Sacramento Prayers - 1988 FLB Season

[liberty-ca]

BNN WEEK IN RETROSPECT – PRAYERS WEEKLY
Sacramento Prayers: April 22–28, 1990
By Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot – Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle

The Sacramento Prayers completed one of their most demanding and revealing stretches of the young season, navigating a 7‑game slate that included a 12‑inning walk‑off, a three‑game road sweep in San Antonio, and a tightly contested home series against the San Jose Demons.

What a week to be a baseball fan in Sacramento. Prayers finished the week 6-1, improving to 20–6, maintaining first place in the AL West, and continuing to show the blend of pitching depth, opportunistic offense, and late‑inning steadiness that has defined their April.

This week also marked the emergence of several key storylines:
- Bernardo Andretti and Jordan Rubalcava continued to pitch like co‑aces.
- Alex Velasquez delivered one of the most efficient power performances of the season.
- The bullpen, despite injuries and heavy usage, held together in high‑leverage moments.
- The offense, while inconsistent, produced timely innings that swung multiple games.

Winning formula is simple: historic pitching combined with timely power. While we finally saw the armor chinked in the Saturday finale against San Jose, the Prayers are currently the most feared team in the league. Let's look at how we got here.

★ ★ ★

Sunday, April 22 — Prayers 9, Priests 8 (12 innings) (Sacramento Stadium)

Sacramento opened the week with its longest and most winding contest of the season, a 12‑inning affair that tested both bullpens and required the Prayers to erase a five‑run deficit in the ninth inning.

Brooklyn built an early 5–1 lead behind a barrage of doubles and a bases‑loaded gapper from Luke Reddick, who was the most impactful player on either side. Sacramento’s offense, quiet for most of the afternoon, finally broke through in the ninth when Hector Iniguez launched a three‑run homer to left, trimming the deficit to 8–6. Two batters later, George MacDonald punched a two‑out RBI single, and Edwin Musco followed with a game‑tying knock that sent the stadium into a low‑roar disbelief.

Both teams traded zeroes until the 12th, when Larry Mansfield, inserted as a defensive replacement earlier, lifted a medium‑deep fly ball to center with the bases loaded. It wasn’t flashy, but it was enough — the winning run crossed easily.

Afterward, Mansfield summed it up simply: “We weren’t perfect today, but we stayed in it. That’s what matters.”

Luis Prieto earned the win with three innings of work, despite surrendering a late two‑run homer to Reddick.

“You don’t win those unless everyone stays locked in,” manager Jimmy Aces said afterward. “That’s the encouraging part.”

★ ★ ★

Monday, April 23 — Prayers 3, Hell Fire 1 (Ballpark of San Antonio)

Ricky Gaias moved to 4-0 with a surgical 7.2-inning performance. Gaias delivered another composed, workmanlike outing, navigating San Antonio’s right‑handed lineup with a steady mix of sinkers and late‑breaking sliders. His only blemish came in the fifth, when a leadoff triple eventually scored on a sacrifice fly.

Ricky Gaias, commenting on his workload: “I’m comfortable going deep. That’s part of my job.”

Sacramento’s offense was scattered but productive enough. Eli Murguia opened the scoring with a sharp RBI single in the third, and in the eighth, Jesus Rodriguez punched a clean single through the left side to break a 1–1 tie. Alex Vieyra added an insurance run in the ninth.

Manager Jimmy Aces praised the team’s approach. “We didn’t force anything. We took what the game gave us. We’re throwing strikes and letting the defense work,” Aces said. “That travels.”

★ ★ ★

Tuesday, April 24 — Prayers 2, Hell Fire 0 (Ballpark of San Antonio)

This was the Jordan Rubalcava game — a performance that will likely be referenced for months. The right‑hander was in full command, striking out 10 and allowing only four hits across eight innings. His fastball had late life, and his curveball repeatedly froze hitters on the outer edge.

The game remained scoreless until the eighth, when Eli Murguia turned on a middle‑in fastball for a two‑run homer. It was one of Sacramento’s few clean swings of the night, but it was all they needed.

Rubalcava, typically understated, offered a short assessment: “I felt in rhythm. That’s really it. I didn’t overthink anything, just executed.”

Prieto closed the ninth for his eighth save.

★ ★ ★

Wednesday, April 25 — Prayers 5, Hell Fire 1 (Ballpark of San Antonio)

Sacramento completed the road sweep behind Robby Larson, who delivered his sharpest outing of the season. Larson coasted behind the five-run cushion, tossing 8 innings of one-run ball and showing improved command of his two‑seamer. The Prayers' rotation is making opposing hitters look like they’re swinging underwater.

The offensive highlight belonged to Alex Velasquez, who launched a grand slam in the third inning — a no‑doubt shot to left that immediately changed the tone of the game. Velasquez reached base four times and drove in all but one of Sacramento’s runs.

After the game was over, Alex Velasquez commented on his grand slam: “He gave me a pitch I could handle. I didn’t miss it.” San Antonio manager Gerardo Pinal acknowledged the challenge: “We didn’t have an answer for Velasquez tonight.”

The road swing moved Sacramento to 18–5 and reinforced its hold on first place in the West.

★ ★ ★

Thursday, April 26 — Prayers 4, Demons 3 (Sacramento Stadium)

Returning home, Sacramento leaned on veteran right‑hander Russ Gray, who delivered a steady seven‑inning performance. Gray allowed three runs, two of them earned, and worked efficiently through San Jose’s left‑heavy lineup.

The decisive swing came early: George MacDonald’s three‑run homer in the first inning, a towering shot to right‑center that gave Sacramento a 4–0 cushion. The Prayers didn’t score again, but the early burst held up thanks to timely defense and a clean ninth from Luis Prieto and in the end the Prayers hung on for the narrow win. Sacramento improved to 19–5, continuing a strong run against divisional opponents.

Gray reflected on the outing: “We weren’t perfect, but we stayed composed. That’s how you win tight ones.”

★ ★ ★

Friday, April 27 — Prayers 3, Demons 2 (Sacramento Stadium)

Bernardo Andretti continued his strong April throwing 90 pitches and rarely letting San Jose square the ball up. He was the star on the mound with eight innings of one‑run baseball, mixing early-count strikes with a willingness to challenge hitters inside. His only run allowed came on a soft single in the third.

Sacramento’s offense was modest but efficient. Bret Perez tripled in the fifth and later scored, while Gus Cruz added a sacrifice fly. Hector Iniguez contributed a key RBI single in the first.

Andretti described his approach: “Just trying to stay consistent. One pitch at a time. It’s a mindset, just trying to do your job, trying to be consistent.”

The win pushed the Prayers to 20–5, keeping San Jose at arm’s length in the division race. Prieto earned his 10th save despite a shaky 9th.

★ ★ ★

Saturday, April 28 — Demons 3, Prayers 2 (Sacramento Stadium)

The streak finally snapped — the Prayers could not complete the sweep, despite another solid outing from the rotation. The week closed with a narrow loss, despite another quality outing from Ricky Gaias, who allowed three runs across 6.1 innings. Sacramento had multiple chances late but stranded runners in the seventh, eighth, and ninth.

The key moment came in the fourth, when San Jose’s Jason Crane delivered a two‑out RBI single to extend the Demons’ lead to 3–1. Sacramento answered with an RBI triple from Eli Murguia, but the offense couldn’t push across the tying run. A late pinch-hitting appearance by Raul Cardenas in the 9th provided hope, but with the last out Sacramento left 11 men on base — a rare moment of inefficiency for this high-octane squad.

“They did what it takes to win,” San Jose manager Mike Phillips said. Manager Jimmy Aces kept his side's perspective: “We had opportunities. Some days they fall, some days they don’t.”

The loss dropped Sacramento to 20–6, still comfortably atop the West.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE NEWS & INFO

The Prayers are officially the gold standard of the American League. They currently lead the AL in Home Runs (36), Slugging (.436), and ERA (2.60). It is incredibly rare to see a team dominate both the power and pitching categories simultaneously. Around the league, scouts are taking notice of Sacramento's strikeout rate — our pitchers lead the league with 187 punchouts, while our hitters are also tied for the most strikeouts. It’s "all or nothing" baseball, and right now, it’s mostly "all."

San Jose remains Sacramento’s closest challenger in the West but struggled to generate consistent offense during the series.
Fort Worth and Tucson continue to hover near .500, while Seattle and El Paso have fallen further back.

★ ★ ★

CONTRACT NEWS

With George MacDonald (.333 AVG, 3 HR) and Jordan Rubalcava (0.98 ERA) performing at MVP and Cy Young levels respectively, the front office is reportedly beginning internal discussions regarding mid-season extensions. Both players are approaching critical arbitration years, and the Prayers would be wise to lock down the core of this 20-6 start before the price tag hits the stratosphere.

According to some insider sources, several minor and major extension talks are being held in the moment, and some of them might come to fruition as early, as next week.

★ ★ ★

FAN SENTIMENT

Sacramento fans remain energized by the team’s 20–6 start. The most common themes this week:

- Confidence in the rotation, especially Rubalcava and Andretti.
- Growing appreciation for Velasquez, who has become a fan favorite for his selective aggression at the plate.
- Mild concern about offensive inconsistency, particularly with runners in scoring position.
- High praise for the bullpen, even with Prieto pitching through minor soreness.

One fan outside Sacramento Stadium summed it up:
“This team feels steady. Even when they’re behind, you don’t feel like they’re out of it.”

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL

"Dear Gemmy, why is Larry Mansfield only getting pinch-hit appearances? The guy is hitting .667! Play the man!" — Sactown Sam

Gemmy: Sam, I hear you! Mansfield is the ultimate "break glass in case of emergency" player. While the .667 average looks like a typo, Manager Jimmy Aces seems to love him in that high-leverage sub role. If Murguia or Velasquez hit a cold snap, expect Mansfield to see the grass a bit more often.

"Do you think the pitching can actually stay this good? A 2.60 ERA feels like a fantasy." — ERA-Enthusiast

Gemmy: It’s definitely unsustainable over 162 games, but enjoy the ride! When you have a rotation where the "worst" ERA is still better than most teams' aces, you’re in a dream scenario. Regression will come, but this staff is legit.

★ ★ ★

Gemmy’s Take

This was a week about edges — not blowouts, not fireworks, just edges.

Sacramento played five games decided by two runs or fewer and won four of them. That’s not luck, and it’s not noise. It’s pattern. The Prayers are now 9–2 in one-run games, and that number always makes historians nervous in April. But here’s the thing: this doesn’t feel flimsy.

Andretti on Friday was a master class in pitch economy. Ninety pitches. Eight innings. Three hits. That’s not overpowering; that’s grown-up pitching. And the bullpen? Still boring. Still excellent. Still a gift.

Saturday’s loss matters too — maybe more than the wins. The offense had chances and didn’t convert, and that’s going to happen. The key is that it didn’t spiral. No sloppy innings. No emotional hangover.

At 20–6, Sacramento isn’t sprinting. It’s pacing itself. That’s what championship teams do in April — they stack small advantages and let other teams exhaust themselves trying to catch up.

And one more thing: this division race isn’t over, but San Jose just spent three days being reminded how narrow the margins are when you’re chasing the team on top.

★ ★ ★

LOOKING AHEAD

The Prayers close April with a home game against San Jose before hosting the El Paso Abbots for a three‑game set and welcoming the Boston Messiahs to open May. With the rotation aligned and the bullpen stabilizing, Sacramento enters the new week with momentum and a chance to widen its division lead.

[liberty-ca]

BNN WEEK IN RETROSPECT – PRAYERS WEEKLY
SACRAMENTO PRAYERS: APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 1990
By Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot – Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle

What a week to be a fan of the Sacramento Prayers! While the team continues to pummel the American League West — sitting pretty with a 24-8 record and a commanding 6-game lead — the real fireworks happened in the front office. General Manager Jimmy Aces didn't just stand pat; he opened the vault.

In a massive show of confidence, the Prayers secured the spine of their roster. The headline? Robby Larson and Luis Prieto aren't going anywhere. Larson inked a 5-year, $4.56M extension, a fair price for a man who just gave us 8.1 innings of gem-work against Boston. Meanwhile, our lockdown closer Prieto signed his own 5-year deal worth $3.15M. If you want to win championships, you keep the guys who start the fire and the guys who put it out.

With Edwin Musco hitting a blistering .458 over his last six games, this team feels less like a hot start and more like a permanent fixture at the top of the standings.

The Sacramento Prayers entered the final days of April with a 20–6 record and the look of a club that had already settled into its identity: deep, relentless, and capable of winning games in multiple shapes. What followed was a week that tested their stamina, their bullpen, and their ability to absorb the occasional misstep without losing their footing. They are still perched atop the West, still dictating the pace of the division, and still showing the kind of roster-wide resilience that separates good teams from those with October ambitions.

★ ★ ★

Sunday, April 29 — Demons 5, Prayers 4

A rare slip-up at home. Sacramento’s week began with a narrow loss that felt more like a missed opportunity than a setback. Edwin Musco authored one of his finest offensive performances of the season — a 3-for-4 afternoon with two doubles and two RBI — but the Prayers couldn’t quite match San Jose’s timely hitting.

Jordan Rubalcava wasn’t at his sharpest, though he battled through 6.2 innings and kept the game within reach. The decisive moment came in the seventh, when Pablo Bocanegra delivered a two-out RBI single to push the Demons ahead 5–4. Sacramento had baserunners in the eighth and ninth but couldn't find the magic in the final frames and cash them in.

It was a reminder that even elite teams occasionally lose the coin-flip games.

★ ★ ★

Monday, April 30 — Prayers 9, Abbots 8 (12 innings)

If Sunday was a missed chance, Monday was a reclamation. Sacramento played a messy, uneven, occasionally chaotic game — and still found a way to win.

The Prayers trailed 3–0, then 5–1, then 7–3, then 8–6. They tied it in the eighth, tied it again in the ninth, and finally walked it off in the twelfth on Larry Mansfield’s sharp single to left. Mansfield, who has quietly become one of the league’s most effective late-inning bench weapons, delivered his second walk-off hit in eight days.

Francisco Hernández homered in the twelfth to set the stage, and Edwin Musco reached base four times, continuing his torrid stretch. Chris Ryan earned the win after absorbing the Abbots’ final push in the top of the twelfth.

It wasn’t pretty, but it was emblematic of Sacramento’s defining trait: they simply do not go away.

★ ★ ★

Tuesday, May 1 — Abbots 4, Prayers 0

The bats went cold. Sacramento’s offense, so explosive the night before, evaporated against El Paso right-hander Alex Garcia. The Prayers managed just five singles and never mounted a sustained threat. Russ Gray pitched better than his line suggested — two of the runs against him came with two outs — but the lack of run support made the margin irrelevant.

It was only the second time all season Sacramento had been shut out. The club didn’t panic; they simply turned the page.

★ ★ ★

Wednesday, May 2 — Prayers 5, Abbots 4

The Prayers responded exactly as a first-place team should: with a composed, methodical win built on patience and execution.

Edwin Musco once again took center stage. The shortstop homered in the fourth, doubled home two more in the eighth, and reached base three times. His eighth-inning double — a laser into the left-center gap — flipped a 3–2 deficit into a 4–3 lead. Sacramento added an insurance run on Alex Velasquez’s double moments later.

Bernardo Andretti pitched into the eighth, Chris Ryan earned his second win of the week, and Luis Prieto collected save No. 11 despite surrendering a solo homer to Danny Hurt.

Musco’s performance pushed him into the league’s top tier of early-season MVP candidates.

★ ★ ★

Friday, May 4 — Prayers 2, Messiahs 1 (Walk-Off)

A classic pitcher's duel. After a well-earned off day, Sacramento returned home and immediately found itself in another tight, low-scoring contest. Jordan Rubalcava delivered seven innings of one-run ball, continuing his season-long dominance. Boston’s pitching matched him nearly pitch for pitch, and the game entered the ninth tied 1–1.

Gil Cruz, who had been searching for a signature moment all season, finally found one. With runners on the corners and one out, he lined a clean single into right-center to win the game. The dugout poured onto the field, and Cruz — usually stoic — allowed himself a rare grin.

It was Sacramento’s third walk-off victory in six days.

★ ★ ★

Saturday, May 5 — Prayers 8, Messiahs 3

The week closed with one of Sacramento’s most complete performances of the season.

Robby Larson, fresh off signing a five-year extension, looked every bit the ace and rewarded the front office’s faith with 8.1 steady innings. He scattered six hits, struck out five, and allowed only one damaging swing — a solo homer by C. Lang in the eighth. “Robby’s got a slow heartbeat,” Aces said. “He doesn’t panic or rush. That’s what you want when the lineup starts turning over.”

The offense, meanwhile, was balanced and opportunistic and backed Larsson up with an 11-hit parade. Bret Perez reached base three times. Eli Murguia doubled and drove in a run. Alex Velasquez homered. And Edwin Musco continued his blistering pace with a double, a triple, and another RBI.

By the time Gil Caliari recorded the final out, Sacramento had secured its 24th win — and its seventh in the last ten games.

★ ★ ★

WEEK IN REVIEW

• Record: 4–2 (Overall: 24–8)
• Run Differential This Week: 28–25
• Walk-Off Wins: 2
• Batter of the Week: SS Edwin Musco Musco hit .458 with two homers, three doubles, and eight RBI across the six-game stretch. He now leads the club in average, homers, RBI, OPS, and WAR.
• Pitcher of the Week: Jordan Rubalcava One start, seven innings, one run, five strikeouts. His ERA sits at 1.51 — second-best in the American League.

★ ★ ★

INJURY REPORT

Fernando Salazar (RHP) — stress reaction in elbow; remains on the injured list, eligible to return later this summer.

★ ★ ★

CONTRACTS & TRANSACTIONS

• Luis Prieto — signed to a five-year, $3.15M extension
• Robby Larson — signed to a five-year, $4.56M extension
• Hector Iniguez — signed to a five-year, $1.76M extension

Additional one-year and minor-league extensions finalized during the week.

★ ★ ★

AROUND THE LEAGUE

The Prayers aren't the only ones making noise. In the AL East, Columbus is holding a slim lead over the Washington Devils, while the Boston Messiahs are hovering just above .500 after their rough trip to Sacramento.

Over in the National League, the Charlotte Monks (.588) and the Detroit Preachers (.576) are locked in a dogfight for the East. Meanwhile, out West, the Los Angeles Saints are the class of the circuit, though the Long Beach Diablos are breathing down their necks, just half a game back.

Prayers rank among league leaders in ERA, run differential, and bullpen WHIP.

★ ★ ★

THE PRAYER BOX (FAN MAIL)

"Gemmy, with all these contract extensions, are we going to have any money left to buy a hot dog at the stadium next year? $4.5 million for Larson seems like a lot of franks!"
— Hungry in Highland Park

Gemmy: Look, Hungry, if Larson keeps pitching 8 innings of 3-run ball, I’ll personally buy you a dog! In all seriousness, the market is shifting. Locking in a workhorse like Larson now prevents us from getting outbid in free agency later. It’s a win for the fans, even if the concessions get a little pricier.

