Newest articles on The Sacramento Press written by Steve Tuck

Kings fall to Knicks for third straight loss

2012-01-01T22:53:37Z

The Sacramento Kings fell behind early on Saturday night and were never able to catch up with the visiting New York Knicks as they dropped their third consecutive loss by a final score of 114-92 to close out 2011.

The Kings were thought to be catching a break as the Knicks were without their star forward Amar’e Stoudemire but rookie Josh Harrellson got the start and chipped in with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Sacramento struggled all night to get the offense going and they fell behind by as many as 22 points in the first half. New York’s biggest lead on the night was 29 points.

Kings guard Marcus Thornton led the team in scoring with 14 points while his backcourt teammate Tyreke Evans added 13 points.

Jason Thompson was a bright spot for the Kings as he came off the bench to score 13 points. “It’s tough to come back and have heroics, you know, at the end because you have to use so much energy,” Thompson said when talking about his team’s recent slow starts.

Transition defense, which had been an issue against the Bulls on Thursday, was better but the Knicks were hitting their shots. Harrellson hit four of his eight three point shots and guard Toney Douglas hit four of his six attempts from downtown.

“They jumped on us early, they were hitting three’s, they were executing, and jumped on us 35-20,” said Kings head coach Paul Westphal as he addressed the media after the game.

Each of the Knicks starters recorded double-digit scoring led by Carmelo Anthony’s 23 points and Tyson Chandler’s 22 points.

Chandler was limited to just four minutes of playing time in the first half after picking up three personal fouls but he made up for it with a strong second half, including two three-point plays in the early moments of the fourth quarter.

Free throws continued to be a problem for the Kings as they shot 63% from the line, often splitting the pair of shots at each opportunity. On the plus side they did have 41 free throw attempts against the Knicks.

The few times the Kings seemed to make a move and cut into the lead the Knicks had an answer.

It looked as though the Kings were getting it going at the midpoint of the third quarter when Donte Greene nailed two three-point shots to get the crowd back into the game and cut the lead to 11 points at 70-59. However, the Kings would get no closer in the third quarter or at any point in the fourth quarter.

The Kings won’t have long to think about this loss as they host the New Orleans Hornets on New Year’s night.

The Sacramento Zoo hosts annual PJ Party

2011-12-25T23:06:59Z

While last-minute shoppers set out to get that final gift on Christmas Eve the Sacramento Zoo filled with visitors who took advantage of free admission as the Zoo held its annual PJ Party. Opening the Zoo on Christmas Eve has been a tradition for more than 12 years and while wearing pajamas is not required to attend, admission is free during the three hour event. Tonja Swank, the Zoo's public relations coordinator, said the Zoo typically draws 500 to 600 visitors on a regular Saturday but on days like Christmas Eve or Free Museum Day when admission is free the number jumps into the thousands.

River Cats give one away in pitchers duel, lose 2-1 to Isotopes

2011-08-20T02:13:05Z

Josh Donaldson scored the lone run for the Sacramento River Cats on Thursday night, and it was his throwing error in the eighth inning that allowed the Albuquerque Isotopes to score the go-ahead and eventual winning run to beat Sacramento 2-1.

The starting pitchers were impressive as they held the offense in check. There was a scattering of hits, and the teams managed to score one run apiece through seven innings.

Center fielder Jermaine Mitchell opened the River Cats’ half of the first inning with a hit to left field, but he was thrown out at second attempting to stretch a single into a double. Donaldson then singled to center field and was driven home on a double down the left field line by third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff to give the River Cats their only run of the game.

Kouzemanoff was the River Cats’ best player on the night as he went three-for-four with a single and two doubles.

The Isotopes tied the game in the sixth when first baseman Jerry Sands hit the first pitch he saw to center field for a home run.

With the game tied at 1 going into the eighth inning, Michael Benacka was on in relief for the River Cats. He was able to record a strikeout and a groundout from the first two batters faced, but Isotopes catcher Tim Federowicz smacked a double to left field, and designated hitter A.J. Ellis followed with a walk to keep the inning going.

The No. 9 hitter Ivan Ochoa was up, and a wild pitch from Benacka was recovered by Donaldson, who threw to Kouzmanoff at third base in an attempt to get Federowicz out and end the inning. Unfortunately, the ball got away from Kouzmanoff, and Federowicz crossed the plate, giving the Isotopes a 2-1 lead.

Each starting pitcher recorded seven strikeouts. The Isotopes’ John Ely gave up six hits and walked two over 6 ⅔, while the River Cats’ Travis Banwart allowed seven hits in six innings of work.

In their hunt for the playoffs, the River Cats did manage to reduce their “magic number” to clinch the division to nine games as second-place Las Vegas lost their game Thursday.

The River Cats conclude this home stand Friday night as they face one-time teammate Dana Eveland before they go back on the road to Tucson and Fresno.

River Cats open August with fifth straight win

2011-08-03T02:34:00Z

The Sacramento River Cats opened the month of August by continuing their mastery of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox after taking a 4-3 walk-off victory on Monday night. With the win, the River Cats are now 10-1 this season against the Sky Sox.

The River Cats have won nine of their last ten games with six of those being one-run decisions.

Catcher Josh Donaldson hit the River Cats’ third home run of the night after fellow catcher/first baseman Anthony Recker had his second multi-home run game of the season with a solo shot in the third inning and again in the eighth inning.

Over five innings of work, River Cats starting pitcher Josh Outman allowed just two hits and a run, all in the second inning when Sky Sox shortstop Ryan Rohlinger singled to right field and was brought home after a double to left field off the bat of second baseman Matt Macri.

The River Cats wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard as Recker hit his first home run of the night off of Sky Sox starting pitcher and former River Cat Edgar Gonzalez. Recker’s first blast hit just above the scoreboard on the clubhouse building in left field.

Gonzalez pitched well in his return to Raley Field as he, like Outman, allowed just one run and two hits over seven innings.

With both teams using their bullpen the game headed to the eighth inning locked in a 1-1 tie and it was the Sky Sox who broke the tie by taking advantage of some sloppy play by the River Cats infield.

