BNN WEEK IN RETROSPECT – PRAYERS WEEKLY
Sacramento Prayers: April 15–21, 1990
By Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot – Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle
Amen and Hallelujah! Your Sacramento Prayers are sitting pretty at 14-5, perched atop the AL West. It was a week of high drama, massive dingers, and a few "Lord, have mercy" moments in the trainer's room. We’ve got the league’s best ERA (2.72) and the most power in the circuit (32 HRs). If the season ended today, we’d be legends. Good thing it doesn't, because we are not done talking yet.
The Prayers entered the week riding a wave of strong pitching and timely hitting. What followed was a stretch that showcased the team’s depth, its ability to win close games, and — late in the week — its vulnerability when the bullpen is stretched thin and the defense wobbles. Sacramento finished the week 3–3, still firmly atop the AL West, but with a few new questions to monitor as April winds down.
★ ★ ★
Sunday, April 15 — Prayers 3, Abbots 2 (Abbots Park)
Prayers opened the week by stealing a tight one in El Paso, leaning on patience late and steady bullpen work. Sacramento didn’t generate much offense for most of the afternoon, and for seven innings it looked like the Prayers might waste a solid outing from Robby Larson. The right‑hander wasn’t dominant, but he was steady, working around traffic and keeping El Paso from stringing together anything beyond Sergio Garcia’s two‑run homer in the third.
The Prayers’ lineup, meanwhile, couldn’t solve Zach Gardener’s mix of sinkers and changeups. Through seven innings, Sacramento managed only three singles and a walk, rarely threatening and often rolling over early in counts.
Everything changed in the eighth. Francisco Hernandez opened the inning with a sharp triple into the right‑center gap, finally giving Sacramento a spark. Alex Vieyra followed with a well‑struck double to left, cutting the deficit to 2–1. After a groundout and a walk, Roberto Cardenas — pinch‑hitting for Eli Murguia — lined a clean single to center, scoring Vieyra and tying the game. Moments later, a fielder’s choice brought home the go‑ahead run.
Aaron Gilbert handled the seventh and eighth with crisp work, and Luis Prieto closed the ninth despite allowing a two‑out double. It wasn’t a flashy win, but it was the kind of composed, opportunistic performance that has defined Sacramento’s early season.
“We weren’t sharp early, but we stayed with it. That’s what good teams do. Those games don’t feel big when you’re in April,” Larson said, “but they add up fast.” A classic "grind-it-out" road win.
Sacramento left town at 11–3, continuing its quiet, businesslike start.
★ ★ ★
Tuesday, April 17 — Prayers 2, Lucifers 1 (Lucifers Park)
Welcome to Seattle, where the air is cold and the wins are tight. This one unfolded as a pitcher’s duel from the opening pitch. Bernardo Andretti and Seattle’s J.J. Schilder traded scoreless frames for six innings, each working efficiently and leaning on their defenses. Andretti mixed his fastball and slider well, inducing soft contact and avoiding the big inning despite a few scattered baserunners.
Sacramento finally broke through in the seventh when Alex Vieyra turned on a Schilder fastball and sent it over the left‑field wall. Seattle answered immediately in the bottom half, tying the game on a double and a two‑out RBI knock.
The Prayers responded in the eighth with a patient, methodical rally. A leadoff double from José Rubbi set the table, and Alejandro Lopez delivered a deep sacrifice fly to center, restoring the lead. Gil Caliari and Luis Prieto combined for the final six outs, with Prieto needing only five pitches to secure his sixth save. Seattle threatened in the ninth, but Prieto induced a routine grounder to end it.
“It wasn’t pretty, but it was professional. That’s the kind of baseball we want to play.” said Alejandro Lopez. “That’s execution baseball,” added manager Jimmy Aces. “No panic, no shortcuts.”
★ ★ ★
Wednesday, April 18 — Prayers 12, Lucifers 5 (Lucifers Park)
Someone left the oven on at Lucifers Park! Sacramento’s offense erupted in its most complete performance of the week. After falling behind early, the Prayers answered with a four‑run fifth inning highlighted by Eli Murguia’s solo homer and José Rubbi’s three‑run blast. The lineup kept applying pressure, forcing Seattle starter Enrique Gaytan from the game and then punishing the bullpen.
George MacDonald delivered the decisive blow in the sixth, launching a three‑run homer to extend the lead to 7–4. From there, Sacramento piled on with additional home runs from Gil Cruz and Edwin Musco, turning the game into a comfortable win.
Ricky Gaias didn’t have his sharpest command, allowing 10 hits in 5.1 innings, but he limited the damage and let the offense take over. Matt Wright handled the final 3.2 innings with poise, earning his first save of the season.
“We weren’t chasing big swings — just good at‑bats stacked together. That’s when we’re at our best. And when we’re patient, opposing pitchers start making mistakes,” MacDonald said. “Tonight those mistakes showed up in bunches.”
★ ★ ★
Thursday, April 19 — Lucifers 1, Prayers 0 (Lucifers Park)
Sacramento’s five‑game winning streak ended in a frustrating shutout loss. Sometimes, baseball just isn't fair, and Jordan Rubalcava deserved better. "Pluto" pitched brilliantly, allowing only three hits across eight innings, but one of them — a first‑inning RBI double by Gus Arispe — proved decisive.
