Sacramento River Cats 5, Chihuahuas 4 (10 innings)
Key Statistics: DH Sung-Mun Song 2-for-4; 2B Nate Mondou 1-for-4, HR (1), 2 RBI; C Anthony Vilar 2-for-3, HR (1), RBI; RHP Triston McKenzie 2.0 IP H, 2 R, 4 BB, 3 K; LHP Jackson Wolf 2.2 IP, 2 H, R, BB, K; RHP Jason Adam 1.1 IP H; RHP Eli Villalobos (L, 0-1) (BS,1) 0.0 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB
Triston McKenzie made the start for El Paso on Saturday. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: Triston McKenzie walked four batters and gave up an RBI single in the first, but somehow got out of it only allowing a pair of runs. He bounced back with a 1-2-3 second inning, but was finished after that, having landed only 19 of his 44 pitches in the strike zone. The 28-year-old drew an impressive six whiffs on 14 swings, but River Cats batters waited him out while his missed the strike zone with 19 of his 26 fastballs. Signed in the offseason after six years with the Cleveland Guardians, he has struggled with control since returning from shoulder and elbow injuries in 2024. This spring, he struck out 11 batters in 6.1 innings, but also walked nine and gave up seven earned runs. … The visitors tied the game on Nate Mondou’s two-run home run to right and went ahead as Anthony Vilar homered to right in his first Triple-A game. In addition to his homer, Vilar added a single and looked strong defensively behind the plate for El Paso. He struggled offensively for the Double-A Missions last year, but he has a unique profile as a well-regarded catcher who also appeared in 55 games at second base and eight at shortstop. The left-handed hitting Miami native was a middle infielder at the University of Miami before converting to catcher as a professional. … Lefty Jackson Wolf, who has appeared as a starter in 102 of 118 professional appearances coming into the year, worked 2.2 innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen Saturday. The 26-year-old, originally drafted by the Padres in the fourth round in 2021, is one of three pitchers on the Chihuahuas staff now in his second stint with the organization.
On the rehab front, Jason Adam looked strong, throwing 14 pitches, 11 for strikes in 1.1 innings. Getting an up-and-down and pitching on back-to-back days are likely the two boxes one of the game’s best relievers will need to check before rejoining the big league club. He’ll be eligible to return on April 6. Meanwhile newly signed Korean infielder Sung-Mun Song had a pair of hits as the DH, including the game’s hardest contact on a 104.6 mph line drive single. After playing the opener at second base, he’s off to a 3-for-7 start with a walk. Sung missed much of spring training with an oblique strain.