Sky Sox center fielder Alfredo Amezaga reached base after his hit back to the mound was misplayed by River Cats reliever Lenny DiNardo. Second baseman Warren Schaeffer, who replaced Jorge Cantu in the seventh inning, hit a shot to third base where Kevin Kouzmanoff attempted to make a play but overthrew Recker at first base, resulting in the ball getting stuck under the signage and allowing both runners to advance one base. Amezaga and Schaeffer both scored after Sky Sox second baseman Mike Jacobs delivered a double to right field.

Recker led off the bottom half of the eighth inning by connecting on his second home run of the night, this one to the hill in left field off of Sky Sox reliever Eric Stults.

With the River Cats trailing 3-2, Kouzmanoff opened the bottom of the ninth with a single to right field. Looking to get some speed on the base path, Adrian Cardenas came in to pinch run for Kouzmanoff. However, the speed was not needed as Donaldson delivered the game-winning home run just over the fence in left field.

The River Cats improved their record to 67-43 and look to sweep this four game series with Colorado Springs on Tuesday.

River Cats open four-game set with a victory over Sky Sox

2011-08-01T16:10:58Z

Jai Miller tied a team record for home runs in a month, helping the Sacramento River Cats hold off a late rally by the Colorado Springs Sky Sox to get the 4-3 win on Saturday night at Raley Field.

In the third inning, Miller blasted a two-run homer onto the roof of the building beyond the 403-foot mark in center field. It was his 27th home run of the season and his 12th in July. This tied a mark shared by former River Cats Dallas McPherson, who hit 12 home runs last August, and Graham Koonce, who also hit 12 in August 2003.

Miller’s home run gave the River Cats a 3-1 lead, and they added one more in the fifth inning.

River Cats pitcher Anthony Capra, recently called up from Double-A Midland, made his first start for Sacramento. He recorded four strikeouts and allowed three hits over five innings. In the third inning he walked three consecutive batters, which led to the first Sky Sox run of the game on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Mike Jacobs.

River Cats relievers Justin Souza and Vinnie Chulk combined to retire nine of the 10 batters they faced over the sixth and seventh innings, after Souza surrendered a home run to Jacobs to open the sixth.

The Sky Sox made things interesting in the ninth inning as center fielder Joe Mather opened with a single off the River Cats’ fourth pitcher of the night, Fernando Cabrera.

With two runners on and just one out, third baseman Matt Macri hit a sacrifice fly to left field, which brought Mather home and cut the River Cats lead to 4-3. A groundout by second baseman Warren Schafer ended the rally.

River Cats make it two straight walk-off victories

2011-07-26T02:11:36Z

Following Saturday’s double-header, the Sacramento River Cats and Reno Aces spent another long day at Raley Field. Sunday’s contest took 11 innings before the River Cats recorded their second straight walk-off victory of the weekend by a final score of 11-10.

At least one run was scored in each of the first eight innings before both teams went quietly in the ninth and tenth innings, leading to the eleventh inning and another dramatic finish for the River Cats.

After Chris Carter led off the bottom of the 11th with a base hit, Josh Donaldson was hit by a pitch from Reno’s Esmerling Vasquez who was promptly ejected by home plate umpire Stephen Barga. Aces manager Brett Butler came onto the field to argue the call to no avail.

With one out and Carter representing the winning run at second base, Adam Rosales drew a walk to load the bases, but leadoff hitter Jermaine Mitchell’s groundball led to a force out of Carter at home.

The bases remained loaded for Adrian Cardenas, who hit a bloop single to shallow right field, all he needed to score Donaldson from third base and send the fans home happy.

Each team used four pitchers and it was Willie Eyre who got credit for the win while Vasquez took the loss for Reno.

Tyson Ross started the game for Sacramento as he continues his rehab assignment for the Oakland A’s. Ross is still recovering from a strained oblique muscle and is limited to about 70 pitches per outing. On Sunday, he threw 69 pitches over three innings of work but allowed five runs and gave up two homeruns.

Kevin Kouzmanoff, the hero of Saturday’s nightcap, blasted a pair of homeruns on Sunday and it was his three-run shot to left field that tied the game at 10.

The River Cats and the Aces combined for 30 hits, seven of which were homeruns, and 21 runs on Sunday.

River Cats drop second straight game to Fresno

2011-06-21T02:57:02Z

Before an announced sellout crowd of 14,014 — the first of this season — the River Cats came up short by a score of 4-2 in a Father’s Day matinee against the Fresno Grizzlies.

Grizzlies starting pitcher Dan Runzler allowed two hits in four innings of work, but his four walks led to two runs for Sacramento.

The Grizzlies used two relievers on the afternoon, with Josh Banks getting credit for the victory and Dan Otero collecting the save after the River Cats had the winning run at the plate in the ninth inning.

Mark Ellis, who is on a rehab assignment for the Oakland Athletics, played in his second game and finished 0-3 with a walk. Ellis is scheduled to rejoin the A’s this week.

Lenny DiNardo pitched seven innings for the River Cats but took his fourth loss of the season, after allowing all four Fresno runs on seven hits. A bright spot for DiNardo was nine strikeouts.

Fresno started the second inning with back-to-back singles by Conor Gillaspie, who extended his hitting streak to five games, and Thomas Neal, who extended his hitting streak to eight games.

The next batter, Brad Eldred, reached base on an error by River Cats third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, which loaded the bases. Gillaspie and Neal scored on a single to left field by Jackson Williams, who had not recorded a hit in his last 28 at-bats.

Williams was followed by James Simmons who hit into a 4-6-3 double play but also allowed Neal to score and give the Grizzlies a quick 2-0 lead.

The River Cats got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning after walks were issued to Josh Donaldson and Matt Carson. Donaldson and Carson then executed a perfect double-steal to set up Adrian Cardenas, who hit a soft single to center field to bring Donaldson home.

With one out in the ninth inning, Donaldson reached first base on a single and advanced to second on a single by Michael Taylor. However, Carson struck out and Cardenas popped out to center field to end the game.

