and it proved to be a turning point for the team.
Through the first six innings, the River Cats had managed to score twice, thanks to Luis Matos’s timely double and an Eldridge sacrifice fly that marked his first RBI of the game. However, they faced challenges, having given up three runs to the Space Cowboys, with Jesús Bastidas, Kenedy Corona, and Luis Castro contributing to Sugar Land’s scoring.
As the seventh inning unfolded, with two outs, Eldridge found himself in a prime situation. After Logan Porter and Matos walked and Alcántara singled, the bases were loaded. On a 1-0 pitch, Eldridge launched a powerful blast that soared 397 feet, registering a speed of 109.8 mph off the bat, and clearing the bullpens in right field. This grand slam not only put the River Cats in the lead but also underscored Eldridge’s potential as a rising star, being the No. 1 prospect for the San Francisco Giants according to MLB Pipeline.
The River Cats extended their lead in the ninth, with Grant McCray contributing an RBI triple and Marco Luciano adding another with a sacrifice fly. On the pitching side, Carson Whisenhunt allowed three runs in 5.2 innings before the bullpen stepped up, not allowing any runs in 3.1 innings. Kai-Wei Teng earned the win, showcasing his prowess by striking out three batters, and Ryan Watson secured the save, bringing his performance to a strong finish.
This victory marks the River Cats leading the series two games to one, setting the stage for a potential series split when both teams meet again for game four on Friday at Constellation Field. With each game, Eldridge is proving to be an influential player, and fans can look forward to more exciting performances as the season progresses.