"Is Edwin Musco human? I saw him hit a triple and a double in the same game. I'm starting to think he's a robot designed in a lab."
— SacTownSkeptic

Gemmy: If he is a robot, I hope nobody checks his batteries until October. Musco is seeing the ball like it’s a beachball right now. His slugging percentage is up to .636. That's not just "hot," that's "call the fire department" territory.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

There’s a temptation to hunt for a defining moment every week — a walk-off, a brawl, a 14-run inning. This wasn’t that kind of week.

Instead, Sacramento showed something rarer: repetition. Same approach, different game shapes. Blowouts, grinders, early leads, late leads — it didn’t matter. The Prayers looked prepared for all of it. And that Larson extension? That wasn’t a reward for one afternoon. It was a bet on this exact kind of steadiness.

You don’t win titles in April or May. But you do build habits. Sacramento’s habits look expensive — and worth every dollar.

★ ★ ★

LOOKING AHEAD
The Prayers enter the second week of May with a four-game lead over San Jose and a schedule that includes:

- vs Boston (series finale)
- at Fort Worth (3 games)
- at Tucson (3 games)

The rotation is aligned, the bullpen is rested, and the lineup is producing up and down the order. Sacramento has the look of a club that understands the value of every game in a long season — and plays like it.

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY: MAY 6–12, 1990
By C.O. Pilot, Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle

TUCSON — A week that began with Sacramento sitting atop the American League West at 25–8 ended with the club suddenly looking mortal, bruised by a five‑game losing streak and searching for answers as the calendar crept toward mid‑May.

The Prayers still hold first place, still boast the league’s most dynamic shortstop in Edwin Musco, and still have a rotation that — when rested — can go pitch‑for‑pitch with anyone. But the past seven days offered a reminder that even the league’s best can wobble when the schedule tightens and the bullpen is stretched thin. The wheels haven't fallen off the wagon yet, but they’re definitely wobbling.

What follows is the full chronicle of a turbulent, revealing week for Sacramento.

★ ★ ★

SUNDAY, MAY 6 — PRAYERS 4, MESSIAHS 2
Sacramento closes out Boston behind Gaias, Musco, and timely execution

The week started on a high note at Sacramento Stadium with a crisp, workmanlike win over Boston, the kind of game Sacramento has made routine in 1990. Ricky Gaias delivered 6.1 innings of sharp, no‑nonsense pitching, striking out nine without issuing a walk. His fastball had late life, his slider stayed on the hands, and Boston never looked comfortable.

The offense didn’t overwhelm, but it didn’t need to. Edwin Musco continued his torrid stretch, doubling in the fifth and homering in the seventh — his ninth of the season, a no‑doubt shot to left that brought the crowd to its feet.

The pivotal moment came earlier, though, in the fourth. With the bases loaded and one out, Jose Rubbi lifted a deep sacrifice fly to right.

“I’m just trying to make good contact,” Rubbi said afterward. “One at‑bat at a time.”

Sacramento left the ballpark that night at 25–8, winners of seven of their last nine, and looking every bit like the class of the league.

Little did we know the "Music City" was about to change the tune. They would not win again for six days.

★ ★ ★

TUESDAY, MAY 8 — ANGELS 7, PRAYERS 2
Shank and Serrano ambush Sacramento; offense strands 11

The road trip to Nashville began with a thud in Anaheim. The Angels, a streaky but dangerous club, jumped on Bernardo Andretti early and never let Sacramento breathe. Andretti took his first loss of the season, struggling to contain the Angels' persistent attack.

The story of the night was John Shank, Nashville's one-man wrecking crew, who went 3‑for‑4 with a double, a homer, and three runs scored. His seventh‑inning blast off Aaron Gilbert effectively sealed the game.

Sacramento had chances—plenty of them. Ten hits, four walks, and a parade of baserunners. But the Prayers stranded 11, including five in scoring position with two outs.

“We put runners on, we just didn’t finish innings,” manager Jimmy Aces said. “That’s the difference between a competitive loss and a win.”

★ ★ ★

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 — ANGELS 6, PRAYERS 5 (12 INNINGS)
A marathon, a missed opportunity, and a walk‑off dagger

If Tuesday was frustrating, Wednesday was downright exasperating. The "Game of the Week" was also the most painful.

Sacramento jumped out to a 3–0 lead in the first, added another in the third, and looked poised to steady themselves. But Nashville chipped away, then surged ahead on a Carlos Vargas two‑run homer in the seventh.

Still, the Prayers fought back. Edwin Musco tied the game with a two‑out RBI single in the fourth. Luis Prieto delivered three scoreless innings of relief — his best work of the season.

But in the twelfth, with Chris Ryan on the mound and the bullpen running on fumes, Edwin Frescas lined a double into the right‑center gap to send the home crowd home happy and the Prayers to the locker room in silence.

“This was one of those ‘not to be denied’ games,” Angels manager Dusty Donovan said.

Sacramento, meanwhile, trudged off the field knowing they had let another winnable game slip away.

★ ★ ★

THURSDAY, MAY 10 — ANGELS 6, PRAYERS 2
Thomas dominates; Sacramento’s bats go quiet again

The sweep was completed with a performance that left Sacramento shaking its head. Nashville starter Steven Thomas carved through the Prayers’ lineup with surgical precision — seven innings, ten strikeouts, one walk, and almost no hard contact.

The lone bright spot was George MacDonald, who homered in the fourth and doubled in the ninth. But the rest of the lineup mustered just five hits. Prayers' bats were starting to catch a cold.

Sacramento’s defense was clean, the bullpen held together, and the opportunities were there. But the Angels executed, and the Prayers didn’t.

“We’re pressing,” Aces admitted. “We’re trying to win games with one swing instead of one inning at a time.”

★ ★ ★

FRIDAY, MAY 11 — CHERUBS 5, PRAYERS 2
Costner torches Sacramento; Gaias takes rare misstep

Moving on to Tucson didn't change the luck. The losing streak reached four as the Prayers traveled to Tucson and ran into a red‑hot J.J. Costner. The Cherubs’ right fielder torched Sacramento pitching, going 4‑for‑4 with two doubles and two RBI, including a seventh‑inning shot down the line that broke the game open.

Ricky Gaias, so steady all season, finally blinked. Tucson tagged him for five runs on nine hits, including a pair of home runs.

Sacramento again left runners everywhere — 11 stranded, six in scoring position.

“We’re getting guys on,” Eli Murguia said. “We’re just not getting that one swing to change the inning.”

★ ★ ★

SATURDAY, MAY 12 — CHERUBS 7, PRAYERS 2
de Leon’s four‑hit masterpiece hands Sacramento its fifth straight loss

Yesterday was more of the same. The week ended with another thump, this time courtesy of Dave de Leon, who delivered one of the best individual performances Sacramento has seen all year, feasted on Sacramento’s arms, going 4‑for‑4 with two doubles, a homer, and four RBI.

The Prayers actually scored first, thanks to Bret Perez and Alejandro Lopez, but the lead evaporated quickly. Tucson scored in the first, third, fifth, and seventh, steadily pulling away while Sacramento’s offense sputtered.

Russ Gray battled but couldn’t contain the middle of the Cherubs’ order. Aaron Gilbert was hit hard in relief. And the Prayers, for the fifth straight game, never found the big inning they needed.

“Today was a lot of fun,” de Leon said afterward, a quote Sacramento fans will not enjoy reading.

★ ★ ★

WEEK IN REVIEW: A CONTENDER STAGGERS, BUT DOES NOT FALL

Sacramento finishes the week 25–13, still in first place, still with the league’s best run differential in the West, still with the best closer in baseball under contract for five more years.

But the warning signs are real:

- The rotation is tired.
- The bullpen is overworked.
- The offense is leaving entire lineups on base.
- And the team’s identity — relentless, opportunistic, unflappable — wavered for the first time all season.

The good news? They remain the most talented roster in the division, and Edwin Musco is playing like an MVP.

The bad news? The schedule doesn’t ease up. A four‑game set in Fort Worth looms, and the Spirits — though flawed — can hit.

Still, the clubhouse remains calm. “We’re not panicking,” Musco said. “We know who we are. We’ll get back to playing our baseball.” If history is any guide, he’s right. But after a 1–5 week, Sacramento suddenly has something it hasn’t felt in a month: urgency.

★ ★ ★

League-Wide News & Standings

The Prayers still hold the best record in the American League at 25-13, but the San Jose Demons (24-16) are now breathing down our necks, trailing by only 2.0 games.

In the AL East, the Columbus Heaven (24-16) are the hottest team in the division, holding a 3.5-game lead over the Boston Messiahs. Over in the National League, the Charlotte Monks (25-15) and Long Beach Diablos (24-15) are setting the pace.

★ ★ ★

The Contract Corner

The front office has been busy despite the slump.

* Alex Velasquez (RF): In a major move, the Prayers locked up Velasquez with a 4-year extension worth $1,620,000. Clearly, the team sees him as a cornerstone of the outfield.
* Bill Marcos (SS): Signed a 1-year extension worth $38,000 to provide depth.
* Willie Gonzalez (1B): Secured a minor league contract extension.

★ ★ ★

Who’s Hot

* SS Edwin Musco: Even during a team slump, Musco is hitting a blistering .455 with 3 HRs over his last 11 games. He’s the engine keeping this offense alive.
* 1B George MacDonald: Showing signs of life with a .317 average and some recent pop.

Who’s Not

* The Bullpen: After a stellar April, the relief corps (specifically the middle relief) has struggled to hold narrow leads during this road trip.
* P Russ Gray: Currently sitting with an "Exhausted" status and an ERA creeping toward 5.00.

★ ★ ★

Fan Mail: "The Front Pew"

Dear Gemmy,
Is it time to panic? Five losses in a row feels like the world is ending. Are we actually good, or was April just a giant fluke?
— Nervous Ned in Natomas

Gemmy: Take a deep breath, Ned! Every great team has a "dog days" week. We’re still 12 games over .500 and leading the division. The pitching staff is tired and we’ve run into some hot hitters in Nashville and Tucson. If we don’t take at least two from Fort Worth next week, then you can start looking for the exit signs. For now, keep the faith!

[liberty-ca]

BNN WEEK IN RETROSPECT – PRAYERS WEEKLY
SACRAMENTO PRAYERS: MAY 13–19, 1990
By Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot – Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle

Baseball seasons don’t move in straight lines. They twist. They correct. They reveal. And this week revealed plenty. For a club that spent April looking untouchable, the middle of May has begun to feel like a long hallway with the lights flickering. The Sacramento Prayers, once 25–8 and lording over the American League West, suddenly found themselves staring at a five‑game losing streak, a lineup running cold, and a bullpen stretched thin. And as the week continued, the road only got bumpier.

Baseball is a cruel mistress, and this week, she took the Prayers on a tour of the American League’s most unforgiving basements. From the dry heat of Arizona to the rain-soaked grass of Texas and finally to the gritty harbors of Baltimore, our boys lived a season’s worth of drama in seven days. We leave the week still clinging to the top of the AL West at 28-17, but the lead feels a lot thinner than it did a week ago.

★ ★ ★

SUNDAY, MAY 13 — Tucson 1, Sacramento 0
Crossley’s Quiet Masterpiece

Sometimes a game turns into a standoff where one mistake — or one missed pitch — decides everything. That was Sunday night in Tucson. The Prayers started the week desperate for a reset. Instead, they ran into Tony Crossley, who spent fine evening dismantling Sacramento’s offense with the calm of a man folding laundry.

CTony Crossley silenced the Sacramento Prayers over eight crisp innings, and Reynaldo Saldivar finished it off as the Cherubs edged Sacramento, 1–0. The Prayers managed just five hits and never pushed a runner across, despite a few quiet chances.

Bernardo Andretti deserved better. The right-hander scattered five hits over 6⅔ innings and didn’t allow an earned run, but he was haunted by a ghost in the third inning. A routine ball to third turned into a nightmare when Bret Perez's throw went wide, allowing Tucson to scratch across the only run they would need. Andretti struck out five, walked three, and left the game having allowed just one run total.

Sacramento’s best threat came off the bat of Eli Murguia, who went 3-for-3 with a walk and accounted for more than half of the club’s hits. But the rest of the lineup couldn’t move him along. Gil Cruz stranded five runners, including one in scoring position with two outs.

Crossley, meanwhile, worked efficiently and confidently, mixing his pitches and keeping the Prayers from stringing anything together. “Tony is good at sticking to his strengths,” Tucson manager Russ Barrett said afterward — a fair summary of a night where Crossley never looked rattled.

Sacramento turned a clean double play behind Andretti and kept Tucson from adding on, but in a 1-0 game, there was no margin for error.

“We’re pressing, no doubt,” Andretti admitted afterward. “But pressing doesn’t score runs. We’ve got to breathe again.”

They say pitching wins championships, but it also ruins Sunday afternoons. The losing streak hit six.

★ ★ ★

MONDAY, MAY 14 (Game 1) — Fort Worth 3, Sacramento 2 (10 innings)
A Walk-Off That Felt Inevitable

This was a game that didn't know how to die. Originally scheduled for April 1, this game was suspended in the 7th inning due to a severe thunderstorm with both teams locked in a 2-2 tie. Resuming today as a first part of a doubleheader after a weather suspension, the atmosphere at Spirits Grounds was eerie. In the beginning it had the feel of a game Sacramento used to win. Tight, tense, low-scoring — the Prayers thrived in these in April. But May has been a different animal.

Bernardo Andretti made his second start in as many days and was solid again, but this time the margin cracked. He allowed a two-run homer to catcher Steve Schultz in the fourth inning and worked into the seventh before turning it over to the bullpen.

Sacramento scratched out runs in the second and sixth. Edwin Musco doubled and later scored, while Eli Murguia delivered a two-out RBI to keep the game even. The Prayers collected nine hits — two apiece from Francisco Hernandez and Musco — but couldn’t land a knockout blow.

Luis Prieto took the loss after allowing the decisive hit in the tenth. Fort Worth starter Luca Pedrotti pitched seven steady innings and set the tone. “What an exhilarating win,” Pedrotti said, and for the Spirits, it certainly was.

For Sacramento, it was another night of narrow frustration. Yes, Bernardo Andretti pitched well again, but the bullpen couldn’t hold a 2–2 tie into extras. Felix Hernandez tried to spark the engine with his 17th stolen base, but the Prayers couldn't find the knockout punch. In the tenth, the air went out of the balloon when Robby Lillard poked a single through the gap, handing Sacramento its seventh straight loss. The clubhouse felt like a funeral.

Seven straight losses. A season-high.

★ ★ ★

MONDAY, MAY 14 (Game 2) — Sacramento 3, Fort Worth 1
Rubalcava Stops the Bleeding

Every losing streak ends somewhere. For Sacramento, it ended in the nightcap, courtesy of Jordan Rubalcava, who pitched like a man tired of bad vibes. With the streak threatening to swallow the season, Rubalcava stepped onto the mound and said, "Not today." Over eight innings, "Pluto" was a Venezuelan whirlwind, yielding just five hits.

Eight innings. Five hits. One run. No walks. Total command. Chris Ryan closed it out cleanly for his second save. “At the end of the day, it’s always about your starting pitcher,” Jimmy Aces said. And for one night, it was.

Eli Murguia provided the early spark with a solo homer in the seventh, snapping a 0-0 deadlock. But the story was Bret Perez. Still wearing the shame of his Tucson error, Perez stepped up in the eighth with one runner on and the weight of a city on his shoulders. His two‑run homer on a pitch from reliever Ramon Berrios — a towering shot that left his bat with the sound of a man exhaling frustration — put Sacramento ahead for good. He didn't just hit a home run; he exorcised a demon. The 3-1 win snapped the skid and let Sacramento finally breathe.

The streak was over. After days of one-run losses, Sacramento finally had a clean, controlled win. The season, mercifully, resumed.

★ ★ ★

TUESDAY, MAY 15 — Fort Worth 2, Sacramento 1 (10 innings)
A Familiar Script, an Unwanted Ending

If you like offensive fireworks, you weren't in Fort Worth on Tuesday. This was a gritty, grinding affair.

Robby Larson pitched beautifully — 7.2 innings, ten hits but only one run allowed, working out of jam after jam. Edwin Musco homered again, his tenth, a laser to left that briefly gave Sacramento hope. For a while, it looked like that lone blast would hold. But the bullpen couldn't keep the door bolted.

In the bottom of the tenth, Phil Hicks played the villain, lining a single that sent the Spirits fans home happy and the Prayers back to the hotel wondering what they had to do to catch a break in extra innings. Luis Prieto absorbed his second straight loss after surrendering the deciding hit.

Fort Worth starter Chris Aubin was excellent, striking out six while working around six walks in seven innings. “A pretty good win,” manager Chris Tanner said — understated, but accurate.

For Sacramento, it was the familiar feeling of being close without being rewarded. The Prayers fell to 26–16, and the road trip continued to feel cursed.

★ ★ ★

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16 — Fort Worth 4, Sacramento 3
Salt in the Wound

The Sacramento Prayers let another tight game slip away Wednesday night, falling 4–3 to the Fort Worth Spirits despite collecting ten hits. Ricky Gaias, the early-season ace, took the mound needing a bounce-back. Instead, he ran into Cesar Caballaro, who turned the third inning into his personal fireworks show — a two‑run blast that put Fort Worth ahead and set the tone.

Francisco Hernandez set the tone early with a solo home run in the first inning, his sixth of the season, but Sacramento never managed to fully capitalize. The Prayers scored again in the fifth on Hector Iniguez’s two-out RBI single and briefly pulled even in the eighth when Hernandez came home for the second time, but Fort Worth had already done enough damage.

That damage came largely from Cesar Caballaro. The Spirits designated hitter delivered the decisive blow, launching a two-run homer off Ricky Gaias that capped a three-run frame and put Fort Worth in front for good. Caballaro finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and was named Player of the Game.

Gaias worked 7⅓ innings and absorbed the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits. He settled after the third inning but couldn’t erase the early deficit. “This was a good win,” Caballaro said afterward, summing up a night where Fort Worth made its key swings count.

Sacramento left eight men on base and went hitless in several key spots, including multiple chances with runners in scoring position and two outs. Mark Kaplan closed the door in the ninth for his ninth save as the Prayers dropped to 26–17.

The scoreline was bad, but the visual was worse. In the eighth inning, Gil Caliari pulled up lame, clutching his shoulder with a look of agony that usually means a long stint on the shelf. We lost the game, and more importantly, we lost a key arm in the pen.

“We’re taking punches right now,” Aces said. “But we’re still standing. That matters.”

★ ★ ★

FRIDAY, MAY 18 — Sacramento 7, Baltimore 1
The Charm City Correction

After a bruising, bewildering stretch in which Sacramento dropped nine of eleven and watched a once‑comfortable division lead shrink to a nervous two games, the Prayers arrived in Baltimore looking like a team in need of a reset. The clubhouse wasn’t panicked, but it was tight — the kind of tension that hangs in the air after too many late‑inning heartbreaks and too many long flights home with the lights off.

The flight to Baltimore must have been a productive one. The Prayers emerged from the dugout at Sinners Grounds looking like a different ballclub. Bernardo Andretti turned in one of his sharpest outings of the season Friday night, leading the Sacramento Prayers to a 7–1 win over the Baltimore Satans.

Andretti went eight strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits while walking one and striking out five. He threw 112 pitches and never allowed Baltimore to mount a serious rally. “It feels good,” Andretti said afterward, exhaling like a man who’d been holding the whole team on his shoulders. “Just a great win all around. We needed this.”