Photos provided by Steven Chea

Capitol Mall hosts RoundRock 3-on-3 basketball tournament

2011-06-13T05:04:59Z

Thousands of basketball players were shooting hoops along Capitol Mall on Saturday as part of the first RoundRock 3on3 street basketball tournament and fundraiser.

The first games began at 8 a.m. in chilly conditions, fueled by a strong breeze that affected everyone’s jump shots. But temperatures, much like several of the games, heated up before the tournament wrapped up in the evening with the championship games.

The first thing to know about street basketball is there are no superstar foul calls. The calls that Kobe and LeBron get on the NBA court do not exist on the playground. Unless you get hacked on a drive to the basket or an opponent climbs over you for a rebound, you likely won’t get the call because almost anything goes as long as it is clean.

RoundRock recruited volunteers to work as scorekeepers and referees, and some refs were on the receiving end of much protesting by the players and their friends and family for all the calls and non-calls during the action. Nonetheless, the games were competitive, with many outcomes decided by a final shot. RoundRock’s rules stated that a victory was awarded to the first team to score 20 points or to the team in the lead after 20 minutes — whichever came first.

An estimated 130 to 140 teams of all ages and skill levels registered for the tournament, requiring 24 basketball half-courts to be set up along Capitol Mall between Fourth and Seventh streets. The lawn areas were lined with sponsor tents and served as viewing and rest areas.

Tournament organizers typically try their best to match up teams of similar skill levels in the same bracket. All teams were guaranteed at least two games in the tournament, with the option of up to six games if teams continued to win.

In addition to the many local participants, several teams traveled from all over California to participate, including team Platinum, whose members made the trek from Fresno. Platinum captain Ryan Chavez, whose son also played in the fourth-grade division, said his team has been together since high school, and they travel to cities around California to play the various street basketball tournaments. After a couple of very close games, Platinum finished the morning with a 3-0 record and needed two more victories in the afternoon to qualify for the championship game in their bracket.

RoundRock also hosted a “Shoot for Shriners” fundraiser. Upon making a donation to Shriners Children’s Hospital, contestants participated in various shooting contests and a slam dunk contest to win prizes, which included a two-year vehicle lease provided by Kuni Motors of Sacramento.

Photos provided by Kati Garner

RoundRock 3 on 3 tournament to host Shoot For Shriners fundraiser

2011-06-11T00:30:05Z

Press Release:

Shriners Hospitals Fundraiser To Include “Shoot For A Car” And “Slam Dunk Contest” At RoundRock 3on3 Basketball Tournament

On June 11th Rocklin based RoundRock 3on3 will be hosting its first annual “Shoot For Shriners”
fundraising event on the streets of Downtown Sacramento. RoundRock 3on3 attendees and players can pay
to enter a variety of contests, culminating in the “Shoot For A Car” event held on Saturday evening. All
proceeds from contests held for “Shoot For Shriners” will go to Shriners Hospitals for Children®.

Shoot For A Car
Tickets will be sold throughout the event for $1 each for a chance to win a free 2-year lease of a vehicle
from Kuni Motors of Sacramento. At the end of the tournament, 2 contestants will be selected to play.
This contest provides eligible contestants the opportunity to shoot a series of increasingly more difficult
baskets - starting with a lay up and then ending with a 1/2 court shot - in 24 seconds. If all of the baskets
are made, the contestant will win a free 2 year leased vehicle.

Slam Dunk Contest
US Cryotherapy in Roseville (a new cold-air treatment center for faster recovery and better healthfeaturing
a whole-body walk-in chamber and a localized body-part cold air device) will be the premier
sponsor of the Shriner’s Slam Dunk Contest. For a $5 entry fee, players will be able to display their 3 best
slam dunks. The winner will be receiving a US Cryotherapy Diamond Treatment package - one month’s
worth of Whole-body/Localized cold treatments and six hours in their warm water Hydro-Massage bed.
The Slam Dunk preliminary rounds will be held throughout the day with the Finals held on Saturday
evening prior to the “Shoot For A Car” event.

The Event
RoundRock 3on3 is an outdoor basketball tournament that will be played on Capitol Mall and other streets
in Downtown Sacramento, Saturday June 11th. Team registrations will be held on Friday evening, 6/10
from 4:00 – 9:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza. Games start at 8:00 am Saturday morning and end
at 8:00 pm. There will be players of all ages/ability with Youth, High School, Adult and Mixed division
teams competing for bracket and division level championships.

Social Media
For frequent updates on this event see Twitter hashtag #Shoot4Shriners

Press Contacts
John Wardlaw
CEO RoundRock 3on3
916-772-0942
jwardlaw@roundrock3on3.com
http://www.roundrock3on3.com

Alan Anderson
Director of Development at Shriners Hospitals for Children® – Northern California
916-453-2008
asanderson@shrinenet.org
http://www.shrinershq.org/ShrinersHQ/

Kevin Kramer
COO US Cryotherapy
916-788-2796
kkramer@uscryotherapy.com
http://www.uscryotherapy.com/

River Cats use late home run to complete comeback against Bees

2011-06-04T01:18:06Z

River Cats starting pitcher Lenny DiNardo was roughed up in the first inning of Thursday’s game, giving up five runs and four hits before he could find his rhythm and pitch five innings against the Salt Lake Bees. DiNardo’s effort was more than enough and the River Cats were able to make up the deficit and add three additional runs to win the game 8-5.

The River Cats chipped away at Salt Lake’s lead by scoring two runs each in the first and third innings, a game-tying run in the seventh, and added the final three runs to take the in the eighth inning on a three-run home run by designated hitter Shane Peterson.

River Cats outfielder Jai Miller also homered in the game, collecting his team-leading 12th home run of the season in the first inning. With the home run, Miller extended his current hitting streak to seven games.

DiNardo’s last action was a relief appearance in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader, when he surrendered six runs over two-thirds of an inning. He eventually got back on track Thursday night, but it was a wonder just how long he lasted during a 39-pitch first inning that had the River Cats bullpen warming up early on.