The Prayers had chances, including a pair of runners in scoring position in the sixth and eighth, but Seattle starter Nelson Huichapa repeatedly worked out of trouble with well‑located fastballs and a sharp curve. Sacramento managed only four hits and never found the timely swing they needed.
“That’s baseball,” Rubalcava said. “You tip your cap and get ready for tomorrow.”
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak but left no visible residue.
“Rubby gave us everything we needed. We just didn’t hold up our end,” Jimmy Aces told reporters after the game.
★ ★ ★
Friday, April 20 — Prayers 3, Priests 1 (Sacramento Stadium)
Back home in Sacramento for the "Holy War" against Brooklyn, Prayers reverted to its preferred script: clean pitching, one timely swing, lights out late. Robby Larson delivered his best outing of the season, scattering five hits over 6.1 innings and allowing only a single run in the sixth.
The Prayers struck early with two runs in the first, including a sharp RBI double from George MacDonald. Brooklyn cut the lead in half, but Sacramento restored the cushion in the sixth when Alex Vieyra doubled home a run with two outs.
Gil Caliari and Luis Prieto handled the final eight outs, with Prieto earning his seventh save despite pitching through mild abdominal soreness.
“I just wanted to keep the ball down and let the defense work. They did the rest.” said Robby Larson in the dressing room. “That’s us,” Aces said. “Pressure’s on them, not us.”
★ ★ ★
Saturday, April 21 — Priests 9, Prayers 4 (Sacramento Stadium)
This was the week’s lone lopsided loss, and it was shaped early. On Saturday to forget Russ Gray struggled from the outset, giving up four runs in the second inning — including a bases‑clearing triple by Luke Reddick — and two more in the third. Sacramento’s defense didn’t help, committing two errors that extended innings and forced Gray to throw stress pitches.
The Prayers chipped away with single runs in the second, third, and fourth, but they never mounted a sustained rally. Brooklyn’s bullpen held firm, and the Priests added three insurance runs late against Aaron Gilbert.
Sacramento collected 13 hits but stranded 13 runners, a theme that defined the loss as much as the early deficit.
“We had traffic all night. We just didn’t convert.” — Bret Perez summed the game up.
★ ★ ★
FAN SENTIMENT
Sacramento fans remain overwhelmingly positive. The team’s 14–5 record, strong pitching, and balanced lineup have created a sense of early‑season confidence. The only concerns voiced this week:
- The bullpen workload, especially with Prieto nursing soreness.
- The defense, which committed several costly errors late in the week.
- The inconsistency of the bottom third of the lineup.
Still, the general mood is upbeat: fans believe this team is built for the long haul.
★ ★ ★
AROUND THE HORN: LEAGUE OBSERVATIONS
The Washington Devils are currently the class of the AL East at 12-9, but they’ve got the Messiahs and Bishops breathing down their necks. Over in the National League, the Detroit Preachers (14-7) are the only team keeping pace with Sacramento’s win total. It seems the "Religious Era" of baseball is in full swing this 1990 season!
Seattle continues to struggle offensively despite quality starting pitching. Brooklyn’s bullpen depth is already being tested heavily in April. Several AL clubs have begun skipping starters due to early workload concerns.
★ ★ ★
THE INFIRMARY
The training room is getting crowded, and it's starting to hurt our depth.
- CL Luis Prieto: The heart of our bullpen is dealing with abdominal soreness. He’s listed as Day-to-Day, and the team is hopeful he won't miss significant time.
- RP Aaron Gilbert: Left the game on 4/21 with an undisclosed injury while pitching. We are awaiting the official diagnosis, but he’s expected to miss his next few appearances.
- SP Fernando Salazar Still two months out with that elbow stress reaction. We miss you, Fernando!
★ ★ ★
THE FRONT PEW: FAN MAIL
"Dear Gemmy,
I love the Prayers, but I’m confused. This week we played the Abbots, the Lucifers, and the Priests. I can’t tell if I’m looking at the standings or a Sunday school syllabus. When do we play a team named after a normal animal, like a Tiger or a Bear?
— Confused in Carmichael"
Gemmy: Listen, Confused, in this league, you’re either the hunter or the sacrifice. Personally, I like the theme. It makes every series feel like an exorcism. Besides, have you seen the Lucifers' mascot? That thing is terrifying. I’d much rather be a "Prayer" than whatever is going on in Seattle!
★ ★ ★
Gemmy’s Take
This was not a highlight-reel week — and that’s exactly why it mattered.
Sacramento played six games decided by two runs or fewer and went 5–1. That’s not luck. That’s structure. It’s the bullpen knowing its lanes. It’s starters understanding when to nibble and when to challenge. It’s hitters taking sacrifice flies seriously in April.
The Rubalcava loss on Thursday? That’s the one that tells me the most. Ten years ago, teams carried those losses like a bad bruise. This club treated it like a line item.
Also: Fernando Salazar’s Saturday start deserves more credit than it’ll get. After giving up three in the second, he stopped the bleeding completely. That’s a veteran skill, and it saves bullpens in August even if no one remembers it now.
And yes — Prieto already looks overworked on paper. But watch the innings. No drama. No traffic. That matters more than totals.
Sacramento didn’t dominate the week. They handled it. And that’s how good teams quietly scare everyone else by June.
★ ★ ★
LOOKING AHEAD
The Prayers close out the homestand with Brooklyn before heading to San Antonio for a three‑game set. The Hell Fire have been inconsistent but dangerous, and their left‑handed starters could test Sacramento’s right‑heavy lineup.