Sacramento jumped ahead immediately, scoring three times in the first inning. Bret Perez drove in two of those runs and finished the night 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Edwin Musco added a solo home run in the fifth — his 11th of the year — and later drove in another run as the Prayers steadily widened the gap.

Gil Cruz provided a boost from the designated hitter spot, knocking in two runs, while Alex Velasquez scored twice and chipped in with a hit. Sacramento totaled 11 hits and struck out 11 times, but consistently delivered in run-producing spots.

Baltimore managed only four hits, with designated hitter Domingo Hernandez accounting for three of them. Danny St. Clair worked a clean ninth to close it out as Sacramento improved to 27–17.

★ ★ ★

FRIDAY, MAY 19 — Sacramento 6, Baltimore 4
Cruz Sparks, Musco Delivers, and Sacramento Steals One Late

This was the game of the week. The Prayers led early, stumbled in the middle innings, and then — for the first time in nearly two weeks — punched back.

Baltimore’s three‑run sixth, capped by Victor Sanchez’s no‑doubt three‑run homer off Jordan Rubalcava, could have sent Sacramento spiraling again. Instead, the dugout stayed calm. Jimmy Aces walked the length of the bench, clapping shoulders, reminding his hitters that the game wasn’t over.

“I told them, ‘We’re not folding today,’” Aces said. “Not after the week we’ve had.”

The comeback started with Alex Velasquez, who has been streaky but dangerous. He crushed a solo homer in the seventh — his fourth of the year — to pull Sacramento within one. An inning later, Bret Perez tied it with a laser to left, his fifth homer, punctuating a weekend in which he looked like the player who carried the club in April.

But the moment of the night belonged to Edwin Musco, because of course it did.

With the game tied 4–4 in the ninth and two men aboard, Musco stepped in against Baltimore reliever Zach Plowden. The Satans shifted slightly right, expecting him to pull. Musco didn’t care. He stayed inside a cutter and shot a clean, clinical two‑run single into center.

Just like that, Sacramento led 6–4. Just like that, the losing streak was a memory.

“Winning never gets dull,” Gil Cruz said afterward with a grin, having homered earlier and watched Musco’s hit from the on‑deck circle. “But tonight? Tonight felt like we earned one back.”

Luis Prieto closed it out with his usual calm, securing save No. 13 and sealing a sweep that felt bigger than two wins in the standings. The victory moved the Prayers to 28–17 and maintained their hold atop the American League West.

★ ★ ★

THE WEEK IN CONTEXT
A Team Searching for Its April Self

The numbers tell the story:

- Record this week: 2–5
- Runs scored: 12
- Runs allowed: 21
- Losing streak: 7 games
- Injuries: Caliari (shoulder, 60‑day IL)

But numbers don’t capture the mood. The Prayers aren’t unraveling — they’re grinding. They’re frustrated, not fractured. And they’re still in first place.

Edwin Musco continues to hit like a man possessed (.315, 11 HR, 30 RBI). Bret Perez is heating up. Eli Murguia is finding his stroke again. And the rotation, despite the losses, remains the backbone.

This is a team in a valley, not a collapse.

★ ★ ★

Injury Report:

* Gil Caliari (RP): The diagnosis is in: shoulder inflammation. He’s on the 60-day IL and won't be seen until August.
* Fernando Salazar (P): Making progress on that elbow, but he's still over a month away.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL: Questions From The Front Pew

Dear Gemmy,
Is it just me, or does Bret Perez only hit home runs when I’m in the bathroom? I’ve missed three of his four homers this week because of overpriced stadium sodas. Should I stop drinking, or is my bladder the team's secret weapon?
— Hydrated in Section 104

Gemmy:Listen, pal, the team is 28-17. If your frequent trips to the porcelain throne are what’s fueling Bret’s power surge, you better start ordering the Jumbo Size. For the sake of the pennant, stay hydrated and stay away from the field. Your sacrifice is noted.

Dear Gemmy,
I saw Gil Cruz hit that homer in Baltimore and I nearly choked on my crab cake. Is he finally waking up, or was that just a lucky swing from a guy hitting .167?
— Baltimore Believer

Gemmy: Careful with those crab cakes, friend! Cruz has been a enigma wrapped in a slump all season, but that swing in Baltimore was pure muscle. When he connects, the ball stays hit. His average is an eyesore, but Jimmy Aces keeps him in the lineup for that exact reason: the threat of the long ball. Let’s hope he’s finally found his timing, or at least found a way to hit the ball where they aren't.

★ ★ ★

Gemmy’s Take

The road trip continues in Baltimore, then the Prayers finally return home to face the Los Angeles Saints. A softer landing? Maybe. But nothing feels soft when you’re trying to stop a skid. Still — this club has earned the benefit of the doubt. They’ve shown us who they can be. Now they need to remember it. And if baseball teaches anything, it’s that the next big moment is always one inning away.

If you wanted a week that explained the 1990 Prayers in miniature — not the mythology, not the record book, but the actual lived experience of this team — this was it.

Wednesday in Fort Worth was the kind of game that gnaws at you. Ten hits, no breathing room, one bad inning, and suddenly you’re staring at a loss that doesn’t feel earned or unearned — just missed. Those are the games that don’t show up in standings explanations but absolutely show up in clubhouse conversations. You could feel it in how tightly that game was played and how quiet it ended.

Then Baltimore happened — and that’s where you learn something.

Andretti on Friday didn’t just pitch well; he pitched like someone who knew the week could go sideways if he didn’t. Eight innings, three hits, one walk — that’s not flash, that’s authority. That’s the kind of start that tells a team, we’re not spiraling. And the offense listened. Perez, Musco, Cruz — simple swings, early runs, no nonsense.

Saturday was even more telling. Because that’s a game Sacramento doesn’t always win in April. Back-and-forth, a starter grinding, the other team landing a punch in the middle innings — those used to tilt the wrong way. Instead, Musco waits until the ninth and does what stars have done in this league since before half these teams existed: he shortens the game to one swing.

There’s a historical echo here, too. The great Prayers teams of the ’70s and early ’80s weren’t defined by blowouts. They were defined by answers. Somebody always answered. Sometimes it was a starter, sometimes a reliever, sometimes a shortstop with a bat that felt heavier than the moment.

This team? It’s answering more often than not.

Is it perfect? No. The bullpen is carrying a load. The division isn’t forgiving. And May doesn’t care about reputation. But weeks like this — where you absorb a frustrating loss, then calmly take two on the road — those are the weeks that quietly add up to something real.

And if you’re wondering whether that matters in May? Ask anyone who’s ever won 100 games. They’ll tell you it starts exactly here.

There is a fine line between a 'slump' and a 'collapse.' For a few days there in Texas, the Prayers were dancing on that line like a drunk on a tightrope. We survived the road trip, but our bullpen is now thinner than the plot of a B-movie. If Jimmy Aces doesn't find a way to replace Caliari's innings, we're going to be asking our starters to throw until their arms fall off.

[liberty-ca]

BNN WEEK IN RETROSPECT – PRAYERS WEEKLY
SACRAMENTO PRAYERS: MAY 20–26, 1990
By Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot – Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle

If the Prayers’ season were a book, this week would be the chapter where the protagonist barely escapes a burning building only to realize they left their keys inside. The Sacramento Prayers opened the new week with a difficult turn, dropping three straight games — the final contest of a road set in Baltimore followed by two at home against a hot Los Angeles Saints club. Early deficits, uneven starting pitching, and sustained pressure from opposing middle orders defined the first half of the week, leaving Sacramento searching for traction as the schedule tightened. But as the dust settles on Sacramento Stadium, our boys have found their footing. At 31-20, the Prayers still sit atop the AL West, holding a 4.0-game cushion over a surging San Jose squad.

★ ★ ★

Sunday, May 20 — at Baltimore Satans
Baltimore 6, Sacramento 1
Crashing in Charm City

The finale in Baltimore was a sobering reminder of how quickly a game can unravel. Sacramento’s road trip ended quietly Sunday night as the Baltimore Satans used a six-run burst over the first three innings to secure a 6–1 win at Sinners Grounds.

Ricky Larson didn’t survive the third inning, ambushed by a Satans lineup that strung together doubles, walks, and line‑drive singles with ruthless efficiency. Baltimore did its damage quickly, highlighted by Andres Castro’s two-run double in the first inning and a steady stream of extra-base hits that kept Sacramento pitching on the defensive.

Bruce Cruz controlled the game from the mound for Baltimore, working 7.1 innings and allowing just one unearned run. Sacramento scattered seven hits but failed to produce a run until Alejandro Lopez crossed the plate in the sixth, and even that felt like a concession rather than a rally. “If the effort is there, the wins will come,” Cruz told the Baltimore Gazette afterward. Sacramento could only nod grimly.

Edwin Musco went hitless in four at-bats and stranded three runners, while Murguia and Lopez combined for four of Sacramento’s seven hits.

Danny St. Clair and Aaron Gilbert stabilized matters out of the bullpen, combining for five scoreless innings and preventing the game from turning into a rout.

“They jumped us early, and against a guy throwing like that, it puts you in a corner,” manager Jimmy Aces said. “Our bullpen gave us a chance to stay respectable, but we didn’t mount much of a threat.”

Record: 28–18

★ ★ ★

Monday, May 21 — Los Angeles Saints at Sacramento
Los Angeles 6, Sacramento 3
The Grand Slam Heartbreak

The homestand began with a thud. The Saints carried their momentum west, using a devastating third inning to down the Prayers 6–3 in the opener of a three-game set.

After a scoreless first two innings, Los Angeles erupted for five runs in the third, capped by Luis Gonzalez’s grand slam off Ricky Gaias. The blast erased an early Sacramento response and proved to be the decisive swing of the night.

Eli Murguia paced the Prayers offensively, going 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored, while Musco and George MacDonald each drove in runs during Sacramento’s two-run third.

Gaias was charged with six runs over 3.1 innings, though Sacramento’s bullpen responded well. Eric Kukuk, Chris Ryan, and Matt Wright combined for 5.2 scoreless frames, keeping the game within reach.

Sacramento put the tying run at the plate in the late innings but stranded 11 runners overall, repeatedly falling short against Saints relievers.

Ryan Birdwell, the Saints’ sparkplug, summed it up: “Everyone pulled their weight.”

Sacramento couldn’t say the same. “We let one inning get away from us,” Aces said. “Everything else was competitive baseball.”

Record: 28–19

★ ★ ★

Tuesday, May 22 — Los Angeles Saints at Sacramento
Los Angeles 11, Sacramento 6
Outgunned and Outclassed; A slugfest gone wrong

If Monday was a stumble, Tuesday was a collapse. This wasn't a baseball game; it was a track meet. Any hope of an immediate rebound faded Tuesday night as the Saints delivered sustained offense in an 11–6 win, led by a dominant performance from Luis Gonzalez.

Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI, and four runs scored, setting the tone at the top of the order. Los Angeles scored in five separate innings, steadily widening the gap.

Russ Gray struggled to contain traffic, allowing eight runs (five earned) in just over three innings. Though Sacramento answered with a three-run second inning and later home runs and extra-base hits, the Saints consistently responded.

Edwin Musco homered in the sixth — his 12th of the season — while Alex Vieyra drove in two with a double. Sacramento totaled 13 hits, but defensive miscues and pitching strain undercut the effort.

The bullpen again worked extensively, with Danny St. Clair delivering 2.2 scoreless innings and Aaron Gilbert striking out three.

“We maximized our offense today,” Saints manager Sal Umana said afterward. “That makes everyone’s life easier.”
For Sacramento, it made everything harder.
“They didn’t miss mistakes,” Aces said. “When you’re chasing the game every night, that wears on you.”

Prayers had some memorable moments, and the team clawed back for 13 hits of their own — but you can't win many games when your pitching staff is handing out runs like Halloween candy.

Record: 28–20

★ ★ ★

Wednesday, May 23, 1990 — Los Angeles Saints at Sacramento
Sacramento 10, Los Angeles 2
The Counter-Punch

After two days of punishment, the Prayers finally punched back. Sacramento put the game out of reach early Wednesday night, rolling past the Los Angeles Saints, 10–2, behind a decisive offensive surge and steady work from starter Brett Andretti.

Francisco Hernandez — playing through the early whispers of back tightness — launched a three‑run homer in the second inning, then doubled home another run in the third. His four‑RBI night ignited a 9‑run explosion across the second and third frames.

Bret Perez joined the party with a two‑run blast of his own, and Gil Cruz added a solo shot as Sacramento rediscovered its swagger.

Bernardo Andretti, steady as ever, delivered 7.1 innings of two‑run ball.

“Every time you put a ‘W’ on the board is always good,” Hernandez said afterward, smiling through the pain.

Sacramento needed this one badly. It was the kind of complete-team victory that reminds the league why this team is dangerous.

The win pushed Sacramento to 29–20, maintaining its grip on first place in the West.

★ ★ ★

Friday, May 25, 1990 — Los Angeles Saints at Sacramento
Sacramento 3, Los Angeles 1
A Gem and a Scare

Sacramento leaned on its ace Friday night, and Jordan Rubalcava delivered.

Rubalcava scattered three hits over 6⅔ innings, allowing just one run while striking out five, as the Prayers edged the Seattle Lucifers, 3–1. Luis Prieto closed the door with his 14th save of the season.

All three Sacramento runs came via the long ball. Francisco Hernandez provided the difference in the second inning, connecting for a two-run homer off Seattle starter Nelson Huichapa. Hernandez finished 2 for 3, adding a single to his eighth home run of the year.

Seattle’s lone run came in the seventh, but Rubalcava escaped further trouble before turning the game over to the bullpen. Sacramento tacked on an insurance run in the eighth, and Prieto handled a quiet ninth.

“Glad to see the fans get into it,” Hernandez said. Sacramento Stadium roared like a team exhaling.

The Prayers improved to 30–20, while Seattle dropped to 21–30. The game was notable for Hernandez sustaining back spasms while running the bases, an injury that would linger into the weekend.

★ ★ ★

Saturday, May 26, 1990 — Los Angeles Saints at Sacramento
Sacramento 3, Los Angeles 1
The Unlikely Hero

For the second straight night, Sacramento prevailed in a tight, late-inning affair, this time walking off Seattle, 3–1, on a single swing. For seven innings, the Prayers looked flat again — four hits, no runs, and a Seattle starter (Josh Schilder) dealing like a man possessed.

With Francisco Hernandez sidelined, the Prayers needed someone to step out of the shadows. Enter Jesus Rodriguez. Jesus Rodriguez, who entered the game as a pinch‑hitter, turned on a Ralph Ankers fastball and sent it screaming into the left‑field bleachers. A three‑run, go‑ahead blast — his first of the season — and the loudest moment of the homestand. The blast erased Seattle’s slim lead and sent Sacramento Stadium into a late-night celebration.

Sacramento starter Ralph Larson matched Schilder early, bouncing back from his Baltimore disaster with a solid six-inning performance. Ed Kukuk earned the win in relief, and Luis Prieto recorded his 15th save, sealing Seattle’s fourth straight loss.

“Good pitching, clutch hitting,” manager Jimmy Aces said afterward. “I can’t complain.” The Prayers are finding ways to win, even when the stars are in the trainer's room.

The victory moved Sacramento to 31–20, extending its West Division lead as the club continued to grind through a heavy home stand.

★ ★ ★

INJURY REPORT

Sacramento finished the week with several notable health concerns:

* Gil Caliari (RP): Shoulder inflammation. 50 days left on the 60-day IL. We miss his fire.
* Fernando Salazar (P): Stress reaction in his elbow. He’s about 4 weeks out.
* Francisco Hernandez (CF): The big one. Back spasms. He’s day-to-day for now, but expect him to miss the Seattle finale to be safe for the San Jose series.

★ ★ ★

THE WEEK IN CONTEXT

At week’s end, Sacramento stood atop the West Division at 31–20 (.608), holding a four-game cushion over San Jose and continuing to separate from the middle of the pack. Seattle fell further back, sitting at 21–31, while the Prayers closed the week having won five of six at home.

- Francisco Hernandez caught fire (3 HR, 9 RBI for the week) before back spasms sidelined him day‑to‑day.
- The rotation remains volatile, with Gaias and Gray struggling while Andretti and Rubalcava shine.
- The bullpen is elite, even with Gil Caliari’s injury — Prieto is now 15‑for‑15 in save opportunities.
- Musco continues his MVP‑caliber pace, now hitting .316 with 12 homers.
- The team’s identity — speed, defense, timely power — reasserted itself late in the week.

★ ★ ★

The Ledger & League News

* The San Jose Shadow: The San Jose Demons (28-25) are officially the elephant in the room. They’ve played inspired baseball lately and are hovering just four games back. Our upcoming series against them on the 29th feels like an early-season playoff battle.
* The Musco Mega-Deal? The whispers in the corridors of Sacramento Stadium are getting louder. Sources indicate that Edwin Musco’s representatives and the Prayers' front office have entered "serious" territory regarding a long-term extension. Musco’s .316 average and 12 homers make him the heartbeat of this franchise. Fans are clamoring for a "Musco for Life" banner, and the brass seems to be listening.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL: Questions From The Front Pew

Dear Gemmy,
Is it time to worry about the rotation? Larson and Gray looked like batting practice pitchers against LA and Baltimore. Are we one injury away from a total collapse?
— Anxious in North Sac

Gemmy: Take a deep breath, Anxious! Every starter has a "blow-up" week. Larson showed he still has the grit by bouncing back against Seattle. The real concern isn't the talent; it's the fatigue. With Gil Caliari out for three months, we’re leaning hard on the middle relief. If Andretti and Rubalcava can keep giving us 7+ innings, we’ll survive. If not? Well, start practicing your rosary...

★ ★ ★

Gemmy’s Take

They say the best ability is availability. Losing Francisco Hernandez to back spasms just as he was rediscovering his power stroke is a cruel twist of fate. But look at Jesus Rodriguez! That’s the beauty of this team — scratch a Prayer, and a hero bleeds. We are battered, we are bruised, and our bullpen is held together by athletic tape and prayer, but we are still the team to beat in the West.

The box scores will tell you Sacramento mashed on Wednesday and squeezed on Friday and Saturday, but the story of this week is something quieter — endurance.

This was a grind. Three different kinds of wins, three different emotional gears. A blowout that tested whether the lineup could bury a team early. A tense Friday that asked Rubalcava to pitch like an ace and nothing less. Then Saturday, when patience mattered more than power until Rodriguez finally cracked the game open with one swing.

What stands out is how "normal" this all looked. No chaos. No panic when Hernandez tweaked his back. No bullpen roulette. Just professional baseball — starters giving length, relievers doing their jobs, and someone eventually coming through when it mattered.

That’s how first-place teams behave in late May. Not flashy every night, but relentless enough that by Sunday morning, the standings quietly look a little wider than they did a week ago.

[liberty-ca]

BNN WEEK IN RETROSPECT – PRAYERS WEEKLY
SACRAMENTO PRAYERS: MAY 27 – JUNE 2, 1990
By Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot – Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle

The Sacramento Prayers entered the final days of May looking to stabilize after a turbulent mid‑month stretch. They ended the week having done far more than that. Behind a resurgent offense, steady top‑of‑rotation work, and a pair of statement wins in Washington, Sacramento closed the period 6–1, improving to 36–21 and extending their American League West lead to 6 games.