All of the Bees’ scoring came in the first inning when, with two outs and two runners aboard, outfielder Jeremy Moore went deep for his fourth home run of the season to put the Bees up 3-0. The Bees increased their lead to 5-0 after catcher Kevin Richardson hit a ball that was narrowly caught by River Cats left fielder Adrian Cardenas but instead resulted in a two-run double.

A wild seventh inning saw Bees second baseman Andrew Romine called out on batter interference after he attempted to move the Bees leadoff runner into scoring position on a bunt. Bees manager Keith Johnson argued the call to no avail, and he was ejected from the game by home plate umpire Dan Oliver. The River Cats ended the inning on a diving catch just inside the third base line by catcher Josh Donaldson.

The River Cats tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when third baseman Scott Sizemore scored after colliding at home with Richardson. Richardson had to leave the game with an injury.

In the bottom of the eighth, Matt Carson and Eric Sogard each singled to set the stage for Peterson who promptly hit his sixth home run of the season to nearly the same spot Miller homered to, just inside the Bees’ bullpen, giving the River Cats an 8-5 lead and the victory.

The Real (Funny) Housewives of Rio Linda bring plenty of laughs to Elk Grove

2011-03-07T04:08:44Z

It was a night of dirty jokes by the ladies and for the ladies on Friday night at the Laguna Town Hall in Elk Grove, where the Real (Funny) Housewives of Rio Linda brought their comedic talents to the Laguna West neighborhood as part of their current tour of the Sacramento area.

A near-capacity crowd made up of women of all ages, some of whom did bring their husbands or boyfriends, filled the hall, which was configured with a more intimate setup rather than a traditional auditorium stage.

Without having any prior knowledge about these comedians and their show, one might go into it thinking all five of them perform at the same time as a group. Instead, Sinderella, Kristen Frisk, Kimmie Kay, Cheryl the Soccer Mom, and Stephanie Garcia each deliver their own set over the course of two hours. And while the group’s name is a play off the Bravo network series, these ladies were highly entertaining without any of that high-maintenance drama.

Each of the Real (Funny) Housewives have great energy while on stage, but Kimmie Kay may have had the most on this evening. Her enthusiasm for making the audience laugh combined with her set of very adult-themed content appeared to draw the most side-splitting laughs. Each of the ladies were very funny and entertaining as they talked and joked about their own life experiences from being married and having kids to trying various methods of weight-loss.

All five of the ladies have professional comic backgrounds, and they met while doing shows at many of the same venues in town. It was Cheryl, who is the soccer mom after all, who got this group together. Cheryl said most typical comedy shows will have just one woman on the bill, if any, so this was a way for each of them to support each other. The support was evident, too, as each member of the group sat off to the side and watched the show while one of them was on stage. Each of ladies still performs individually when the group, which has been around for about a year, is not touring together.

If you enjoy jokes about male and female anatomy, among other things, and you are not easily offended, then this is the show for you. You will not be disappointed.

Kings look much better but lose nail-biter to Clippers

2010-12-29T01:36:02Z

For the first time in a long time Tyreke Evans looked like the player who won the Rookie of the Year award last season when he scored a season-high 32 points against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, including hitting three of his six three-point shots.

The outcome of the game, however, was decided by a missed free throw from Evans that would have sent the game to overtime but instead gave the Clippers a 100-99 victory, sending the Sacramento Kings to their eighth consecutive loss.

The Kings battled back from a 13-point deficit over the first three quarters to tie the score at 76 going into the fourth quarter, and the drama played out over the final two minutes, which included a driving slam by Evans that brought the crowd to its feet and cut the Clippers’ lead to four, followed by a clutch three-pointer from Evans that brought the Kings to within one at 96-95.

The Kings trailed 98-97 with just over 30 seconds to play and, as expected, the ball was in Evans’ hands. He dribbled from the top of the key to the right side while his teammates spread the floor, but instead of kicking the ball out, Evans drove to the basket where the defense collapsed and Baron Davis stripped the ball away, leading to a breakaway slam by Blake Griffin, giving the Clippers a 100-97 lead.

With 5.1 seconds left, the Kings had plenty of time to run a play and attempt a game-tying three-point shot, and the Clippers only needed to defend the shot and avoid committing a foul. However, they did just that, fouling Evans as he pulled up for a three.

Fans stood as the drama unfolded with Evans at the line for three shots. He swished the first two, but the one that would have tied the score rolled off instead. The rebound was tipped back to Evans, who managed to flip a shot up, but it also missed, and the horn sounded.

Replays showed Griffin holding and pulling down Kings center DeMarcus Cousins on the rebound attempt after the final free throw, but no call was made, and Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal declined to comment on the final sequence during his postgame conference with the media.

As a team, the Kings looked much better in putting together a complete-game effort, something that has rarely been seen this season.

In addition to Evans’ effort, Omri Casspi had a nice game in scoring 16 points and looking like the Casspi from last season who played so well in the early part of this season before hitting the proverbial rookie wall.

Beno Udrih and Francisco Garcia also shot the ball well, hitting 50 percent of their three-point shots, while the Kings as a team shot 50 percent from behind the arc.

For the Clippers, Eric Gordon was solid in recording 31 points, including hitting six of seven three-point attempts, and Griffin recorded a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds.

Griffin, who makes the highlight reels on a nightly basis with his flying jams, was held to three dunks, one of which was a flying alley-oop from Davis in the fourth quarter that drew the oohs and ahs from the fans.

Photos by Marc McLaughlin

Kings fall to Rockets, drop fifth straight

2010-12-20T23:15:44Z

What better time is there to get back on track and win some basketball games than a five-game home stand during Christmas week?

The Sacramento Kings were looking to do just that beginning with a Sunday matinee against the Houston Rockets.

However, in what has become an unfortunate theme this season, the Kings once again could not put together a complete game and produced just 12 points in the fourth quarter, resulting in a 102-93 loss to the Rockets.

Sunday’s loss was Sacramento’s fifth in a row, which dropped the team’s record to 5-20 while Houston improved to 12-15 with the victory.

On Saturday, the Kings announced they would be without the services of forward Jason Thompson for the next three games after a cut on his finger in Friday’s game required stitches.

