OMAHA, Neb. – Roughly eight hours after their Game 2 loss to Omaha in the Pacific Coast League championship series, the River Cats boarded a return flight to Sacramento early Thursday morning.
The plane ride could not have come soon enough for a team that struggled mightily this season in the Upper Midwest.
The River Cats dropped both games to the Storm Chasers, including a 15-4 dusting Wednesday night, and finished with eight losses in 10 games at Omaha and Iowa this season.
But that's all in the past, as tonight Sacramento begins the monumental task of rallying from a 2-0 deficit for the second straight time. A loss to Omaha in Game 3 at Raley Field would end the River Cats' season.
"You just completely forget about (Wednesday's loss)," River Cats third baseman Josh Donaldson said. "We've been here before, and know how to win when it counts. You completely forget this one and take it one game at a time from here on out.
"We've got a bunch of winners on this team, and we're going to continue to go out there and grind and give it everything we've got."
Although it was not how the River Cats drew it up when arriving in Omaha on Monday, manager Darren Bush's squad can draw on recent success in such a predicament. Sacramento lost consecutive games in Reno to open the postseason before winning three at Raley Field to advance to the championship round.
A certain mindset defined the River Cats during the come-from-behind series victory.
"You didn't have to say anything," Bush said. "They knew if we won we keep playing, and if we lose we go home. We'll just go out and play that first game and hopefully we play another one after that."
The River Cats were outscored 11-6 in the first two games in Reno before erupting for 26 runs in the final three contests. But to repeat the home-field sweep, Sacramento will need better starting pitching.
Right-hander Travis Banwart is scheduled to start tonight after posting a quality start in Game 3 against Reno last week. Banwart didn't factor into the decision after allowing two earned runs and five hits over six innings.
Banwart won his final three regular-season starts, allowing a combined four earned runs on 14 hits in 19 innings. He did not face Omaha during the regular season.
"I was faced with this (elimination) the last time I was out there, so I'm going out there trying to throw my game and keep my team in it," Banwart said. "I thought we played without any pressure (against Reno). We played the game, and you saw what we did. We're here at this point down 2-0, and I think we'll take the same mindset into (tonight's game)."
Opposing Sacramento will be top Kansas City Royals pitching prospect Mike Montgomery. The 6-foot-4 left-hander lost to the River Cats in Omaha on Aug. 5 despite allowing just two earned runs over seven innings. He struck out six and walked two.
Since then, however, the 22-year-old has lost four of five decisions, surrendering 25 earned runs on 44 hits over 341/3 innings.
SERIES SCHEDULE
• Game 1: Omaha 3, River Cats 2
• Game 2: Omaha 15, River Cats 4
• Game 3: Today at River Cats, 7:05 p.m.
• Game 4*: Saturday at River Cats, 7:05 p.m.
• Game 5*: Sunday at River Cats, 1:05 p.m.
*If necessary
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "Report Abuse" link below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.