It was a week defined by Eli Murguia’s home‑run barrage, Edwin Musco’s continued MVP‑caliber consistency, and Bernardo Andretti and Jordan Rubalcava anchoring the staff. Even with injuries and rotation fatigue, Sacramento looked like a club rediscovering its identity.

★ ★ ★

Sunday, May 27 — Seattle Lucifers at Sacramento Prayers
Sacramento 9, Seattle 6
The Lucifers Get Burned

Eli Murguia supplied the thunder, and the Sacramento Prayers supplied the response every time Seattle threatened Sunday night at Sacramento Stadium, riding two home runs from their left fielder to a 9–6 victory over the Lucifers.

Murguia went 3-for-4, drove in four runs, and scored twice as Sacramento improved to 32–20. His solo homer to lead off the second inning put the Prayers on the board, and his two-run shot in the third erased a Seattle lead and swung the momentum back toward the home dugout.

Seattle answered with a four-run third inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from Matt Mayeski, and later climbed back in front at 6–5 on solo home runs by Arturo Valadez and Juan Romero. Sacramento, however, refused to blink. Bret Perez doubled home a run in the fourth, and Alex Velasquez delivered the decisive blow in the sixth, lining a two-out RBI single to left off reliever Hector Bonilla to push the Prayers ahead for good, 8–6.

“I just tried to make good contact,” Velasquez said afterward. “He left something up, and I didn’t miss it.”

Reliever Don St. Clair steadied the game after starter Raul Gaias allowed five runs over 4⅔ innings, holding Seattle to one run across 3⅓ frames to earn his first win of the season. Chris Ryan worked a clean ninth for his third save.

Murguia was named Player of the Game as Sacramento out-hit Seattle 14–12 and closed the night with contributions throughout the lineup, including three hits from catcher Joey Rubbi and two doubles from Edwin Musco.

★ ★ ★

Tuesday, May 29 — San Jose Demons at Sacramento Prayers
Sacramento 5, San Jose 4
The Brierly Battle

Tuesday brought the San Jose Demons to town and with them, the formidable arm of Jessie Brierly — a man who once struck out 196 batters in a season. For a while, it was a classic chess match. In the end Prayers made it five straight wins Tuesday night, leaning on timely power and a strong outing from Bernardo Andretti to edge the San Jose Demons, 5–4.

After San Jose struck for three runs in the second inning, Sacramento chipped away methodically. Eli Murguia singled home a run, Hector Iniguez added a sacrifice fly, and the Prayers gradually flipped the score behind steady at-bats against Jessie Brierly.

The decisive moment came in the fifth. With the game tied 3–3, Bret Perez stepped in and drove a splitter from Brierly over the left-field wall for a solo home run — his seventh of the season — giving Sacramento a 5–3 cushion.

Andretti carried the load on the mound, scattering five hits over 7⅔ innings while allowing four runs — only one earned — to move to 6–2 on the year. He worked out of several jams, aided by a sharp double play and a composed approach as San Jose pressured late.

Jimmy Aces praised his club’s resilience: “Maximum effort. That’s what this group gave me tonight. That’s maximum effort. We didn’t play clean baseball the whole night, but we competed every inning.”

Luis Prieto closed the door in the ninth for his 16th save, striking out three and stranding the tying run at second base.

★ ★ ★

Wednesday, May 30 — San Jose Demons at Sacramento Prayers
Sacramento 9, San Jose 5
Musco’s 3‑Run Blast Extends Win Streak to Five

Edwin Musco delivered the knockout swing, and Jordan Rubalcava delivered the innings, as the Prayers extended their winning streak to six with a 9–5 win over the Demons on Wednesday night.

After the teams traded single runs early, Musco broke the game open in the fourth inning. With two runners aboard, the shortstop turned on a sinker from Danny Kidder and sent it into the seats for a three-run home run — his 13th of the season — pushing Sacramento out to a 5–1 lead.

“Very pleased with the effort on our side,” Musco said. “That’s a good club over there, and we stayed aggressive.”

San Jose clawed back with a four-run sixth, trimming the margin to 5–5, but Sacramento answered immediately. Eli Murguia homered in the seventh, and pinch hitter Roberto Cardenas delivered a two-run single later in the inning to restore breathing room. The Prayers tacked on three more runs in the eighth to put the game away.

Rubalcava went seven innings, allowing five runs on four hits while striking out six to improve to 6–3. Chris Ryan again handled the late work, tossing two scoreless innings to secure his fourth save.

Sacramento finished with 11 hits, drew eight walks, and received contributions throughout the order as the club improved to 34–20, continuing a steady climb in the standings as May wound down.

★ ★ ★

Thursday, May 31 — San Jose Demons at Sacramento Prayers
Sacramento 7, San Jose 1
The Murguia Masterpiece

If Wednesday belonged to Musco, Thursday was the "Eli Murguia Invitational." In a performance for the ages, Eli Murguia put on a one-man show Thursday night, blasting three home runs and driving in five as the Sacramento Prayers closed out their homestand with a decisive 7–1 win over the San Jose Demons. His first two were solo shots off D. Collins, but his third was the masterpiece: a three-run rocket in the 8th off Danny Zavala that turned a tense game into a laugher.

Murguia finished the night with 5 RBIs and a look of pure zen at the plate. “It’s nice to deliver when your team’s counting on you,” Murguia said.

The rest of the scoring came in measured bursts. Gil Cruz drove in a run in the second, Joey Rubbi doubled home Musco in the seventh, and Sacramento capitalized on two San Jose errors during the eighth-inning rally.

On the mound, Robby Larson delivered seven steady innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out five to even his record at 4–4. Chris Ryan followed with two scoreless innings to collect his fifth save as the Demons dropped their fifth straight.

Sacramento improved to 35–20 with the win, finishing a strong stretch at home before heading east. It was the perfect cap to the homestand.

★ ★ ★

Friday, June 1 — Sacramento Prayers at Washington Devils
Sacramento 7, Washington 4
Surviving the Pit

The Prayers traveled to Washington D.C. on Friday and brought the thunder with them. A three-run first inning, fueled by doubles from Murguia and Velasquez, silenced the Devils Pit early. Ricky Gaias rebounded from recent struggles with a composed, efficient outing: 7 innings, 2 runs, 6 strikeouts.

Sacramento jumped on Washington starter Fernando Almendarez for three runs in the first inning, highlighted by RBI hits from George MacDonald and Edwin Musco. The Prayers added four more in the fifth, stringing together four doubles to open a 7–1 lead.

Alex Velasquez was in the middle of everything, going 3-for-4 and driving in two runs, while Bret Perez scored twice and swiped his 14th base of the season.

Gaias carried the game into the eighth, allowing two runs over seven innings while striking out six to improve to 6–4.

“He gave us exactly what we needed,” manager Jimmy Aces said. “Kept the ball down and didn’t let things snowball.”

Washington mounted a threat in the eighth, loading the bases with two outs, but Aaron Gilbert induced a groundout to escape. After a two-run homer by Carlos Guerra in the ninth trimmed the margin, Luis Prieto entered and needed just four pitches to record the final out, earning his 17th save.

The win pushed Sacramento to 36–20 and widened its West Division lead.

★ ★ ★

Saturday, June 2 — Sacramento Prayers at Washington Devils
Washington 8, Sacramento 0
The D.C. Shutout

The winning streak ended with a thud on Saturday. A long week caught up with the Prayers on Saturday as Washington handed Sacramento an 8–0 shutout, snapping the club’s momentum behind a dominant performance from Jose Allende.

Allende went 3-for-4, driving in five runs, including a three-run homer in the sixth inning that broke the game open. He also doubled with two men on in the fourth as Washington steadily pulled away.

Sacramento managed just four hits against Wally O’Brien, who struck out six over 6⅓ scoreless innings to earn the win. The Prayers never advanced a runner beyond second base.

Russ Gray took the loss, allowing six runs — four earned — in five innings, while Sacramento’s defense struggled behind him, committing three errors.

“We didn’t play sharp baseball tonight,” Aces said. “That happens over a long season. You turn the page.” Sacramento committed three errors, their sloppiest defensive showing in weeks. Jimmy Aces didn’t sugarcoat it: “We didn’t execute. Simple as that.”

Still, the club finished the week 6–1, maintaining firm control of the division. The shutout dropped Sacramento to 36–21 as the club closed out its road trip in Washington. It was a sobering reminder that in this league, the "Devil" eventually gets his due.

★ ★ ★

PLAYER TRENDS & STORYLINES

Eli Murguia – The Week’s Headliner
Murguia hit six home runs from May 27–June 2, raising his season total from 7 to 13. His OPS surged, and he now sits among the AL’s most productive left fielders.

Edwin Musco – MVP Pace Continues
Musco ended the week hitting .311 with 13 HR, 37 RBI, and elite defense. He reached base 11 times in the seven‑game stretch and continues to be Sacramento’s most consistent presence.

Bernardo Andretti – Rotation Anchor
Andretti delivered two strong starts, allowing just two earned runs across 15.2 innings. His ERA dropped to 2.94, and he now leads the staff in innings pitched.

Jordan Rubalcava – Quietly Dominant
Rubalcava’s ERA sits at 2.23, and he added two more wins this week. His command and efficiency have stabilized the rotation during Gaias’s ups and downs and Gray’s inconsistency.

Bullpen – Ryan & Prieto Form a Reliable Back End
Chris Ryan and Luis Prieto combined for four saves this week. Prieto now leads the AL with 17, while Ryan’s ERA has dipped near 1.00.

★ ★ ★

STANDINGS AL WEST (as of June 2)

1. Sacramento Prayers – 36–21 (.632)
2. Tucson Cherubs – 30–29 (7.0 GB)
3. San Jose Demons – 29–30 (8.0 GB)
4. Fort Worth Spirits – 28–30 (8.5 GB)
5. Seattle Lucifers – 23–36 (14.0 GB)
6. El Paso Abbots – 20–38 (16.5 GB)

Despite Saturday’s loss, Sacramento continues to lead the league in run differential and remains the AL’s most complete club through the season’s first two months.

★ ★ ★

Injuries & Medical Report

* Gil Caliari (P) — shoulder inflammation
Out 2–3 months; on 60-day IL (43 days remaining)

* Fernando Salazar (P) — stress reaction, elbow
Out approx. 3 weeks; on IL, eligible for return soon

* Francisco Hernandez (CF) — back spasms
Missed time with back spasms but is expected to return shortly. His absence has opened opportunities for Larry Mansfield and Jesus Rodriguez, both of whom contributed in limited roles.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL: Questions From The Front Pew

Q: Dear Gemmy, Murguia is on fire, but am I the only one worried about the bullpen? We’re relying on Prieto for every close game. If his arm falls off, do we even have a Plan B?
— Save-Me-Steve from Roseville

Gemmy: Steve, you’re preaching to the choir. Prieto is the "Plan A, B, and C" right now. With Caliari on the 60-day IL, the middle relief has been a game of Russian Roulette. Jimmy Aces is managing the innings like a hawk, but don't be surprised if the Prayers go shopping for a veteran arm before the trade deadline. We can't ride Prieto into the dirt before October.

Q: Gemmy, are we worried about Francisco Hernandez's back? Center field feels empty without him.
— Bleacher-Bob from Oak Park

Gemmy: Bob, the short answer is "a little." Back spasms are tricky. One day you’re fine, the next you can’t put your socks on. He’s listed as day-to-day for the next five days. The team is being cautious because we need his glove for the Charlotte series. A. Lopez has filled in admirably, but Hernandez is the heart of that outfield defense.

Q: Is it time to worry about Russ Gray? Saturday was a disaster. Is it time to call up a young arm from the minors? Russ Gray’s ERA is climbing faster than my blood pressure. We can't keep asking the offense to score 7 runs every time he starts.
— Worried in West Sac

Gemmy: I hear you, Worried. Gray has been "feast or famine" all year. The problem is, with Salazar and Caliari both on the IL, our farm system is already being tapped for depth. The front office is likely scouring the trade market for a reliable #4 starter, but until then, we’re stuck with Gray. Just keep the antacids handy when he’s on the bump. Gray is what we call a "high-variance" pitcher. When he’s on, he’s unhittable. When he’s off, he’s a human tee, but we don't really have the luxury of moving Russ out of the rotation. We just have to hope he finds his command before his next start.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

"Look, I know Saturday’s 8-0 loss felt like a punch to the gut. It’s never fun to get shut out when you’ve been averaging nearly seven runs a game. But let’s keep some perspective, folks. We just went 5-1 over the last six games. Eli Murguia is putting up MVP numbers, and Edwin Musco is playing like he wants a statue built in his honor. This team is deep, they’re resilient, and they’re fun to watch. If you aren't enjoying this ride, you might want to check your pulse."

★ ★ ★

LOOKING AHEAD

The Prayers close their road series in Washington on June 3 before returning home for a three‑game set with the Charlotte Monks, one of the National League’s hottest teams. With the rotation stabilizing and the offense firing, Sacramento enters June with momentum — and a chance to widen their lead even further.

As Jimmy Aces put it after the San Jose sweep: “We’re starting to look like ourselves again.”

[liberty-ca]

BNN WEEK IN RETROSPECT – PRAYERS WEEKLY
SACRAMENTO PRAYERS: JUNE 3 – JUNE 9, 1990
By Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot – Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle


The Sacramento Prayers closed out a demanding week with a split of lessons learned and ground preserved. Sacramento navigated a full slate from Sunday through Saturday, absorbing offensive droughts, elite pitching performances on both sides, and the cumulative fatigue that comes with extended close games.

For a club that has spent most of May bludgeoning opponents into submission, the Sacramento Prayers opened June by showing they can win in more than one register. Over a seven‑game stretch that included a road finale in Washington and a six‑game homestand against Charlotte and Fort Worth, Sacramento’s pitching staff — long overshadowed by the fireworks of Edwin Musco and Eli Murguia — took center stage.

Despite dropping consecutive shutouts early in the Fort Worth series, Sacramento steadied itself behind Jordan Rubalcava on Saturday night to finish the week at 40–24, maintaining control of the American League West.

If there is one thing this week of Sacramento baseball has taught us, it’s that the road to glory is rarely a straight line. It’s a winding path filled with 13-inning marathons, dominant shutouts, and the occasional reminder that even the best teams can get humbled by a first baseman named Shizuo Tanaka.

Still, as manager Jimmy Aces put it after Saturday’s win, “We’re showing we can win different kinds of games. That matters in June.”

★ ★ ★

Sunday, June 3 — at Washington Devils

Sacramento 7, Washington 2
Capital Gains

The Prayers finished their business in D.C. with a professional, blue-collar victory. Bernardo Andretti didn’t have his sharpest command — twelve Washington hits will attest to that — but he had enough. The right‑hander worked 7.2 innings, allowing only two runs and leaning on a pair of double plays behind him. He navigated traffic throughout the evening but limited damage, with the lone Washington scoring blow coming on a solo home run by Kevin Becker in the fourth.

“I was thrilled the fans had something to get excited about,” Andretti said afterward, a modest assessment of a start that steadied the club after a lopsided loss the night before.

Sacramento took control in the middle innings. The decisive blow came in the sixth, when Alejandro Lopez shot a bases‑loaded, two‑run single into center to stretch the lead to 6–2. George MacDonald added three hits, German Iniguez drove in two, and the Prayers left Washington with a 37–21 record and a sense that their offense could still manufacture runs even without the long ball.

The only sour note: Eli Murguia left with a minor injury, though he would return later in the week.

★ ★ ★

Monday, June 4 — vs. Charlotte Monks

Sacramento 11, Charlotte 0
Rubalcava authors a masterpiece

Returning home to Sacramento Stadium, the Prayers welcomed the Charlotte Monks with a display of pure, unadulterated dominance. Jordan Rubalcava didn't just pitch; he conducted an orchestra. Over nine innings, he allowed only four hits and struck out 11 Monks, looking every bit like an Ace.

The offense provided a literal "prayer" of support, exploding for 11 runs. Bret Perez and Edwin Musco each drove in two, while Eli Murguia — returning to the lineup as a DH — showed no ill effects from his previous day's scare by collecting three hits. It was the kind of blowout that makes you think this team might never lose again. (Spoiler: Baseball is cruel).

Charlotte manager Ben Smith credited the pitcher. “Tip your hat to Rubalcava. He kept us off balance all night.”

Rubalcava improved to 7–3 with a 2.04 ERA. “Even when I made mistakes, they fouled them off or someone made a play,” he said. “It was one of those nights where things went my way.”

The lineup gave him more than enough support. In addition to Murguia's fine performance Musco doubled, and Bret Perez and Alex Velasquez each drove in two. By night’s end, Sacramento had its 38th win and one of its cleanest performances of the season.

★ ★ ★

Tuesday, June 5 — vs. Charlotte Monks

Sacramento 2, Charlotte 1
The Veteran’s Stroke

Tuesday was a classic "grind-it-out" special. The Monks’ Josh Hedberg was nearly as good as our own R. Larson, holding the Prayers to just four hits. For five innings, it looked like a stalemate. Then came the bottom of the 6th.

Charlotte’s Josh Hedberg was brilliant — eight innings, four hits, two runs — but George MacDonald found the one pitch he couldn’t afford to miss. With a runner on, George MacDonald — the veteran leader this locker room leans on — found a pitch he liked and sent it screaming into the Sacramento night. That 2-run homer was the only offense the Prayers could muster, but it was exactly enough.

“We played with determination,” MacDonald said, “Sometimes that’s all it takes.” — a fitting summary of a night when Sacramento had only four hits but made them count.

Rick Larson matched Hedberg’s intensity, allowing just one run over six innings. Willie Estrada bridged the gap, and Luis Prieto closed it out for save No. 18.

★ ★ ★

Wednesday, June 6 — vs. Charlotte Monks

Charlotte 11, Sacramento 6
The Tanaka Terror

Every team has a night when the game gets away early.and for Sacramento, this was that night. Also, every dog has its day, and Wednesday belonged to Charlotte’s Shizuo Tanaka.

Charlotte’s Shizuo Tanaka did the bulk of the damage, he single-handedly dismantled the Prayers’ pitching, racking up 5 RBIs, a home run early in the first inning, and a triple. Sacramento starter Ricky Gaias lasted only 3.1 innings, charged with seven runs, and the bullpen couldn’t fully stem the tide.

The Prayers did show late life — Velasquez, Musco, and Murguia all had multi‑hit nights — but the early deficit was too steep. “We came out with clear minds and swung the bats well,” Charlotte’s Ben Smith said, and Sacramento could hardly disagree.

The Monks escaped with a win, reminding us that the NL East leaders aren't to be trifled with. The loss dropped the Prayers to 39–22, but the club remained firmly in control of the division.

★ ★ ★

Thursday, June 7 — vs. Fort Worth Spirits

Fort Worth 3, Sacramento 0
Stifled by Spirits

Fort Worth’s Luca Pedrotti has been a thorn in Sacramento’s side before, and he was again on Thursday. He authored a masterful outing as the Fort Worth Spirits shut out the Sacramento Prayers, 3–0, Thursday night at Sacramento Stadium. The right-hander scattered four hits over 7⅓ scoreless innings, walking two and striking out three to earn Player of the Game honors.