Starting in Thompson’s place on Sunday was Darnell Jackson, who brought great energy and intensity in the 21 minutes he played. The Kings could very well have benefited having Jackson on the floor in the fourth quarter, considering the guys who did play in the final quarter managed to shoot just five of 18.

The Rockets recently learned they would be without center Yao Ming for the rest of the season after another foot injury, but they did get Aaron Brooks back from injury on Sunday, who played 15 minutes and scored nine points.

Former King Kevin Martin, who received a nice ovation when introduced prior to tip-off, led all scorers with 22 points, including 12 in the first quarter.

The Kings had the lead after the first, second and third quarters and led by as many as 10 points, but the Rockets hung around and kept it close until the Kings looked to have run out of gas in the fourth quarter and their shots stopped falling.

Sacramento was down by two late in the fourth quarter when Martin was fouled while hitting a running jump shot, and his three-point play, which put Houston up 98-93, iced the game for the Rockets.

In his postgame press conference, Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal talked about the frustration of not closing out a game, saying, “The idea is to get wins. We do not have whatever it takes to do that. We’re not exhibiting whatever it takes to do that in the fourth quarter.”

One bright spot from Sunday’s game was the play of rookie DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins has frequently picked up personal fouls early in games, which limits his minutes and effectiveness. Against the Rockets he was whistled for just two fouls while leading the Kings in scoring with 19 points to go along with eight rebounds and four blocked shots.

The Kings took 91 field goal attempts and shot just 38.5 percent while the Rockets shot 44.6 percent on 83 field goal attempts.

Photos provided by David Alvarez

International Auto Show rolls into Cal Expo for the weekend

2010-11-15T04:51:43Z

The Sacramento International Auto Show kicked off its three-day run at Cal Expo on Friday with tons of vehicles from the past, present and future. With exhibits spread across the entire fairgrounds, there was something for car enthusiasts of all ages.

All of the major manufacturers at the show were featuring some or all of their 2011 models, and visitors were free to sit inside many of the cars to get a feel for what’s to come.

Among the exhibits looking back to the past, the Expo Center featured antique motorcycles such as a 1912 Excelsior and a 1914 Harley-Davidson.

There was also an exhibit of pre-1916 cars, including a 1908 Reo Runabout and a 1915 Ford Model T.

Ford’s main exhibit area featured a glimpse into the future where the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 was on display.

The pavilion that houses livestock during the California State Fair was cleaned up and sparkling with vehicles from Hyundai, Nissan and General Motors, who also appeared to have the largest display of vehicles with its makeup of Buick, Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac.

The centerpiece of Chevrolet’s exhibit was the car known as Sideswipe, one of the Autobots in the blockbuster movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”

The environment continues to be a major focus for automakers as Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Nissan and Toyota each featured a hybrid.

Shortly after the auto show opened Friday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gave a brief talk on alternative-fuel vehicles and praised the manufacturers for having their hybrids on display.

Schwarzenegger commented on the growth of alternative-fuel vehicles, noting there were just two when he first took office in 2003, and that there will be 50 at an upcoming car show in Los Angeles.

“Even when I am finished with this job being governor, I just want you to know I will stay involved in this very important issue” Schwarzenegger said while talking about working with Congress to create an energy policy for the United States.

This year’s show featured three driving courses that allowed guests to test drive 2011 cars from Toyota, Ford and General Motors. Drivers were encouraged to accelerate from the starting line, slam on the brake and maneuver over makeshift potholes or bumps to experience the improvements in the new line of vehicles.

Kings come from behind to win home opener

2010-11-02T21:03:08Z

We are only four games into an 82-game season, but one thing we can take away from this year’s Sacramento Kings is that they do not quit.

On Monday night the Kings played their home opener in front of a packed Arco Arena, and for the third consecutive game, the Kings fell behind by double-digits before mounting a late rally to set up a dramatic finish.

The Kings held on to defeat the Toronto Raptors 111-108 and improve their record to 3-1 with an early test coming on Wednesday when they host the champion Los Angeles Lakers.

The opening-night festivities began with the Maloof family presenting Tyreke Evans his Rookie of the Year trophy at center court.

Last season Evans became just the fourth rookie in NBA history to average 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game.

Following the trophy presentation was the standard spotlight player introductions that included a Lakers-type feature in which various Kings highlights were played against a white backdrop at center court that was well-received by the fans.

The energy and excitement that fans showed prior to tip-off would not resurface until late in the third quarter of the game.

The Kings got off to a very slow start, falling behind by as many as 17 points to end a first quarter in which Raptors center Andrea Bargnani and guard DeMar DeRozan each scored 10 points.

Adding to the rough beginning were the two quick fouls called on Kings rookie center DeMarcus Cousins with less than three minutes played. At the risk of picking up a third early foul, Kings coach Paul Westphal removed Cousins from the game until late in the second quarter.

Bargnani led the Raptors in scoring with 28 points. DeRozan added 24, forward Linas Kleiza had 18, and guard Jose Calderon had 13 points off the bench.

After a first half that saw Toronto get several open looks at three-point shots and numerous attempts in the paint, the Raptors took a 62-51 lead into halftime and maintained an 86-78 advantage after a third quarter in which a Kings comeback was beginning to brew.

With just over one minute to play in the third quarter, a slam dunk by Kings forward Omri Casspi got the fans on their feet and even drew a short burst of “Arco thunder.” A driving layup by Evans brought the Kings to within five, but a three-pointer by Calderon at the end of the third silenced the crowd and ended Sacramento’s run.

The Kings finally made their move in the fourth quarter by playing some great defense and scoring when they needed to. Casspi nailed three three-pointers to help fuel the rally, including one that gave Sacramento its first lead of the night at 96-95.

The play of the game occurred late in the fourth when Evans fell down and nearly lost the ball, recovered and passed to Casspi, who then dished the ball to Cousins for a layup and a four-point lead. Sacramento was able to hold the lead and get the victory.

Cousins, who showed great poise for a rookie during crunch time with 10 points in the fourth, finished with 16 on the night. Evans led the Kings with 23, along with 14 from Casspi and 17 from guard Beno Udrih.

