The Sacramento River Cats secured a 3-1 victory over the Salt Lake Bees on September 3, 2026, with a dramatic walk-off home run by Charlie Szykowny. In the ninth inning, Szykowny hit a 392-foot homer to deliver his first career walk-off home run and third walk-off hit overall in his fifth game with Sacramento.
Joe Whitman made his return to the starting rotation after a bullpen stint, pitching a career-high eight innings and allowing just one run. Ben Gobbel put the Bees on the board first with a solo homer in the third inning, his eighth home run since joining Salt Lake in June.
The River Cats came alive late as Will Brennan doubled and Diego Velasquez walked to open the ninth inning. Szykowny’s home run completed the rally, giving Sacramento their sixth walk-off victory of the season and second walk-off home run. Reliever Alex Carillo earned the win by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
With Sugar Land losing their game, Sacramento pulled within three games of first place in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League second half standings.
CSB Take
Charlie Szykowny’s clutch walk-off home run highlights his growing impact with the Sacramento River Cats and provides valuable momentum during the crucial stretch of the Pacific Coast League season. Joe Whitman’s strong eight-inning performance also bolsters the team’s pitching staff and underscores Sacramento’s balanced approach on both offense and defense. This win narrows the gap in the standings and positions the River Cats as serious contenders as the season approaches its final stages.
Source: Original report