The contest remained scoreless deep into the night before Fort Worth finally broke through in the ninth. Philip Flege, inserted as a pinch-hitter at designated hitter, delivered the decisive blow with a two-run single, turning a tight pitcher’s duel into a Spirits victory.

“Nervous? No,” Flege said. “It was my time to shine.”

Sacramento starter Ryan Gray was sharp in defeat, allowing just one run over 7⅔ innings before the bullpen faltered late. Matt Kaplan closed the door for Fort Worth, working the final 1⅔ innings to notch his 13th save. It was a frustrating night where the defense did its job, but the bats stayed in the rack.

The loss dropped Sacramento to 39–23, while Fort Worth improved to 29–34. For Sacramento, it was a reminder that even first‑place teams can run cold.

★ ★ ★

Friday, June 8 — vs. Fort Worth Spirits

Fort Worth 2, Sacramento 0 (13 innings)
The 13-Inning Heartbreaker

This was a game for the purists and a nightmare for the sleep-deprived. Bernardo Andretti was Herculean, throwing 7.0 shutout innings, followed by four scoreless innings from Luis Prieto. The game stretched into the 13th inning as a 0-0 tie.

Alex Velasquez was a defensive wizard, recording two outfield assists to keep runners from scoring, but even his heroics couldn't save the 13th. Willie Estrada finally cracked, allowing a 2-run single to Giacomo Benoldi. After four hours and three minutes, the Prayers walked off the field exhausted and scoreless.

In the 13th, Giacomo Benoldi finally broke the stalemate with a two‑run single off Willie Estrada. “An all‑around good team performance,” Benoldi said, and it was hard to argue.

Prayers, meanwhile, had dropped three of four and was suddenly searching for traction. Sacramento managed eight hits but stranded eight runners, committing two costly defensive errors in the loss. The Prayers slipped to 39–24, while the Spirits climbed to 30–34.

★ ★ ★

Saturday, June 9 — vs. Fort Worth Spirits

Sacramento 3, Fort Worth 0
Back in the Win Column

When a team needs a stopper, it turns to its ace. Increasingly, that ace is Jordan Rubalcava. On Saturday, "Pluto" was once again the man of the hour, tossing 7.0 shutout innings to move to 8-3 on the year. It wasn't a hit-fest — Sacramento only managed four hits — but they made them count.

The right‑hander delivered the win, working around eight Fort Worth hits with calm efficiency. “Nice to see our side come away with the win,” Bret Perez said, after his third‑inning grounder — misplayed at third — brought home the game’s first run.

Alejandro Lopez doubled and scored, Luis Mansfield added an RBI, and Matt Wright closed the door with two spotless innings, securing the 40th win of the season and ensuring the Prayers head into Sunday with their heads held high.

Sacramento ended the week at 40–24, still the class of the AL West.

★ ★ ★

TRENDS & TAKEAWAYS

Rubalcava’s ascent
Two starts, 16 scoreless innings, 15 strikeouts, and only 12 hits allowed. His ERA now sits at 1.90, and he’s pitching like a top‑five arm in the league.

Andretti’s steadiness
Even in a no‑decision Friday, Andretti was superb. His ERA dipped to 2.68, and he’s become the rotation’s metronome.

Offense cooling — but not collapsing
Sacramento scored 7, 11, 2, 6, 0, 0, 3 this week. The highs remain high, but the lows are stark. Musco and Murguia continue to anchor the lineup, but the club will need more consistent production from the middle third.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE NEWS & THE LEDGER

* AL East Heat: The race in the East is a total dogfight. The Columbus Heaven (40-25) hold a razor-thin 0.5-game lead over the Boston Messiahs. It’s beginning to look like those two will be battling until September.
* Interleague Impact: After our clash with Charlotte, they remain just 1.0 game back in the NL East. Our victory over them earlier in the week might end up having massive playoff implications for the Monks down the line.
* The Musco Update: Still no ink on the paper for Edwin Musco. While the shortstop is still hitting a cool .291 with 13 homers, the front office seems content to let the season play out before committing to that $2.5 million figure.
* League-Wide Trade Rumors: Rumors are swirling that the Seattle Lucifers, sitting 14 games back, might be looking to unload some veteran arms. Expect the Prayers' front office to be making a few phone calls as we approach the mid-summer mark.

★ ★ ★

INJURIES AND ROSTER NOTES

• Eli Murguia (minor leg issue) returned quickly, but the club is cautious.
• Francisco Hernandez remains day‑to‑day with back spasms.
• Gil Caliari and Fernando Salazar remain on the IL, leaving the pitching staff thinner than ideal.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

"Forty wins. Let that sink in. We are officially in the 'serious contender' conversation. However, this week showed us the cracks in the armor. When the bats go cold — as they did for a stretch against Fort Worth — the margin for error for our pitchers becomes microscopic. I’m concerned about the workload on the bullpen, especially after that 13-inning marathon. Jimmy Aces needs to find a way to get this offense consistent again, or we’re going to be leaning on Rubalcava and Andretti until their arms fall off. But hey, a 7-game lead is a 7-game lead. I’ll take a 'struggling' 40-win team over a 'hot' sub-.500 team any day of the week."

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL — QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Q: Gemmy, I’m worried about Francisco Hernandez. Those back spasms are lingering. Is it time to put him on the IL?
— Deacon Dan

Gemmy: Dan, the team currently has him listed as day-to-day (4 days left on the recovery clock). Because he’s so vital to the outfield defense, they are trying to avoid the 15-day stint. But if he isn't back by the Seattle series, expect a roster move. We can’t play short-handed forever, especially with Murguia also nursing a bruised ego and a sore leg.

Q: Why did we leave Estrada in for the 13th inning on Friday? Surely someone else was available?
— Left-Field Larry

Gemmy: Larry, after 12 innings, the cupboard is pretty bare. Prieto had already given us four innings (which is unheard of for a closer). At that point, it’s about who has the freshest arm. Estrada has been solid, but even the best relievers struggle when the pressure of a 13-inning tie is sitting on their shoulders. It was a tough loss, but you can't pin that on the manager.

Q: Rubalcava is clearly the Ace, but who is #2? Gray is struggling and Gaias just got rocked.
— Pew-Sitter Pete

Gemmy: Right now, Pete, it’s Bernardo Andretti. He’s been the model of consistency. While Rubalcava has the 'flash' and the strikeouts, Andretti is the guy who gives you 7 innings of quality work almost every time he touches the rubber. If the playoffs started tomorrow, Ruby gets Game 1, and Andretti gets Game 2. No question.

★ ★ ★

LOOKING AHEAD

The Prayers close out their four‑game set with Fort Worth on Sunday before welcoming Seattle for three. With the rotation rolling and the bullpen stabilizing, Sacramento has a chance to build real separation before a mid‑June road trip.

As Jimmy Aces put it, “We’re not perfect, but we’re learning how to win the games that don’t go our way. That’s what good teams do.”

And right now, the Prayers look very much like a good team learning how to become a great one.

[liberty-ca]

BNN WEEK IN RETROSPECT – PRAYERS WEEKLY
SACRAMENTO PRAYERS: JUNE 10 – JUNE 15, 1990
By Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot – Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle


If you’ve been following the Prayers this week, I hope you’ve had your blood pressure checked recently. We’ve seen walk-off heroics, bullpen collapses, a ten-run explosion that felt like a fever dream, and a shutout in the land of cheese and beer. The Sacramento Prayers entered the week of June 10 sitting atop the AL West, a club that had spent the better part of six weeks alternating between dominance and turbulence. What followed was a stretch that showcased nearly every facet of their identity: the late‑inning volatility, the power‑driven resilience, the rotation’s steady backbone, and — by week’s end — the reminder that even elite teams can run headlong into a well‑timed pitching performance.

Across five games, Sacramento went 2–3, losing two extra‑inning heartbreakers, splitting a three‑game set with Seattle, and finishing the week with a frustrating shutout in Milwaukee. Yet the week also featured a 13‑run eruption, a walk‑off, and continued excellence from the club’s two most reliable arms: Bernardo Andretti and Jordan Rubalcava. At 42-27, the Prayers are still the class of the AL West, but the Tucson Cherubs are starting to loom in the rearview mirror, closing the gap to 5.5 games. It was a week that proved this team has plenty of "spunk" — to borrow a word from George MacDonald — but also a week that showed the heavy toll a long season takes on a pitching staff.

★ ★ ★

Sunday, June 10 — Fort Worth Spirits at Sacramento Prayers

Fort Worth 9, Sacramento 8 (10 innings)
The Ninth-Inning Nightmare

The series finale against the Spirits was a roller coaster that ended in a derailed car. If the Prayers needed a reminder that no lead is safe in the AL West, Fort Worth delivered it in a ten‑inning slugfest that swung wildly in both directions. The Prayers let a late lead slip away Sunday afternoon, falling 9–8 to Fort Worth in ten innings despite a four-run rally in the ninth that briefly turned the ballpark inside out.

Sacramento trailed 6–3 after six and 8–4 entering the bottom of the ninth before Al Velasquez and George MacDonald helped ignite the comeback, with MacDonald’s two-run homer off Bobby McLamb tying the game. The momentum, however, didn’t carry into the tenth. Tony Arciga lined a run-scoring single off Chris Ryan to restore the Spirits’ lead, and Fort Worth held on.

Hector Iniguez was one of the bright spots, going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Gil Cruz homered and doubled, continuing a quiet but meaningful upward trend in his production. Manager Jimmy Aces praised the fight but lamented the execution:

“We showed a lot of heart. But we gave away too many outs early, and in games like this, they come back to haunt you. We showed some fight late,” said manager Jimmy Aces, “but you can’t spot a club like that six innings and expect it to come easy.”

A messy game with five combined errors and a blown lead — not the way you want to spend a Sunday. The loss dropped Sacramento to 40–25, still firmly in first but feeling the pressure of a tightening division.

★ ★ ★

Monday, June 11 — Seattle Lucifers at Sacramento Prayers

Seattle 3, Sacramento 2
Sanderson’s Spell

Monday night felt like a hangover from the Fort Worth finale. A well-pitched game turned on one swing, and it went Seattle’s way. Seattle’s Ray Sanderson, despite a bloated ERA, turned into Cy Young for six innings.

The game swung on one swing in the 7th. With Ricky Gaias pitching a gutsy game, Seattle's Gus Arispe came off the bench and launched a pinch-hit, two-run homer. It was a classic "trap game" scenario where the Prayers out-hit the Lucifers 11-7 but couldn't find the clutch hit when it mattered most.

Sacramento scratched out runs on a Joe Rodriguez solo homer and an RBI double from George MacDonald, but stranded eight runners and couldn’t break through against Seattle’s bullpen. Sacramento had chances late, including a two‑on, one‑out situation in the ninth, but Seattle’s bullpen held firm.

Aces didn’t mince words afterward: “We had the right guys up at the right times, we just didn’t cash in.”

The loss marked the club’s third straight, their longest skid since early April, evened the homestand record and moved Sacramento to 40–26.

★ ★ ★

Tuesday, June 12 — Seattle Lucifers at Sacramento Prayers

Sacramento 8, Seattle 7 (10 innings)
Redemption at the Plate

Tuesday was, quite frankly, insane. The Prayers answered back Tuesday with one of their grittier wins of the season, outlasting Seattle 8–7 in ten innings. The Prayers snapped their skid in dramatic fashion, outlasting Seattle in a back‑and‑forth contest that featured three lead changes, a late Seattle surge, and a walk‑off single from Alex Vieyra in the tenth.

George MacDonald delivered his best game of the season — 3-for-4 with a homer, a double, and two RBI — continuing a June surge that has begun to stabilize the middle of the order. Bret Perez and Alex Velasquez also homered, while Luis Prieto blew a save but earned the win. The bullpen bent late — Seattle’s Joe Hill tied the game with a three-run homer in the ninth — but Mike Wright worked a clean tenth to earn his first win.

MacDonald summed up the mood: “Our team showed some spunk. We needed this one.”

The victory pushed Sacramento to 41–26, halting the slide and setting up a rubber match.

★ ★ ★

Wednesday, June 13 — Seattle Lucifers at Sacramento Prayers

Sacramento 13, Seattle 3
The Ten-Run Avalanche

After two nail-biters, the finale was a release valve. The game was tight at 3-1 heading into the 8th. Then, the floodgates didn't just open; they were demolished. Sacramento erupted for 10 runs in the eighth inning, turning a 3–3 tie into a rout.

Hector Iniguez was the star, going 3-for-5 with four RBI, including a bases‑clearing double that broke the game open. Eli Murguia added three hits, Gil Cruz drove in two, and George MacDonald launched his seventh homer of the year.

On the mound, Bernardo Andretti delivered another steady outing—5.2 innings, one run—continuing a season in which he has quietly become one of the AL’s most dependable starters.

Seattle manager Tony Sotelo summed it up succinctly: “Bad day. New day tomorrow.”

For the Prayers, it was the kind of emphatic win that resets a clubhouse’s energy. Sacramento took the series and moved to 42–26.

★ ★ ★

Friday, June 15 — Sacramento Prayers at Milwaukee Bishops

Milwaukee 2, Sacramento 0
Chilled in Milwaukee

The road trip started with a thud at County Stadium. After a travel day, the Prayers opened their Milwaukee series with a matchup of two of the league’s most efficient starters: Jordan Rubalcava and Ozzie Aguilar. The result was a crisp, low‑scoring duel that turned in the eighth inning, when Milwaukee scratched across two runs against Rubalcava and reliever Chris Ryan.

Jordan Rubalcava did everything he could, tossing seven innings of four-hit ball and striking out seven. On most nights, that’s a win. But the Prayers' bats apparently didn't make the flight to Milwaukee. Sacramento managed eight hits but never strung them together to mount a sustained threat. Hector Iniguez had three of them, continuing his torrid week, while Edwin Musco added two more to keep his average above .280.

Aguilar, who worked 7.2 scoreless innings, credited his teammates: “Energy and focus on the part of everyone. That’s what wins games like this.”

The loss dropped Sacramento to 42–27, still leading the AL West but now feeling the Cherubs creeping closer.

★ ★ ★

WEEKLY THEMES & TRENDS

1. The Rotation Remains the Backbone
Andretti and Rubalcava combined for 13.2 innings, 3 earned runs, continuing their season‑long excellence. Even in the losses, they kept Sacramento competitive.

2. The Bullpen Was Volatile
Prieto blew a save, Ryan took a loss, and Estrada struggled in limited work. Sacramento’s relief corps has been a strength most of the year, but this week showed cracks.

3. The Offense Oscillated Wildly
- 8 runs on June 12
- 13 runs on June 13
- 0 runs on June 15

The lineup remains powerful but streaky, especially with Francisco Hernandez still nursing back spasms.

4. Iniguez and MacDonald Are Heating Up
Both delivered pivotal hits throughout the week, and both appear to be trending upward at a crucial time.

★ ★ ★

STANDINGS SNAPSHOT (as of June 15)

AL West Division

1. Sacramento – 42–27
2. Tucson – 38–34 (5.5 GB)
3. San Jose – 37–35 (6.5 GB)
4. Fort Worth – 33–38 (10 GB)
5. Seattle – 29–43 (14.5 GB)
6. El Paso – 25–46 (18 GB)

Sacramento remains in control, but the cushion is thinner than it was a week ago. Despite the uneven week, Sacramento remains firmly in contention at 42–27, still positioned among the American League’s top clubs. The Prayers’ run differential and pitching depth continue to prop them up, but recent late-inning losses have trimmed what was once a more comfortable cushion.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE GOSSIP

* The AL East Grudge Match: Columbus (43-28) and Boston (42-28) are locked in a death struggle. Neither team has led by more than a game for nearly two weeks. It’s the best theater in baseball right now. Seattle continued to struggle defensively and in late innings, while Milwaukee’s rotation quietly posted one of the league’s best ERA marks over the past two weeks. Fort Worth’s bullpen, shaky early, has stabilized behind McLamb and Morales.
* Interleague Watch: The Detroit Preachers are looking like the most complete team in baseball, sitting at 42-28 and leading a very tough NL East. If the season ended today, a Prayers-Preachers World Series would be a theological dream for headline writers.
* The Injury Bug: While we wait for Fernando Salazar to return (expected next week), keep an eye on Gil Caliari. Word is his shoulder inflammation is responding well to treatment, but he’s still at least a month away from throwing off a mound.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL — QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
Is it time to worry about Luis Prieto? That blown save against Seattle was ugly. Has the league figured him out, or is he just tired?
— Save-Us Sam

Gemmy: Sam, take a deep breath. Prieto has been nearly perfect for two months. One blown save doesn't mean the "book is out" on him. That said, the volume of extra-inning games lately has forced Jimmy Aces to use his high-leverage guys more than he’d like. It’s not a lack of stuff; it’s a lack of fresh oxygen. Let’s see how he bounces back in Phoenix.

Dear Gemmy,
I see Edwin Musco is still playing every day and leading the team in HRs, but still no contract news. What gives? Does he want to leave Sacramento?
— Shortstop Stan

Gemmy: Stan, the silence is deafening, isn't it? Musco is betting on himself. By not signing the $2.5M extension now, he’s hoping to drive that price up toward $3M if he finishes with 30+ homers. The front office is playing a dangerous game — if they wait too long, they might find themselves in a bidding war they can't win. My gut? They’ll wait until the All-Star break to make a final push.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

"We are entering the 'Dog Days' a bit early. The offense is boom-or-bust right now — either they’re hanging 13 runs or getting shut out. We need more consistency from the middle of the order, specifically Gil Cruz and Alex Velasquez. They've had their moments, but a .202 and .231 average respectively isn't going to cut it when we get into the heat of July. The pitching is holding the line, but the bats need to start carrying their fair share of the ruckus. Also, let's stop playing extra innings for a while, okay? My heart — and the bullpen's arms — can't take it."

★ ★ ★

LOOKING AHEAD
The Prayers finish their Milwaukee series on June 17 before heading to Phoenix for a three‑game set. With Hernandez still day‑to‑day and the bullpen showing signs of fatigue, Sacramento will need continued stability from its rotation and more consistency from the middle of the order.

This was one of those weeks that doesn’t show up cleanly in the standings but leaves a bruise. But as this week showed, the Prayers remain a team capable of explosive offense, resilient comebacks, and dominant pitching — sometimes all in the same series. Good teams survive weeks like this. Great ones learn from them.

[liberty-ca]

BNN WEEK IN RETROSPECT – PRAYERS WEEKLY
SACRAMENTO PRAYERS: JUNE 17 – JUNE 23, 1990
By Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot – Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle


The Sacramento Prayers closed out the third week of June with a stretch that felt like a microcosm of their season: power when needed, pitching that veered from brilliant to bruised, a lineup reshuffled by injuries, and — at the center of it all — a club that keeps finding ways to win. Sacramento finished the week 5–2, pushed their AL West lead to a commanding margin, and watched two of their most important arms — Bernardo Andretti and Robby Larson — deliver signature performances that steadied the club at key moments.

This was a week defined by travel, attrition, and the emergence of a new offensive spark in Francisco Hernandez, all culminating in Andretti’s Saturday masterpiece: a 1–0 shutout that reminded the league why Sacramento’s ace remains one of the most reliable pitchers of his era.