Photos provided by Marc McLaughlin, www.marcmclaughlin.com

Davis Farmers Market celebrates the season with annual festival

2010-11-01T18:33:52Z

Fall was definitely in the air Saturday as the Davis Farmers Market held its annual festival to celebrate the season.

In addition to the typical market fare of garden-fresh fruits and vegetables, the festival, which is held on the last Saturday in October, brought a fall theme including Halloween decorations, a scarecrow display, additional vendors and more activities for families.

Overcast skies and cool air accompanied the dozens of Mylar balloons, cornstalks and hay bales that made up the many decorations in the market area. Joy Wills, the assistant manager who has worked at the market for 18 years, described the festival as a “celebration of the fall harvest.” Wills also mentioned that stuffed little pumpkin baggies hanging from some of the trees are 16 years old and are still in great condition.

Davis’ Central Park is home of the weekly market that is held under a pavilion, but the festival brought out an extra 20 or so vendors who stretched the row of offerings across the park’s entire walkway. Items for sale included handmade jewelry, freshly popped kettle corn and slices of pumpkin pie.

Kristy Lyn-Levings of Cache Creek Meat Co. has been coming to the market for a year and a half to sell naturally raised chicken. Lyn-Levings brought her 3-year-old niece, Abigail, to enjoy the day, and they both got into the festival spirit by dressing in chicken costumes.

Among the families and customers at the market were Peter and Susan Dileanis, who moved to Davis from Sacramento a few years ago. They have been attending the farmers market since 1984.

“It’s much bigger, with the 4-H groups and activities just for kids,” Susan said.

Additional activities for children included pony rides, face painting, a chance to pet baby pigs and even a chance to join in the live music. The Peter Franklin Band, which played on the south side, and Music Matt, which played on the north side, each provided a variety of instruments for the little ones to play.

Offense comes alive late but River Cats fall to 51s

2010-09-02T01:46:38Z

For the first six innings of Tuesday night’s ballgame, the Sacramento River Cats managed just one hit.

As it turned out, all they needed to get their offense going was to face a different pitcher. A crowd of nearly 10,600 watched as Las Vegas 51s starting pitcher Scott Richmond had a strong outing, striking out seven River Cats batters. His only blemish was a base hit by Travis Buck in the third inning.

Hits were difficult to come by all night, and both teams left 10 runners on base. The River Cats did get on the scoreboard, but their four-game winning streak was halted by a 4-2 loss to the 51s in the second game of the four game series.

River Cats starter Bobby Cramer did well in his five and two thirds’ innings of work, giving up just four hits and recording six strikeouts. The 51s did collect six walks and two runs off Cramer.

Cramer got into trouble to start the second inning when he issued a walk to 51s right fielder Jason Lane. Left fielder Aaron Mathews followed up with a double, and they were both driven home on a single by third baseman Brad Emaus. Cramer limited the damage and ended the inning with a pair of strikeouts and a fly-out.

Corey Brown, who was called back up to Sacramento from Double-A Midland, sparked a seventh-inning rally that finally got the River Cats offense going.

The 51s brought in reliever Josh Roenicke, who was welcomed with a leadoff home run to deep right field from Brown.

Adrian Cardenas followed up with a ball hit toward the left-center field gap, but he was thrown out at second base as he tried to stretch his hit into a double.

Michael Taylor recorded the third straight hit of the seventh inning when he smacked a ball that rolled all the way to the fence in left field, allowing him to reach second base. Taylor advanced to third on a ground-out, and he would score on a wild pitch to the next batter, Anthony Recker. Recker then doubled to left-center field and represented the tying run, but he was stranded as Corey Wimberly grounded out to end the inning.

Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the River Cats made one last attempt to win the game. Following a ground-out by Taylor and a fly-out by Tommy Everidge, who was re-signed to the River Cats earlier in the day, Recker doubled on a hard-hit ball down the right-field line that rolled all the way to the corner.

Recker moved to third on a base hit by Wimberly, who then stole second base. The next batter, Eric Sogard, drew a walk, and the River Cats were in business. However, the opportunity was blown when Buck grounded out to first to end the game.

Despite the loss, the River Cats’ magic number to win the division was reduced to four games as Fresno lost its game on Tuesday.

River Cats claim first place from Grizzlies

2010-08-30T22:39:57Z

The highly anticipated five-game series between the Sacramento River Cats and Fresno Grizzlies concluded Sunday afternoon with the River Cats taking a 2-1 victory and four of the five games.

With the win, the River Cats move into first place in the Pacific Coast League’s South division and also hold an important playoff tiebreaker should The River Cats and Grizzlies finish the season with identical records.

The series finale was decided by an unlikely hero for the River Cats. Outfielder Jermaine Mitchell was called up from Single-A Stockton on Aug. 28 and started just his second Triple-A game on Sunday.

Mitchell took the roster spot of outfielder Chris Carter, who was placed on the disabled list with a thumb injury. Mitchell’s first hit as a River Cat also resulted in an RBI as he knocked in the game winner.

The Grizzlies jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead to start the afternoon. The second batter of the game, shortstop Ryan Rohlinger, doubled on a ball hit up the middle and scored when third baseman Jesus Guzman reached second base after hitting a ground-rule double.

River Cats right fielder Travis Buck prevented further scoring when he made the first of two spectacular diving catches on the afternoon.

Designated hitter Joe Borchard hit a fly ball into shallow left field toward the line that Buck was able to reach to end the inning.

The River Cats recorded just two hits over the first five innings before finally getting on the scoreboard in the sixth inning.

Following back-to-back strikeouts by River Cats designated Dallas McPherson and first baseman Jeff Baisley, Buck singled to center field.

Outfielder Michael Taylor, who was already two for two and tripled in the fourth inning, was hit by a pitch on the left elbow to reach base and advance Buck to second. The next batter, Adrian Cardenas, singled to left, and Buck raced home to tie the game at a run apiece.

The Grizzlies threatened to retake the lead in the seventh inning when center fielder Tyler Graham and catcher Johnny Monell each singled to center field to put runners at the corners. But with two outs, second baseman Emmanuel Burriss popped out to end the inning.

