"ENDING MONTH ON A HIGH NOTE"
By Chad G. Petey, Baseball News Network
Prayers 9, Cherubs 4 (14 innings)
Velasquez Delivers in Marathon Finale as Sacramento Caps Historic Month
The Prayers wrapped April with one final test — an exhausting, 4-hour, 45-minute, 14-inning grinder in Tucson that demanded every ounce of bullpen depth, defensive resilience, and offensive creativity they had left. In the end, Sacramento powered through, defeating the Cherubs 9–4 and securing a
22–3 record for the month, cementing their status as baseball’s most dominant team.
Alex Velasquez was the hero, igniting the offense early and finishing with a
3-for-7 performance, including a
two-run homer in the fourth that gave Sacramento a 3–1 lead. He added two singles, scored three times, and drove in a pair — another evidence point in his quietly outstanding April.
Sam Strauss provided extra-base damage in bulk, collecting an
RBI double early and then a
crucial two-run triple in the 14th, blowing the doors off a tired Tucson bullpen. Bret Perez reached base three times, scoring twice and stealing his
10th bag of the season, while Johan Rubbi and Francisco Hernandez both added doubles.
Sacramento stranded 14 runners but simply outlasted Tucson, stringing together
five runs in the top of the 14th against Omar Sanchez and Jose Frias to put the game away for good.
On the mound, it was a team effort. After Jordan Rubalcava exited with an early injury just one batter into the game, Sacramento’s relief corps delivered 14 innings of patchwork excellence.
Matt Wright earned the win with 2.2 strong frames, and Ed Kukuk closed out the marathon.
“It feels good to get this one,”
— Alex Velasquez, after anchoring a victory that required every tool in the kit.
The win sent Sacramento into May with a remarkable
22–3 record, the best 25-game opening in franchise history — including their championship seasons in 1973, 1977, and 1982.