It was a Shakespearean drama played out on diamonds of grass and dirt. We watched the Prayers extend their lead in the AL West to a comfortable 8.0 games, but the celebration in the clubhouse is tempered by a heavy silence. The victory parade has a prominent empty seat: Eli Murguia. The atmosphere in Sacramento right now is a strange cocktail of champagne and medicinal rubbing alcohol. On one hand, the Prayers are playing some of the most inspired, dominant baseball this city has ever seen. On the other, the sight of Eli Murguia being carried off the field in Milwaukee still haunts the faithful. We are 10 games over .500, yet the collective breath of the city is held tight.

At 48-28, the Prayers are the first team in the American League to flirt with 50 wins, but the road ahead just got a lot steeper.

★ ★ ★

SUNDAY, JUNE 17 — DOUBLEHEADER IN MILWAUKEE

Game 1: Sacramento 4, Milwaukee 3
A Heavy Price for a Win

The Sunday doubleheader in Milwaukee began with a bang and ended with a heartbreak. Robby Larson, the three‑time Gold Glover whose season has been uneven at times, delivered one of his most composed outings of the year. He scattered four hits across 6.2 innings, and though Milwaukee clawed back late, Sacramento’s offense had already done its work.

The early blow came from Emilio Musco, who launched a two‑run homer in the first — his 14th of the season — continuing a June power surge that has made him one of the league’s most dangerous shortstops. Alex Velasquez added a solo shot in the seventh, but the decisive swing belonged to George MacDonald, who opened the ninth with a towering solo homer to break a 3–3 tie.

“If the effort is there, the wins will come,” Larson said afterward, a line that felt like a quiet mantra for a team grinding through injuries and travel.

Sacramento improved to 43–27. However, the stadium went quiet in the 4th when Eli Murguia went down. The diagnosis is a fractured ankle; he’s out for four months. The win felt like a loss the moment he was helped off the field.

Game 2: Sacramento 5, Milwaukee 3 (10 innings)
Extra-Inning Resilience

The nightcap proved this team has a short memory and a long heart. It was a different kind of fight — tighter, tenser, and ultimately decided by Sacramento’s depth. The Prayers made it a sweep of the day behind patience, power, and a late breakthrough in extras. Ricky Gaias battled through eight innings, allowing three runs but keeping the Prayers in striking distance. The offense finally broke through in the sixth on a two‑run MacDonald homer — his second of the day and ninth of the season.

The contest stayed knotted until the tenth, when Hector Iniguez played the hero, slapping an RBI single that broke the Bishops' back. “Our team found a way to get it done,” Gaias said, and it was hard to argue. Chris Ryan earned the win with a scoreless ninth. Luis Prieto closed the door for his 21st save. Velasquez continued his strong week, going 4-for-5, while MacDonald finished with two hits and two RBI.

Sacramento left Milwaukee 44–27, their division lead widening.

★ ★ ★

MONDAY, JUNE 18 — AT PHOENIX

Sacramento 5, Phoenix 1
Andretti’s Masterclass

The flight to Phoenix didn't cool down the bats. The Prayers carried momentum into the desert, riding the right arm of Bernardo Andretti to a crisp 5–1 victory. Andretti was in command from the first pitch. Working with a brisk tempo and a sharp fastball, he carved through the Phoenix lineup for 8.1 innings, allowing just one run and striking out two. His ERA dipped to 2.51. It was a clinical win that showcased why Andretti remains the ace of this staff.

“I had pretty good command out there,” Andretti said. It was understated, but accurate.

The offense gave him breathing room early: Francisco Hernandez homered in the first, Alex Vieyra and Hector Iniguez went back‑to‑back in the second, and Gil Cruz added a two‑out RBI in the sixth. Andretti improved to 9–2 on the season, and Chris Ryan finished it off. With the win Sacramento climbed to 45–27.

★ ★ ★

TUESDAY, JUNE 19 — AT PHOENIX

Sacramento 10, Phoenix 4
The Velasquez Variety Show

This was the week’s offensive outburst. Sacramento hammered 12 hits, drew seven walks, and turned nearly every rally into damage.

If anyone wondered who would step up in Murguia’s absence, Alex Velasquez provided a loud answer. Alex Velasquez — who has quietly been one of the club’s most improved hitters — drove in three, including a solo homer in the second and a bases-clearing double in the eighth. Francisco Hernandez added a two‑run blast, his 10th of the season, Musco reached base three times, and Hector Iniguez went 3-for-4.

On the mound, Rafael Gray earned a much-needed win despite a rocky sixth, Aaron Gilbert closed it out for his first save, and the offense proved it could put up double digits even without their star left fielder.

Manager Jimmy Aces liked the direction. “As well as we’ve been playing, I think we can play even better,” he said.

Sacramento improved to 46–27.

★ ★ ★

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 — AT PHOENIX

Phoenix 4, Sacramento 2
A Rare Speed Bump

The lone blemish of the road trip came in a game where Sacramento simply couldn’t convert opportunities. They left 14 runners on base, including multiple innings with two men aboard.

Francisco Hernandez did everything he could, going 2-for-4 with a two‑run homer and a stolen base, but even the best have off nights: Jordan Rubalcava pitched better than his line suggests (8 strikeouts over 7 innings), but Phoenix found holes in the defense, tagging him for 12 hits.

Dorian Wood’s two‑run double in the first set the tone, and Sacramento never fully recovered. Francisco Hernandez accounted for all of Sacramento's offense with a two-run homer, but the bats otherwise went cold in the dry Arizona air.

“Focus and intensity,” Wood said of Phoenix’s approach. Sacramento had both, but not the timely hit. The loss dropped the Prayers to 46–28.

★ ★ ★

FRIDAY, JUNE 22 — VS EL PASO

Sacramento 14, El Paso 0
The Record-Breaker

Back home, Sacramento unleashed its most dominant performance of the week. Returning home to Sacramento Stadium, the Prayers took out their frustrations on the lowly Abbots. This was the Alex Velasquez Game.

The left fielder tied the AL record with five hits, including two home runs, a pair of singles, and a three‑run blast in the eighth that sent Sacramento Stadium into a roar. He finished with seven RBI, the best single‑game achievement of his career. It was a historic performance that brought the 22,000 fans to their feet.

“Once you get ahead, it makes it a lot easier because you get a better pitch to hit.” Velasquez later explained his approach. “And you’re ready.”

El Paso managed six hits but never mounted a threat, as Sacramento pitching kept the Abbots off the board throughout. Robby Larson cruised through 8 innings of shutout ball, a stat line that would be the lead story on any other night, and the Prayers rolled to their most lopsided win of the season. The win improved Sacramento's record to 47–28.

★ ★ ★

SATURDAY, JUNE 23 — VS EL PASO

Sacramento 1, El Paso 0
Walking A Tightrope

In a stark contrast to Friday's blowout, Saturday was a classic pitcher's duel. Bernardo Andretti was once again spectacular, throwing 8 shutout innings for his 10th win of the year. Bernardo Andretti’s second start of the week was even better than his first. He authored one of the Prayers’ sharpest performances of the season Saturday night, working eight scoreless innings as Sacramento edged the Abbots, 1–0, before 22,458 at Sacramento Stadium.

Andretti allowed just four hits, walked two, and struck out seven, consistently working ahead in the count. The game’s lone run came in the bottom of the first inning, when Bret Perez scored on Francisco Hernandez’s sacrifice fly after an El Paso error extended the frame.

“Bernardo was pounding the zone,” said manager Jimmy Aces. “That’s the kind of game that sets a tone.”

El Paso starter John Bradford nearly matched him, allowing only two hits over eight innings. Sacramento’s defense backed Andretti by turning three double plays, erasing El Paso’s best chances.

Luis Prieto closed it out with a clean ninth to earn his 22nd save in 23 opportunities. Andretti improved to 10–2 as the Prayers finished the week still in firm control of the division.

It was a gritty, ugly, beautiful win, the kind of win that championship teams bank on: quiet, clinical, and anchored by an ace who knows exactly who he is.

★ ★ ★

WEEK IN CONTEXT
Sacramento ends the week 48–28, holding the best record in the American League and an eight‑game cushion over Tucson. The rotation continues to be the backbone — Andretti and Larson combined for 23.2 innings and just one earned run this week — while the offense has found new life in Hernandez and Velasquez.

Injuries remain a concern. Eli Murguia’s fractured ankle removes a key left‑handed bat for months, and the club will need to lean on Mansfield, Cardenas, and Hernandez to cover the outfield load.

But the identity of this team is clear: deep, resilient, and increasingly confident.

As MacDonald put it earlier in the week, “We’re finding ways. That’s what good teams do.”

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL — QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
Four months without Murguia? Are you kidding me? He’s the engine of the offense. Can Mansfield or Cardenas actually fill those shoes, or do we need to make another trade?
— Anxious Al

Gemmy: Al, it’s a massive blow. Murguia wasn't just hitting for power; he was the emotional heartbeat of that dugout. While Velasquez has been "The Man" this week, expecting him to hit like a Hall of Famer every night is a tall order. Mansfield is hitting well (.349), but he doesn't have the "fear factor" Murguia provides. Don't be surprised if the front office uses that cash they just got from Boston to look for a veteran rental before the deadline.

Dear Gemmy,
I saw we traded Willie Estrada. He was struggling, but why trade him to Boston? They’re right in the thick of the AL East race. Aren't we helping a potential playoff rival?
— Skeptical Sarah

Gemmy: Sarah, it’s a fair question. Estrada had a 6.75 ERA and was falling out of the rotation's circle of trust. Getting $230,000 and a 21-year-old lefty prospect like Oscar Salinas for a struggling reliever is good business. The cash is likely the key here — it gives Jimmy Aces flexibility to make a move for a bat to cover Murguia’s injury.

Dear Gemmy,
What’s the deal with the Estrada trade? Selling a lefty to Boston feels like we’re giving a loaded gun to a guy we might have to fight in October. Was the cash really worth it?
— Trade-Wind Tony

Gemmy: Tony, follow the money. That $230,000 isn't just for a new scoreboard. With the trade deadline looming and Murguia in a cast, the Prayers are building a war chest. Oscar Salinas is a long-term project, but that cash gives us the leverage to go out and rent a big-time bat if Velasquez ever cools off. It’s a gamble, but one Jimmy Aces had to take.

Dear Gemmy,
I love this team, but I’m worried about the middle infield. Musco is a god, but Iniguez seems to disappear for weeks at a time. With the Murguia injury, can we really rely on our defense to carry us if the bats go cold?
— Sac-Town Stan

Gemmy: Stan, I hear you. Hector Iniguez is like a desert rain — rare, but vital when he shows up. He had a great week in Phoenix, but consistency is his white whale. The real concern is that Murguia’s injury puts more pressure on the defense to be perfect because we can't just "out-slug" our mistakes anymore. That said, as long as Musco is patrolling short, our "up-the-middle" defense remains elite.

★ ★ ★

THE LEDGER: TRANSACTION & INJURY WRAP-UP

The Trade:

The Prayers sent LHP Willie Estrada to the Boston Messiahs for LHP Oscar Salinas and $230,000. It’s a classic "sell high on potential/buy low on performance" move. The move clears a roster logjam and adds a developmental arm to the system. Salinas is a project, but the financial injection is what matters for a team in a pennant race.

The Infirmary:

* Eli Murguia (LF): Fractured Ankle. Out until late October. This is a season-defining injury.
* Fernando Salazar (P): Stress reaction in elbow. He is expected back in the next 48 hours. His return couldn't be more timely for a tired bullpen.
* Gil Caliari (P): Shoulder. Still about 3 weeks away from returning to the active roster.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE GOSSIP & STANDINGS

[i] The Contract Cloud: Whispers from the front office suggest that contract talks with Edwin Musco have hit a "significant" lull. Musco is currently playing like an MVP candidate, and every home run he hits adds another zero to his asking price. With the Prayers sitting on a pile of cash from the Boston trade, the fans are starting to wonder: if we aren't spending it on an extension for the best shortstop in the league, what are we doing?
* The AL West Race: Sacramento is pulling away. With an 8.0 game lead over Tucson, the Prayers have the luxury of weathering the Murguia injury. However, the Tucson Cherubs are coming to town for a massive three-game set starting Monday. This series could either end the race or blow it wide open.
* AL East Heat: The AL East remains a bloodbath. The Columbus Heaven (45-32) hold a razor-thin half-game lead over the Boston Messiahs (44-32). Our trade of Willie Estrada to the Messiahs has already sparked "traitor" chants in Columbus. By sending Estrada to Boston, Sacramento might have inadvertently influenced the outcome of that division race.

Meanwhile, in the National League, the Detroit Preachers are setting a blistering pace at 46-30. If the season ended today, a Prayers - Preachers "Holy War" World Series would be the talk of the country.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

"The loss of Murguia is the kind of event that tests the soul of a clubhouse. You can see the response already — Velasquez is playing like a man possessed, and Andretti is pitching with the cold efficiency of a late-night auditor. But the 1-0 win on Saturday is the most telling. This team can win when they're scoring 14, and they can win when they're scoring 1. That versatility is why they're 20 games over .500. Keep an eye on the Musco contract situation; if the Prayers don't lock him up soon, the Murguia injury might make him even more expensive as his leverage grows.

I’ve been watching baseball a long time, and I’ve learned that teams usually react to a superstar’s injury in one of two ways: they either curl into a fetal position or they find a new hero. This week, Alex Velasquez didn’t just step up; he kicked the door down and demanded the spotlight. His five-hit performance against El Paso was the kind of "don't count us out" manifesto that defines championship seasons.

But let’s be real for a second. Winning 1-0 games on two hits is a dangerous way to live. We are leaning heavily on Bernardo Andretti — who, at 10-2, is currently the frontrunner for the Cy Young — and a bullpen that is starting to show the wear and tear of a long June. The trade of Estrada for cash is a clear signal that the front office knows this roster is currently incomplete.

The upcoming series against the Tucson Cherubs is the most important set of the year so far. If we sweep, the West is effectively over by the Fourth of July. If we get swept, the ghost of Eli Murguia is going to start feeling a lot heavier in that clubhouse. This team has the talent, they have the grit, and now they have the "Next Man Up" motivation. Let’s see if they have the stamina."

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY – JUNE 24 – JUNE 30, 1990
Prayers surge to 52–30 despite injuries, late heartbreak in Columbus
Gemmy Nay (Sacramento Sports Chronicle) in collaboration with Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot (BNN)


If there is a patron saint of "Bad Luck and Good Timing," they must be wearing a Sacramento cap this week. We watched our boys climb a mountain of runs at home, only to stumble into a den of lions in Columbus. The Prayers are still the class of the West at 52-30, but the roster is starting to look like a triage unit. Between the walk-off heroics at home and the heartbreak in the rain, this week was a microcosm of a 162-game grind.

What began as a productive homestand turned into a physically and mentally draining road series in Columbus, where the Prayers were edged twice in games that demanded nearly flawless pitching just to stay alive.

★ ★ ★

SUNDAY, JUNE 24 — Prayers 10, Abbots 4

Sunday was supposed to be a celebration — a chance to finish off El Paso and keep the momentum rolling. We got the 10-4 win, but it felt hollow the moment Bret Perez went down. A broken kneecap. Just days after losing Murguia, the baseball gods decided our hot-corner mainstay needed a four-to-five-month sabbatical.

The silver lining? Jesus Rodriguez. Subbing in for the injured Perez, Rodriguez didn't just play; he announced himself as the new third‑base solution with 3 RBI, including a towering two‑run homer in the eighth. Sacramento erased an early 4–0 deficit with a six‑run fifth. Alex Velasquez, continuing his "I’ll carry this team myself" tour, delivered a two-run double that effectively broke El Paso’s spirit. Ricky Gaias settled after a shaky start, grinding through eight innings for his seventh win. Manager Jimmy Aces said it best: they put the pedal to the metal. It’s just a shame the engine lost another part in the process. The win streak hit three, and the offense looked alive again.

★ ★ ★

MONDAY, JUNE 25 — Prayers 15, Cherubs 2

The Cherubs came to Sacramento Stadium expecting a fight and instead walked into a buzzsaw.

Monday’s 15-2 blowout was the kind of game that makes you feel sorry for the visiting pitcher. George MacDonald was a man possessed, racking up three hits and a three-run homer in the eighth that probably still hasn't landed. We put up 20 hits. Twenty! Among those:

- George MacDonald: 3‑for‑5, HR, 4 RBI
- Gil Cruz: 3‑for‑5, 2 doubles, 2 RBI
- Alex Velasquez: 3‑for‑5, triple, double, RBI
- Jesus Rodriguez: HR, 3 RBI

Even the bench players were getting in on the fun. Jordan Rubalcava was his usual surgical self, striking out nine over eight innings, and allowing just two runs.

Tucson never recovered from Sacramento’s four‑run second, and the Prayers rolled to 50 wins.

★ ★ ★

TUESDAY, JUNE 26 — Prayers 7, Cherubs 6 (10 innings)

Tuesday was the "Game of the Year" candidate. This one tested nerves. A 7-6 nail-biter that went ten innings and featured Gil Cruz playing out of his mind. Cruz hit a triple and a home run, but the hero of the hour was Alex Velasquez. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth, Velasquez sent the Sacramento faithful into a frenzy with a walk-off double. It was the fifth straight win, and for a moment, the injuries didn't seem to matter.

The bullpen bent but didn’t break, and Steve Dodge earned his first career win. Five straight victories — and the Prayers were rolling.

“We kept answering,” Cruz said. “That’s what good teams do.”

★ ★ ★

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27 — Prayers 4, Cherubs 2

Wednesday saw Robby Larson stabilize the rotation in a 4-2 series-sweeping victory. Larson delivered one of his best starts of the year: 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 K, mixing his sinker and slider with Gold Glove precision. While Tucson tried to use their league-leading speed to rattle Larson, he remained unbothered, and the bullpen closed it out without drama as Sacramento wrapped up a strong homestand. Tip of the hat to Gil Cruz, who continued his power surge with a two-run homer in the third. A sweep of a divisional rival? That’s how you build a cushion.

“It wasn’t flashy,” Aces said, “but it was clean.”

Sacramento completed the sweep and moved to 52–28.

★ ★ ★

FRIDAY, JUNE 29 — Heaven 7, Prayers 6

A heavyweight showdown between division leaders turned into heartbreak.

One night after arriving in Columbus, the Prayers absorbed a crushing loss. Friday night was a tragedy in three acts. Act one: Bernardo Andretti pitches a masterpiece for 7.1 innings, leaving with a lead. Act two: The bullpen enters. Act three: The 9th-inning nightmare. Arthur Gilbert and Luis Prieto combined to surrender six runs in the final frame, capped off by an Alberto Ortega grand slam that felt like a punch to the gut. To lose 7-6 after leading 6-1 going into the 9th is the kind of loss that keeps managers awake at night.

It was a reminder of how unforgiving games against contenders can be. A brutal loss — and a rare bullpen failure — snapped Sacramento’s five‑game win streak.

★ ★ ★

SATURDAY, JUNE 30 — Heaven 1, Prayers 0 (11 innings)

This one was decided by a single swing — and only after nearly four hours of baseball.