Leading off the bottom of the eighth inning, Taylor drew a walk and stole second base to move into scoring position.

Cardenas followed up with a line drive back to the pitcher for the first out.

Catcher Anthony Recker was then intentionally walked to preserve a force-out situation. However, Mitchell took advantage of the opportunity and hit a looping fly ball that dropped into center field and scored Taylor on a close play at the plate.

Grizzlies outfielders Eugenio Velez and Tyler Graham each struck out to start the ninth inning, and Monell hit a fly ball down the left-field line that would have kept the inning going, but Buck made another diving catch to end the game.

Late scoring by Cubs edges River Cats

2010-08-20T22:46:04Z

On Thursday night the Sacramento River Cats looked to win their third straight game against the visiting Iowa Cubs and improve to 4-3 on the current home stand. However, following a back-and-forth game that featured four lead changes over the first six innings and a tie after eight innings, it was the Cubs who scored twice in the ninth to come out on top.

Cubs leadoff hitter Jim Adduci started the game with a base hit and quickly advanced to second base on what began as a standard pick-off by River Cats starting pitcher John Halama.

Halama caught Adduci leaning toward second base, and the ensuing rundown resulted in an interference call on River Cats second baseman Corey Wimberly. Adduci was awarded second base, and he scored on a base hit from designated hitter Jason Dubois.

In the bottom of the first inning, Wimberly reached first base when he appeared to beat out a throw by Cubs shortstop Matt Camp. Instead, Camp was charged with an error as his throw pulled first baseman Micah Hoffpauir off the base. The next batter, outfielder Matt Carson, hit a home run down the right-field line to give the River Cats a 2-1 lead.

River Cats cleanup hitter Chris Carter was hit by a pitch to lead off the third inning, and he would score the Cats’ third run of the game on a single by outfielder Michael Taylor.

In the fifth inning, the first three batters for the Cubs reached base, and each of them scored to put the Cubs back on top at 4-3.

Outfielder Bryan LaHair and catcher Robinson Chirinos hit back-to-back singles. Third baseman Marquez Smith followed with a double that scored LaHair from third. Smith advanced to third base following a ground-out by shortstop Matt Camp and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Adduci.

The River Cats reclaimed the lead one final time in the sixth inning when Carson drew a walk and scored on a home run to left field by third baseman Jeff Larish.

The final scoring of the game belonged to the Cubs, beginning with a run in the seventh inning and two runs in the ninth inning to win the game.

Chirinos reached base after shortstop Eric Sogard committed the River Cats’ second error of the game. Chirinos moved to third following another double by Smith, and Chirinos scored the game’s tying run when Camp grounded out.

In the ninth inning, Camp doubled to score two runs and put the Cubs on top 7-5 for the win.

River Cats slammed by Omaha

2010-08-16T13:58:18Z

Coming off of their 11-run comeback win on Aug. 11, the Sacramento River Cats opened their second-to-last home stand of the 2010 season on Friday night, beginning a four-game series versus the Omaha Royals. Like the River Cats, the Royals hold second place in their division, trailing the Iowa Cubs by just two and a half games.

Royals starting pitcher Luis Mendoza allowed just two hits and two runs in his seven innings of work while handing the River Cats a 6-2 loss. Reliever Louis Coleman gave up one hit in his two innings of work.

The Royals did all of their offensive damage in a big second inning and roughed up River Cats starter Clayton Mortensen. The scoring was highlighted with a grand slam from outfielder Jarrod Dyson.

The inning began with a double to left-center field from shortstop Ed Lucas. The next batter, first baseman Scott Thorman, hit the first pitch he saw into the Omaha bullpen in right-center field, giving the Royals a 2-1 lead.

Following back-to-back singles from catcher Lucas May and outfielder Jai Miller, second baseman Irving Falu bunted to third base where May was forced out on a fielder’s choice. Designated hitter Marc Maddox singled to right field to load the bases for Jarrod Dyson. Dyson connected on the very first pitch, hitting it over the center field wall for a grand slam. The River Cats were finally able to end the second inning by retiring Ed Lucas who led off the inning.

Mortensen settled down after the second inning and gave up just one more hit in the third before he was removed after six innings of work.

Sacramento’s night started off promising when their No. 2 hitter, outfielder Travis Buck, homered to right-center field. It was just his second home run of an injury-plagued season that has limited him to play in just 21 games thus far.

However, following the home run, the next 11 River Cats batters were retired. Outfielder Matt Carson finally broke the drought with a double to right-center field to lead off the fifth inning.

Buck recorded Sacramento’s third hit of the game in the bottom of the ninth when he reached on a single. Conor Jackson, who began his rehabilitation assignment for Sacramento’s parent club, the Oakland Athletics, popped out to center to end the game.

River Cats Remain Hot

2010-06-28T04:08:49Z

The Sacramento River Cats began their final four-game set in June the same way they opened the month – by hosting the Tacoma Rainiers. In the earlier series, the River Cats dropped three of the four games, but they have bounced back to record 13 wins and 11 losses entering Saturday night.

River Cats starting pitcher Kyle Middleton entered the game having thrown 18 scoreless innings, and he extended that streak to 21 innings before surrendering a Rainiers home run in the fourth inning Saturday.

Middleton completed six innings before the bullpen took over to finish the game and get Middleton his fifth win against five losses for the season.

In the second inning, the River Cats took an early 3-0 lead, which was more than enough scoring to get the win. With one out centerfielder Matt Carson was hit by a pitch and catcher Josh Donaldson was walked. With two outs, Steve Tolleson, batting in the ninth spot, hit a three-run home run to left-center.

The Rainiers did their only scoring of the night in the fourth inning. Outfielder David Winfree reached first base on an error by River Cats shortstop Corey Wimberly. With two outs, Greg Halman hit a home run to get the Rainiers on the board. The Rainiers collected a hit in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth for a total of six hits on the night, but they went down quietly over the final five innings.