Saturday was a classic pitcher's duel that proved baseball is a cruel mistress. Jordan Rubalcava returned to the mound and was untouchable — nine innings, four hits, zero runs. He was a titan. But the Prayers’ offense never solved Columbus ace Ian Woods, and the game drifted into extras. Sacramento bats went silent in the humidity and rain. In the 11th, after a rain delay and a scoreless tenth, Silvio Buonconte finally ended the scoreless stalemate launching a solo homer off Luis Prieto to give the Heaven their seventh straight win. Sacramento was shut out despite seven hits and multiple scoring chances. A masterpiece from Rubalcava — wasted.

“That’s a tough one,” Jimmy Aces said. “Jordan gave us everything.”

Two nights, two walk-off losses in Columbus. The lead in the West is down to nine games, which sounds comfortable until you realize the Heaven have won seven straight.

★ ★ ★

INJURY REPORT

* Bret Perez (3B): broken kneecap, placed on 60-day IL; out 4–5 months
* Eli Murguia (LF): fractured ankle, 3–4 months remaining
* Gil Caliari (P): shoulder inflammation, approx. two weeks remaining on 60-day IL

★ ★ ★

ROSTER MOVES

* June 24: 3B Bret Perez placed on 60-day injured list
* June 24: Contract of SS Bill Marcos purchased from Triple-A Oxnard
* June 26: SP Fernando Salazar sent to Triple-A Oxnard for injury rehab

★ ★ ★

Players of the Week (Sacramento)

• George MacDonald: .400+, 2 HR, 8 RBI
• Gil Cruz: rediscovered his power stroke
• Alex Velasquez: multiple clutch hits, including a walk‑off and a 2‑run double to spark the 10‑run week opener
• Jordan Rubalcava: 9 shutout innings in a no‑decision gem
• Robby Larson: 7th win, steadying force

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE NEWS & THE LEDGER

The AL East Arms Race:
While we worry about the West, the East is becoming a historical battle. Columbus (51-32) has reclaimed the lead from Boston (49-33) thanks to their current seven-game win streak. The "Heaven vs. Messiahs" rivalry is the hottest ticket in the country. Our series in Columbus isn't just a road trip; it's a preview of the American League Championship Series.

Contract Watch: The Musco Silence:
Edwin Musco had a quiet week by his standards, but his agent certainly didn't. Word is that the front office’s recent "cash infusion" from the Willie Estrada trade hasn't been offered to Musco yet. If the Prayers are waiting for the offseason to pay their superstar shortstop, they might find themselves in a bidding war with New York or Chicago. You don't let a .285 hitter with 14 homers at shortstop walk away. Pay the man.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL — QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
I’m losing sleep over these injuries. First Murguia, now Bret Perez? It feels like the "Sacramento Curse" is real. Do we have enough depth in the minors, or is Jimmy Aces going to have to trade the farm for a third baseman?
— Anxious in Arden

Gemmy: Anxious, take a deep breath. Yes, losing Perez is a massive blow to the clubhouse chemistry, but did you see Jesus Rodriguez this week? The kid is batting over .300 since taking over and has shown surprising pop. We don't need to "trade the farm" yet. Bill Marcos was just called up from Oxnard, and while he’s a defensive specialist, he provides the coverage we need. The real test isn't our depth; it's whether our pitching can survive these high-scoring games without the usual defensive gems Perez provided.

Dear Gemmy,
What is going on with Luis Prieto? Two walk-off losses in two nights in Columbus. Is he gassed, or is he just not the "closer" we thought he was?
— Bullpen Bill

Gemmy: Bill, don’t jump off the Prieto pier just yet. Remember, this man has 21 saves. In Columbus, the humidity and the rain delays are a nightmare for "feel" pitchers. On Friday, the mess was started by Gilbert; Prieto was just trying to put out a forest fire with a water pistol. Saturday’s home run was a mistake pitch, sure, but he was working on back-to-back nights in high-leverage situations. He’s human. If he’s still blowing leads by mid-July, then we can talk about a change.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

I want to talk about the "9th Inning Identity Crisis."

For most of the season, the Prayers have been a team that wins with a sledgehammer. We out-hit our problems. But this week in Columbus showed the cracks in the foundation. When you have an ace like Jordan Rubalcava throw nine innings of shutout baseball and you still lose, that isn't a pitching problem — it's a failure of the lineup to support their star.

We are missing the "clutch" factor that Eli Murguia and Bret Perez brought to the middle of the order. George MacDonald and Alex Velasquez are doing the heavy lifting, but they can't do it alone. Gil Cruz’s emergence as a power threat is a godsend, but we need more from the bottom of the order if we're going to survive this road trip.

The loss of Perez is more than just a missing bat; it’s a missing anchor. However, I’m not ready to panic. This team has 52 wins for a reason. They are resilient, they are deep, and they are coached by a man who refuses to accept "bad luck" as an excuse. The Columbus series was a reality check, but the Prayers usually play their best when their backs are against the wall.

Keep an eye on the upcoming Las Vegas series. The "Blessed" are playing well, and it’ll be a chance for our bullpen to prove that the Columbus disaster was a fluke, not a trend.

[liberty-ca]

FBL TRADE BULLETIN — BREAKING NEWS SPECIAL
Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle


The midnight oil wasn’t just burning in Sacramento this Tuesday; it was practically a forest fire. While most of the city was tucked away, dreaming of pennant races and summer afternoons at the yard, the Prayers’ front office was locked in a high-stakes game of poker with the Philadelphia Padres. By the time the sun began to peek over the horizon, the landscape of the 1990 season had shifted.

In a blockbuster move that signals Sacramento is officially "all-in" for a deep postseason run, the Prayers have acquired 28-year-old veteran catcher Rafael Alonzo from Philadelphia. The cost was significant, a trio of minor league talents — 24-year-old catcher Keisuke Ishibashi, 30-year-old right-hander Ramon Mayorga, and 24-year-old southpaw Moises Argueta — all packing their bags for Philadelphia. But in return, Sacramento didn't just get a man to wear the tools of ignorance; they secured a leader, two crucial draft picks (a 2nd and a 5th rounder), and a clear message to the rest of the league: the Prayers are coming for the crown.

A source close to Sacramento officials, weary from the negotiations, put it simply: “The teams spent long hours coming to the agreement and in the end, both agreed the deal should help both clubs.”

★ ★ ★

THE NEW GENERAL BEHIND THE PLATE: RAFAEL ALONZO

To understand why Sacramento was willing to part with three pieces of organizational depth, you have to look at the man from Caracas, Venezuela. Rafael Alonzo isn't just a placeholder; he is a 6'1", 195-pound presence who is seen as very popular both locally and nationally throughout his 11-year professional journey.

Alonzo arrives in the capital city with a reputation as a "mild-mannered" professional who lets his play do the talking. This season, he has been a steady force in 73 games, slashing .248/.309/.380 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs. While those offensive numbers are solid — providing the right-handed power Sacramento has been craving — it’s his work with the pitching staff that has scouts drooling.

The metrics on Alonzo’s defense are, quite frankly, staggering. He carries an "elite" 80-grade pitch-framing mark, the kind of skill that turns border-line balls into strike three and keeps a pitching staff’s ERA on a diet. Combine that with a "plus" 65-grade throwing arm and a 76-rated catcher ability, and you have a defensive general who can shut down the running game and navigate a starter through the most treacherous of innings.

Last year, Alonzo showed even more offensive teeth, batting .292 with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs. If he can rediscover that .290 stroke in the dry Sacramento air, the Prayers might have just stumbled upon the most dangerous catcher in the league.

★ ★ ★

THE LEDGER: FINANCIALS AND FUTURE FLEXIBILITY

This wasn't just a talent grab; it was a financial chess match. Alonzo is in the final year of his current contract, earning a salary of $312,000 for the 1990 season. He is currently arbitration-eligible, though there are whispers he could test the free-agent waters after the season. Given his "High Financial Ambition" personality trait, the Prayers’ front office will likely need to open the checkbook if they want to keep him in Sacramento long-term.

The deal was made possible because Philadelphia agreed to retain a portion of Alonzo’s remaining salary. This crucial concession allowed Sacramento to bolster the roster without blowing past their 1990 payroll limits, while Philadelphia pivoted toward future flexibility by acquiring the younger, cheaper trio of Ishibashi, Mayorga, and Argueta.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL — QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
I like the trade, but Ishibashi was a fan favorite down in the minors! Are we selling the farm just to get a guy who might leave in October? I’m worried we’re trading tomorrow’s hope for today’s heartbreak.
— Nervous in North Natomas

Gemmy: North Natomas, take a deep breath. Yes, Ishibashi has potential, but flags fly forever. We have a pitching staff that is throwing gems, but they need a master architect behind the plate. Alonzo isn't just a "rental"; he’s a force multiplier. If he helps us win a ring in 1990, you won't remember Ishibashi's name by 1992. Fortune favors the bold!

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

It’s the passion of the Sacramento faithful that keeps the ink flowing and the typewriter humming late into the night. When a move this big happens — when the front office finally decides to stop "prospect hugging" and starts building a winner for now — the story practically writes itself.

There is a palpable buzz in the city today. You can hear it in the coffee shops on K Street and see it in the eyes of every fan wearing a Prayers cap. Acquiring a guy like Rafael Alonzo isn't just about the box score; it's about the statement it makes to the rest of the league. We aren't just here to participate; we're here to dominate.

Let’s be real for a second: you don't make this trade if you're content with just "competing." You make this trade when you smell blood in the water.

The acquisition of Rafael Alonzo is a masterstroke of timing. We are watching a 28-year-old in his prime, a man who has spent over five years in the big leagues honing his craft, step into a lineup that desperately needed a veteran stabilizer. By securing a 2nd and 5th round pick in the process, the Prayers even managed to mitigate the loss of their prospects.

Alonzo is expected to report to the team immediately, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him behind the plate as early as the next series opener. The clubhouse morale is already reported very good, and adding a popular, mild-mannered professional like Alonzo should only solidify that chemistry.

Philadelphia got their future, but Sacramento just got their present. And if the "Venezuelan Wall" plays up to his elite framing reputation, those late-inning leads are going to start feeling a whole lot safer.

I’ll be keeping a close eye on the clubhouse as Alonzo settles in. Transitioning to a new pitching staff mid-season is like trying to learn a new language while running a marathon, but if anyone can do it, it’s a veteran with his pedigree. Welcome to Sacramento, Rafael. Don't worry about the heat — the fans here are used to things getting hot in July.

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY: JULY 1 – JULY 7, 1990

Musco detonates Columbus, Larson dominates Vegas, Cruz rescues the Fourth, and Sacramento closes the week with a statement shutout in Seattle
Gemmy Nay (Sacramento Sports Chronicle) in collaboration with Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot (BNN)


The Fourth of July may have passed, but the fireworks around the Sacramento Prayers are only just beginning. As the club traverses the grueling landscape of a Western road trip, the front office decided to ignite a metaphorical Roman candle of their own. The acquisition of Rafael Alonzo has sent shockwaves from the Central Valley to the shores of the Atlantic, signaling to the baseball world that Sacramento isn’t just looking for a seat at the table — they’re looking to clear the room.

While the new general behind the plate prepares to don the White, green and gold, the men on the field have been engaged in a brutal stretch of baseball that has tested their mettle, their depth, and their heart. From the hallowed grounds of Columbus to the neon lights of Las Vegas and the misty air of Seattle, the Prayers are proving that even when they bleed, they are the most dangerous team in the American League.

★ ★ ★

THE BREAKING WIRE: THE ALONZO ARCHITECTURE

Before we dive into the dirt and grass of the past week, we must address the seismic shift in the roster. The trade for Rafael Alonzo is more than a talent upgrade; it is a financial and strategic masterpiece. By sending Keisuke Ishibashi, Ramon Mayorga, and Moises Argueta to Philadelphia, Sacramento parted with "tomorrow" to secure "today."

The Padres’ willingness to retain a significant portion of Alonzo’s contract is the "Estrada Cash" miracle of the season. It allows the Prayers to bring in an elite defensive specialist — a man whose 80-grade pitch-framing and 65-grade arm are the stuff of nightmares for opposing base-runners — without handicapping their ability to make further moves. With two additional draft picks (a 2nd and a 5th) tucked into the deal, Sacramento has managed to bolster their present while cushioning the blow to their future. Highly popular around the league among the players and fans alike, Alonzo is expected to take over the primary catching duties immediately, bringing a veteran presence to a clubhouse that is already smelling a championship.

★ ★ ★

Sunday, July 1 — at Columbus Heaven

Sacramento 7, Columbus 1
Musco’s Grand Slam Silences Columbus

The Prayers opened the week with authority, riding a thunderous seventh inning to a convincing 7–1 win over the Columbus Heaven. The road trip began with a statement of dominance against the AL East-leading Columbus Heaven.

In a battle of titans, it was Sacramento’s Edwin Musco who reminded the world why he wore the home run crown in '89. With the game poised at a tense 1-1 in the seventh, he stepped into a Mike Bryer offering and launched a grand slam — his 15th home run of the season — that silenced the Columbus faithful, turning a narrow lead into a rout. Edwin Musco finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs. The Prayers also got timely power earlier, with solo home runs from Gil Cruz and Alex Velasquez in the sixth inning.

On the mound, right-hander Rene Gaias steadied himself after surrendering a leadoff homer to Matt Troyer, and navigated five walks with the poise of a seasoned navigator. The bullpen of Mike Wright and Ron Gray closed the door without incident. The 7-1 victory was a clinical exhibition of how the Prayers can turn a close game into a rout in the blink of an eye.

“Enjoyed this one,” Musco told the Sacramento Sports Chronicle. “But it’s back to work tomorrow.”

★ ★ ★

Monday, July 2 — at Las Vegas Blessed

Sacramento 2, Las Vegas 1
Larson Outduels Vegas in a Road Nail‑Biter

As the team moved to Las Vegas a night after the bats roared, the Prayers won with finesse and pitching, edging Blessed 2–1 behind a crisp performance from Robby Larson. Larson, the Victorville native, treated the Blessed hitters like tourists at a rigged blackjack table. The right-hander worked eight scoreless innings, allowing just four hits on 87 pitches and surrendering a single unearned run.

The offense was sparse but timely. Sacramento scratched out an early run in the first and added another in the third when catcher Alberto Vieyra launched a solo home run that gave the Prayers a lead they would never relinquish. That proved enough, though the defense made things interesting late, committing three errors behind Larson. Manager Jimmy Aces turned to Luis Prieto in the ninth, and despite inherited runners, the closer slammed the door in the ninth for his 23rd save, securing a 2-1 victory that felt far more dominant than the score suggested.

“Robby made the big pitches when he needed to,” Aces said.

★ ★ ★

Tuesday, July 3 — at Las Vegas Blessed

Las Vegas 3, Sacramento 2
Heartbreak in the Desert

Every marathon has its stumbles, and Tuesday night was a rare lapse for the Prayers' defense. The middle game of the series slipped away despite strong pitching from Danny St. Clair, who went 7⅔ innings and allowed just three runs. Sacramento managed nine hits but stranded runners throughout the night. Despite a valiant effort from Danny St. Clair, the Prayers couldn't overcome a trio of defensive miscues. A sixth-inning triple by Aaron Finch proved to be the dagger, as the Blessed managed to scrape together a 3-2 win.

The Blessed bullpen was sharp late, with Phil Kennedy recording his 22nd save. Sacramento’s bats showed life — A. Lopez and H. Iniguez both went deep — but they couldn't find the clutch hit with runners in scoring position, leaving seven men stranded in a game that was there for the taking. Sacramento finished the night 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position, a missed opportunity in a game decided by a single run.

“We faced good pitching and still got it done,” Finch said afterward. As for Sacramento — a tough loss, but not a discouraging one.

★ ★ ★

Wednesday, July 4 — at Las Vegas Blessed

Sacramento 5, Las Vegas 3
Cruz Fireworks in the Ninth

On the birthday of the nation, Gil Cruz decided to provide the pyrotechnics. Entering the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, Cruz single-handedly rewrote the script. With the Prayers down 3–1 entering the eighth, the team clawed back to tie it. First, MacDonald tied the game with a solo homer, and then it was Cruz’s massive two-run shot in the ninth off Phil Kennedy that truly sparked the celebration. Cruz finished with two hits in two at-bats.

“I felt good up there,” Cruz said. “I saw the ball well.”

Starter Brian Andretti gave Sacramento 5⅔ solid innings, and Ron Gray earned the win in relief. The 5-3 comeback win showcased the depth of Jimmy Aces’ bench. When the stars were held in check by Las Vegas starter Brian Strickler, the "next man up" philosophy took over. Luis Prieto notched his 24th save, ensuring the Prayers left Vegas with a series victory and their heads held high.


★ ★ ★

Friday, July 6 — at Seattle Lucifers

Seattle 5, Sacramento 0
Gaytan Shuts Sacramento Out

The trip to Seattle started with a cold shower. Lucifers’ starter Edwin Gaytan was untouchable, baffling the Sacramento lineup for 8.1 innings of six-hit ball. Seattle struck early, added later some insurance runs, and a late homer by Joey Romero sealed the outcome. The Prayers simply couldn't find a rhythm, falling 5-0 in a game where J. Rubalcava pitched better than his line suggested, but was ultimately victimized by control issues and a lack of run support. Sacramento left six men on base and grounded into costly double plays, never recovering momentum.

“We had a good game plan,” Gaytan said. “And we were able to execute it.”

It was a reminder that even the league's best can be humbled on any given Friday night.

★ ★ ★

Saturday, July 7 — at Seattle Lucifers

Sacramento 8, Seattle 0
Larson's Revenge; Offense Unloads

Sacramento responded emphatically.

If the Lucifers thought they had found a blueprint to beat Sacramento, Robby Larson tore it up on Saturday. Returning to the mound on short rest, Larson was once again spectacular, tossing seven shutout innings. This time, the bats woke up with a vengeance. The week closed on a dominant note as Robby Larson authored one of his sharpest outings of the season, blanking Seattle in an 8–0 shutout. Larson scattered five hits, working efficiently and keeping the Lucifers off balance all night.

The offense gave him plenty of support, scoring in six different innings. Sacramento exploded for eight runs, highlighted by home runs from Gil Cruz (his 10th) and G. MacDonald (his 12th). Sacramento piled up ten hits and five walks, steadily wearing down Seattle pitching. Aaron Gilbert navigated late traffic calmly, stranding runners in the ninth to complete the shutout and give Sacramento a strong finish to the road trip. The 8-0 laugher was the perfect response to the previous night’s shutout, re-establishing the Prayers' 10-game lead in the AL West and proving that this team doesn't stay down for long.

★ ★ ★

Players of the Week (Sacramento)

• Pitching MVP: Robby Larson — 2 starts, 2 wins, 15 IP, 0 ER — a near‑perfect week.
• Offensive MVP: Edwin Musco — Grand slam, 7 RBI, and steady production throughout.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE LEDGER: NEWS FROM THE FRONT

While we focus on our Prayers, the rest of the baseball world continues to spin. In the AL East, the Columbus Heaven (54-35) maintain a 3.5-game lead over the surging Boston Messiahs. Over in the National League, the Nashville Angels (52-36) are holding off a fierce challenge from the Detroit Preachers in the East, while the Long Beach Diablos (53-36) sit atop the West, four games clear of our recent victims, the Las Vegas Blessed.