In the sixth inning, the River Cats collected six hits and tacked on three more runs. Chris Carter got the rally started with a one-out double to left field and scored on a ground-rule double hit by the next batter, Dallas McPherson. After Matt Carson popped out, Josh Donaldson hit a double of his own to left, scoring McPherson. Donaldson’s hit was the first of four consecutive base hits from Michael Taylor, Steve Tolleson and Corey Wimberly.

The River Cats have now won 10 of their last 13 games. More importantly, the River Cats now have a record of 39-38, and they are above the .500 mark for the first time since their record was 7-6 on April 20. They will have a chance to tighten up the standings when they open a three-game set July 1 against the division-leading Fresno Grizzlies.

Offense explodes for River Cats

2010-06-21T03:43:53Z

The Sacramento River Cats welcomed the Salt Lake Bees to Raley Field on Friday night by scoring 16 runs and posting a season-high 19 hits against their visitors. Fresh off a four-game sweep of the Reno Aces, the River Cats remained hot and pulled to within one game of .500.

The offense for the River Cats followed a strong performance by their starting pitcher Graham Godfrey. Godfrey completed the first four innings without giving up a hit or a walk while the River Cats began their offensive onslaught in the bottom of the fourth inning. They carried their momentum into the fifth against Bees starting pitcher Tim Kiely, who made his triple-A debut at Raley Field but lasted just four and two-thirds innings.

Already leading 2-0 to begin the fourth inning, the River Cats collected four consecutive base hits to score three times and build their lead. Two more runs scored when Eric Sogard hit a triple to right-center field. With the triple, Sogard extended his hitting streak to 12 games, tying his season high.

In the fifth inning the River Cats batted around before the Bees could retire the side. With one out, River Cats outfielder Matt Carson hit a first-pitch homerun to left field. The next batter, designated hitter Matt Watson, was the first of seven straight River Cats to reach base in the fifth. Watson was forced out at second base on a ball hit by Adam Heether. Michael Taylor and Steve Tolleson received back-to-back walks from Bees relief pitcher Eddie McKiernan and the bases were loaded. Leadoff hitter Coco Crisp, already 3-for-3 on the night, singled up the middle to score Heether and Taylor.

The Bees collected their first hit of the game in the top of the fifth inning when Cory Aldridge doubled to right field. The next batter, Mark Trumbo, followed with a double of his own to center field which scored Aldridge. The Bees scored again in the seventh, eighth, and two runs in the ninth including a home run by Peter Bourjos, but it was much too little, too late.

Oakland A’s outfielder Coco Crisp looked very impressive as he continued his rehabilitation assignment with Sacramento by going 5-for-5 and recording five RBIs. He is likely to rejoin the A’s sometime next week when they return to Oakland.

River Cats don’t score; Wimberly’s streak ends

2010-06-07T05:02:33Z

In a game that took just two hours and 22 minutes to complete Friday, the Sacramento River Cats were shut out and held to just three hits in the finale of a four-game series against the Tacoma Rainiers.

Rainiers starting pitcher Chris Seddon threw 106 pitches in what was the first complete game in his career. This is Seddon’s 10th season as a pro baseball player; he improved his record this season to six wins and two losses.

River Cats starter Travis Blackley also pitched a nice game, lasting 6 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and one walk. His only blemish was a two-run home run to Mike Wilson.

The only scoring of the night came in the top of the second inning when Tacoma right fielder Wilson homered to left with a man on. It was his fourth home run of the season. Wilson appeared to have hit another two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning after his shot to left with a runner aboard was ruled fair. In the wake of a controversial call in Detroit last week that prevented a perfect game for Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, Friday's umpiring crew discussed the home run before overturning the call and ruling it a foul ball. In-house replays showed the ball was left of the foul pole. Wilson subsequently struck out.

The River Cats' offense failed to produce a run while collecting just three hits. Strong Rainier pitching and a tough defense kept the Cats off the bases for most of the night.

In the seventh inning, River Cats catcher Josh Donaldson drew a walk and the next batter, first baseman Chris Carter, hit a flyball that was caught by a diving Mike Carp in left field. Had Carp mistimed his dive, Donaldson likely would have scored and Carter may have had extra bases. The only other scoring threat from the Cats came during a late rally with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Designated hitter Matt Watson drew a walk and advanced to second after Donaldson singled to left. Carter represented the winning run but he was called out on strikes to end the game.

The game ended River Cats left fielder Corey Wimberly’s impressive streak of getting on base, which has reached 31 games.

Kings unable to keep up with Blazers

2010-04-05T00:46:54Z

It was a close game for about 45 minutes when the Sacramento Kings played the Portland Trailblazers on Saturday. But ultimately, the Kings lost, 98-87.

Four of Portland’s starters, including Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and second-year forward Nicolas Batum, each scored 21 or more points while Beno Udrih, Carl Landry and Jason Thompson each chipped in nice games for the Kings. The game was close all night but it was Kings rookie Omri Casspi who finally got the fans on their feet with a three-pointer. It was followed a couple of possessions later by a tough layup that drew a foul. In the end it was too much Portland scoring that sealed the victory.

The Blazers, one of the league’s hottest teams, are looking to improve their seeding in the playoff race to avoid playing the Lakers in the first round.

The Kings, on the other hand, were coming off an 0-5 road trip and looking to finish the season on a high note with five of their last six games at Arco Arena. Sacramento is going short-handed the rest of the way without Spencer Hawes, who has a season-ending knee injury and Francisco Garcia, who is resting a sore wrist.

Jason Thompson was starting center again and he had a nice game. He avoided the foul trouble that has plagued him much of the year and brought him much time on the bench. Tyreke Evans had a very quiet night, scoring just six points against a tough Blazer defense. Evans was able to get through a handful of times but the layups were not falling. Evans’ quest to become the fourth rookie in NBA history to average 20 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds is becoming more challenging, especially after a night like Saturday. He’ll need to average about 22 points per game in the remaining five games of the season to earn his place in history.

Evans may need those numbers to earn Rookie of the Year honors; fellow rookies Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) and Brandon Jennings (Milwaukee Bucks) are playing well for their respective teams and much of the focus is back on them.