Across the league, the trade for Alonzo has been the primary topic of conversation. Many executives believe Philadelphia’s move to retain salary is a harbinger of more "salary-relief" trades as the deadline approaches.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL — QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
I’m thrilled about Alonzo! But I’m worried about our internal chemistry. Rubbi and Vieyra have been grinding all year. Does bringing in a "superstar" catcher mid-season mess with the vibe in the clubhouse?
— Concerned in Curtis Park

Gemmy: Curtis, don't you worry about the "vibe." Winning is the ultimate deodorant. Alonzo is known as a "mild-mannered" professional. He’s not coming in to take over the locker room; he’s coming in to help our pitchers win Cy Youngs. Rubbi and Vieyra are pros — they know that if Alonzo's framing gets us three extra strikes a game, everyone’s job gets easier.

Dear Gemmy,
Robby Larson is a machine! Two wins on one road trip? Is there any chance he’s the frontrunner for the AL Pitcher of the Year?
— Larson Loyalist

Gemmy: Loyalist, if the vote were held today, you’d have to build him a statue. Larson’s ability to provide length and efficiency (87 pitches for 8 innings in Vegas!) is saving this bullpen while Gil Caliari is on the shelf. He is the stabilizing force this rotation needs to bridge the gap to the playoffs.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

We are witnessing something special, Sacramento. This road trip could have been a disaster given the injuries to Murguia and Perez, but instead, the Prayers are 56-32 and sitting on a double-digit lead in the division.

The move for Rafael Alonzo is the "all-in" moment we’ve been waiting for. It’s a message from the owners to the players: We believe in you. And with the way Robby Larson is throwing and Gil Cruz is coming off the bench with late-inning lightning, there’s every reason to believe.

Enjoy the ride, Sacramento. The heat is rising, the lead is growing, and we’ve got a new sheriff behind the plate.

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY: JULY 8 – JULY 14, 1990
THE DOG DAYS OF JULY
Gemmy Nay (Sacramento Sports Chronicle) in collaboration with Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot (BNN)


The road is a cruel mistress, and the Sacramento Prayers are currently learning that even the most blessed season has its share of gravel and dust. After the high-octane excitement of the Rafael Alonzo trade, the Prayers have found themselves in the teeth of a brutal Western swing. It hasn’t all been sunshine and grand slams; in fact, the bats have gone cold in the misty Pacific Northwest and the humidity of San Jose.

But amidst the struggle, we caught our first glimpse of the new general. Rafael Alonzo stepped behind the plate this week, bringing that much-vaunted 80-grade framing and a veteran presence that already feels like it’s been here for years. The contract situation remains the elephant in the dugout — Alonzo’s $312,000 deal expires at season’s end, and his "High Financial Ambition" suggests that a pennant might be the only thing that keeps him from testing the open market. For now, however, he is the anchor of a ship navigating some choppy waters.

Sacramento closes the week 58–35, still firmly atop the AL West — but with San Jose suddenly gaining ground.

★ ★ ★

Sunday, July 8 — at Seattle Lucifers

Seattle 6, Sacramento 0
Serrano Silences Prayers in Series Finale

The series finale in Seattle was a game the Prayers would just as soon leave in the Puget Sound. Ricky Serrano, a man who had yet to find his footing this season, suddenly transformed into a Cy Young candidate for one afternoon. He baffled Sacramento for over seven innings, allowing just five hits while the Prayers’ bats seemed to be swinging underwater.

On the other side of the ledger, R. Gaias simply didn't have his best stuff. The Lucifers jumped on him early for four runs in the first inning, a deficit that felt like a mountain given the way Serrano was dealing. By the time Gaias was lifted in the fourth, the damage was done. Despite F. Hernandez swiping two bags to bring his season total to 32, Sacramento couldn't manufacture a single run, suffering a demoralizing shutout to cap a difficult series in the North.

“We dug ourselves a hole right out of the gate,” manager Jimmy Aces said. “On the road, you don’t get a lot of margin for error, and we used it up early.”

A quiet, frustrating end to the Seattle series.

★ ★ ★

Thursday, July 12 — at San Jose Demons

Sacramento 2, San Jose 1 (12 innings)
Cardenas’ Extra‑Inning Double Lifts Prayers in Marathon

If you like "old school" baseball, this was your masterpiece. This game marked the official Sacramento debut of Rafael Alonzo, and he made his presence felt immediately, guiding Jordan Rubalcava through 7.1 innings of masterful one-run ball. The framing was as advertised — Alonzo stole strikes in the lower third all night, keeping the Demons' hitters off-balance.

The game was a deadlock, tied 1-1 thanks to a solo blast from Edwin Musco in the fourth. It stayed that way into the deep hours of the night. Finally, in the top of the 12th, the veteran Roberto Cardenas stepped up as a pinch-hitter and delivered the hit of the trip — a double that chased home the go-ahead run. Luis Prieto earned the win with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, but the victory came at a cost: Prieto left the game with a sore shoulder and is listed as day-to-day. Chris Ryan stepped in to earn his 6th save, sealing a win that felt like a heavyweight title fight.

“That’s the kind of game you have to win in July,” Rubalcava said. “Nobody blinks, and eventually somebody makes a pitch or gets a swing.”

A tense, much‑needed win to open the series.

★ ★ ★

Friday, July 13 — at San Jose Demons

San Jose 6, Sacramento 5
Demons Outslug Prayers in Back-and-Forth Battle

The momentum from the marathon win didn't quite carry over to Friday the 13th. In a seesaw battle that featured 21 combined hits, the Prayers found themselves on the wrong side of a one-run game. Bernardo Andretti, usually the model of consistency, struggled to find the strike zone and was tagged for six earned runs in less than five innings.

The offense did its best to bail him out. Edwin Musco continued his torrid pace with three hits, and second baseman Javier Rodriguez — not to be confused with the San Jose pitcher of the same name — launched a two-run homer in the third. Sacramento actually held a 3-1 lead, but the Demons clawed back, fueled by a three-run fifth inning that Andretti couldn't survive. A late rally in the eighth fell just short, leaving the Prayers one run shy in a frustrating divisional clash.

“We had our chances,” Aces said. “We just didn’t tack on when we needed to.”

★ ★ ★

Saturday, July 14 — at San Jose Demons

San Jose 4, Sacramento 1
Collins Outduels Salazar as Prayers Drop Second Straight

Saturday was a story of missed opportunities. The Prayers actually out-hit the Demons 8 to 11, but they couldn't find the "knock" when it mattered, leaving a staggering 10 men on base. F. Salazar, making a spot start after returning from injury rehab, battled through 7.2 innings, but he was victimized by a lack of run support and a costly sixth-inning single by Miguel Calderon that broke the game open for San Jose.

Rafael Alonzo picked up another hit and a walk, showing his patient approach at the plate, but the heart of the order went quiet. Edwin Musco was held hitless, and the Prayers' lone run came courtesy of a MacDonald single. It was a clinical performance by San Jose’s Dan Collins and their bullpen, specifically closer G. Strander, who seems to have Sacramento’s number this season. The loss narrows the Prayers’ lead in the West to 9.0 games — still a comfortable cushion, but a reminder that San Jose isn't going away quietly.

“We didn’t play bad baseball,” said Eli Musco. “We just didn’t play clean enough to win the series.”

★ ★ ★

WEEK SUMMARY

Record: 1–3
Runs Scored: 8
Runs Allowed: 17

This was one of Sacramento’s leanest offensive weeks of the season. The pitching — Rubalcava, Larson earlier in the month, and the bullpen — remains strong, but the lineup is clearly missing the injured Bret Perez and Eli Murguia.

Despite a 1–3 week, Sacramento remains entrenched near the top of the American League West. The margin has tightened with divisional rivals continuing to press, but the Prayers’ body of work over the first half keeps them in position as July grinds forward.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE NEWS: THE MID-JULY SHAKEUP

While Sacramento battles in the West, the National League East has turned into a absolute meat grinder. The Detroit Preachers and Nashville Angels are locked in a dead heat at 54-39, with the Charlotte Monks just one game back. It’s shaping up to be the best divisional race in years.

In the American League East, the Columbus Heaven still hold a 3.5-game lead over the Boston Messiahs, but the gap is closing. Meanwhile, the El Paso Abbots continue to struggle, sitting 24.5 games back in our own division.

Injury Report: Beyond our own Luis Prieto (Shoulder), the league is watching the status of several stars as the dog days of summer begin to take their toll on aging rosters.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL — QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
I saw Alonzo framing those pitches in San Jose. It’s like magic! But I’m worried about his contract. He’s "High Financial Ambition," right? If we win the World Series, can we afford to keep him, or are we just renting a trophy?
— Payroll Pete in Roseville

Gemmy: Pete, you hit the nail on the head. Alonzo is an elite talent, and elite talents know their worth. At $312,000, he’s a bargain right now, but that arbitration hearing this winter is going to be a doozy. The Prayers’ front office has shown they’re willing to spend to win now. Let’s worry about the checkbook in November; for now, let’s just enjoy the fact that our pitchers have an extra two inches of strike zone to work with!

Dear Gemmy,
Musco is hitting everything! Do you think he can repeat as the Home Run King? And what’s with the defense lately? Eleven errors for Musco seems high for a championship shortstop.
— Shortstop Skeptic

Gemmy: Skeptic, you have to take the bitter with the sweet with Edwin. He’s currently sitting on 16 homers and is carrying this offense on his back. Yes, the 11 errors are a concern, but when you provide that kind of middle-infield power, the manager tends to look the other way on a few booted grounders. He’s a superstar, flaws and all.

★ ★ ★

Gemmy’s Take

Alright, so this was one of those weeks that felt longer than it looked on the calendar.

This road trip has been a reality check. The Prayers are 58-35 — still the gold standard of the American League — but the offensive consistency has wavered. The loss of Luis Prieto to a sore shoulder, even if just for a week, is a concern given that Gil Caliari is still five weeks away from a return.

The highlight of the week remains the integration of Rafael Alonzo. Watching him work with Rubalcava in that 12-inning win was a masterclass in game management. If the bats can wake up for the upcoming series in El Paso and Brooklyn, the Prayers will head back to Sacramento with their double-digit lead intact. This team has the talent; they just need to find their road legs.

Four games in two cities. One extra-inning win that required patience, caffeine, and a bullpen phone that probably needs replacing. You don’t come away from a week like this feeling great, but you don’t come away panicking either. This is July baseball. It’s humid, it’s sticky, and sometimes it’s just kind of annoying.

Seattle was a gut punch — early runs, quiet bats, bags packed quickly. San Jose was more familiar: one game you steal, two you let slip, all of them played within arm’s reach. That 12-inning win? That’s the kind of game you circle later and say, “Yeah, that mattered.” The other two? They’re the ones you shrug at, file away, and promise yourself you’ll cash in next time.

What stands out is this: the Prayers didn’t unravel. They didn’t snowball a bad inning into a bad series into a bad week. They just didn’t finish often enough.

And that’s fine — for now. July is when contenders quietly decide whether they’re comfortable being good or serious about being dangerous. Sacramento’s still very much in the conversation. The trick is making sure these one-run, one-swing games start leaning their way more often than not.

No alarms, no speeches; just keep showing up, keep grinding, and maybe — just maybe — stop making every road series feel like a dental appointment.

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY: JULY 15 – JULY 21, 1990
THUNDER IN THE DESERT AND HEARTBREAK IN THE BOROUGHS
Gemmy Nay (Sacramento Sports Chronicle) in collaboration with Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot (BNN)


The Sacramento Prayers continue to lead a charmed, if exhausting, existence. This week, the road trip shifted from the familiar haunts of Northern California to the sweltering humidity of El Paso and finally to the historic, pressure-packed confines of Brooklyn. It was a week defined by extreme highs — Bernardo Andretti’s surgical precision and Francisco Hernandez’s power — balanced against the crushing weight of extra-inning losses and a pitching staff starting to show the hairline fractures of a long season.

Off the field, the front office is busy securing the future. The Prayers made waves this week by officially signing 10th overall draft pick John Dasinger to a three-year major league contract worth nearly $200,000. It’s a bold statement for a team already leading their division by double digits: the championship window isn’t just open; they’re trying to build a cathedral around it.

★ ★ ★

Sunday, July 15 — at San Jose Demons

Sacramento 4, San Jose 3
Hernandez’s Two‑Homer Night Sparks Series Win

The Prayers edged San Jose 4–3 on Sunday night behind a thunderous performance from Francisco Hernandez, who blasted two solo shots and scored three times. His eighth‑inning homer off Danny Kidder broke a 3–3 tie and stood as the game‑winner.

Robby Larson battled through 6.2 innings, and the bullpen trio of Chris Ryan, Luis Prieto, and Steve Dodge locked it down. Gil Cruz added three hits, while Alejandro Lopez chipped in an RBI single.

Sacramento closed the series at 58–35, maintaining firm control of the West.

★ ★ ★

Monday, July 16 — at El Paso Abbots

El Paso 8, Sacramento 1
Abbots’ Fifth‑Inning Barrage Flattens Prayers

If Sunday was a dream, Monday in El Paso was a waking nightmare. The Abbots, sitting at the bottom of the standings, looked like world-beaters against Ricky Gaias. Gaias simply didn't have the command of his secondary pitches, and the El Paso hitters feasted. The Abbots launched four home runs, including a three-run blast by Jorge Martinez that effectively ended the contest in the fifth inning.

Sacramento’s bats, perhaps weary from travel, managed only four hits. It was a sterile, frustrating performance where the only sign of life was a lone RBI from H. Iniguez. In a long season, there are games you simply throw in the trash; this was the dumpster fire of the week.

Despite a clean relief outing from Alex Gilbert, the damage was already done as Sacramento fell to 58–36.

★ ★ ★

Tuesday, July 17 — at El Paso Abbots

Sacramento 6, El Paso 4
Hernandez and MacDonald Deliver in Tight Road Win

Desperate to avoid a "trap" series, the Prayers turned to Jordan Rubalcava to right the ship. He delivered 7.1 innings of gritty, three-run ball, navigating through 10 hits with the poise of a veteran. The star of the show, once again, was Francisco Hernandez. He followed up his two-homer performance from Sunday with a 3-for-4 night, proving he is currently in that rare "zone" where the baseball looks like a beach ball.

The game was decided in the seventh when George MacDonald stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. His sacrifice fly provided the insurance run that Steve Dodge needed to shut the door. Dodge, filling in for the ailing Prieto, looked comfortable in the high-leverage role, earning his third save of the season.

Francisco Hernandez reached base four times and Alejandro Lopez delivered a two-run single as Sacramento capitalized on El Paso defensive miscues.

“That’s a darn good win,” manager Jimmy Aces said.

Sacramento improved to 59–36, halting El Paso’s momentum.

★ ★ ★

Wednesday, July 18 — at El Paso Abbots

Sacramento 6, El Paso 0
Andretti Dominates Again in Masterful Shutout

This was the Bernardo Andretti show. On a night when the heat in El Paso was oppressive, Andretti was ice cold. He dismantled the Abbots’ lineup, surrendering just three hits over 7.1 innings of scoreless work. It was a masterclass in efficiency, as he struck out five and didn't allow a single Abbot to even contemplate crossing home plate.

The offense supported their ace with a balanced attack, highlighted by a towering two-run home run from Gil Cruz in the sixth. Even the new backstop, Rafael Alonzo, got in on the action with a two-run double in the eighth. By the time the final out was recorded, the Prayers had pushed their divisional lead to a commanding 10.5 games.

“Everyone was in sync,” Andretti said afterward.

The Prayers reached the 60‑win mark at 60–36.

★ ★ ★

Friday, July 20 — at Brooklyn Priests

Brooklyn 5, Sacramento 4 (12 innings)
Priests Walk Off After Sacramento’s Late Rally Falls Short

Crossing into the East Coast for a clash with the Priests, Sacramento found themselves embroiled in a 12-inning marathon that felt more like a playoff game than a July meeting. Fernando Salazar was brilliant, tossing eight innings of one-run ball and leaving the game with the lead.

But Brooklyn is a tough place to close a game. Steve Dodge, so reliable in El Paso, faltered in the ninth, allowing the Priests to tie it. George MacDonald tied the game in the 10th with a two-run double, and Sacramento had multiple chances to pull ahead, but stranded runners proved costly. Finally, in the 12th, Chris Gamble delivered a walk-off single against Matt Wright, sending the Brooklyn faithful into a frenzy and leaving the Prayers exhausted and empty-handed. Rafael Alonzo was a bright spot in the loss, racking up three hits and continuing to handle the staff with elite precision. Gil Cruz swiped his 10th base of the year.

Sacramento slipped to 60–37.

★ ★ ★

Saturday, July 21 — at Brooklyn Priests

Sacramento 9, Brooklyn 2
MacDonald’s Four‑RBI Outburst Fuels Blowout Response

The Prayers answered emphatically Saturday, pounding the Priests 9–2 behind a complete team effort. George MacDonald erupted for three hits and four RBI, including a towering three‑run homer in the ninth.

Alejandro Lopez added two RBI and two steals, while Robby Larson fired seven strong innings, allowing just two runs to earn his 10th win.

Sacramento closed the week at 61–37, still firmly atop the AL West.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE VIEW

As we approach the final third of the season, the hierarchy of the FBL is becoming clear. In the AL East, Columbus remains the team to beat at 59-40, though Boston is breathing down their necks just 2.5 games back. Our lead in the AL West stands at 11 games over a surging Fort Worth and a stagnant San Jose.

In the National League, the race in the East is a total deadlock. Detroit and Nashville are tied at 54 wins apiece, while Long Beach continues to dominate the West at 58-41. For the Prayers, the goal is simple: maintain the health of the rotation and keep an eye on these potential World Series opponents.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL — QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
Watching the team sign John Dasinger to a major league deal is exciting, but is it fair to the guys in the clubhouse who have been grinding all year? $199k is a lot of money for a guy who hasn't seen a professional curveball yet.
— Union Man in Midtown

Gemmy: I hear you, but in the modern game, you pay for potential. Dasinger was the 10th overall pick for a reason. By giving him a major league deal now, the Prayers are ensuring he’s locked in and motivated to climb the ladder quickly. The veterans in the clubhouse know that winning is the best deodorant; if Dasinger helps this team in 1991 or 1992, nobody will be checking his bank account.

Dear Gemmy,
Is it time to worry about Luis Prieto? He’s been "day-to-day" twice in two weeks now. Do we need to trade for another arm before the deadline, or can Steve Dodge handle the ninth?
— Nervous in Natomas

Gemmy: Prieto’s shoulder is definitely the biggest story in Sacramento right now. The front office is being cautious, but "sore shoulder" is a phrase that keeps managers awake at night. Steve Dodge has been admirable, but he’s not a natural closer. If Prieto isn't 100% by the end of July, expect Jimmy Aces to be burning up the phone lines looking for bullpen depth.

★ ★ ★

PROJECTED STARTERS

Tue 7/24 vs Long Beach - R. Larson (10-4) vs L. Ramirez (6-2)
Wed 7/25 vs Long Beach - J. Rubalcava (10-6) vs J. Ayala (12-7)
Thu 7/26 vs Long Beach - B. Andretti (11-3) vs A. Villalobos (6-8)
Fri 7/27 vs Tucson - F. Salazar (0-1) vs M. Bradford (5-6)

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

This was one of those weeks where the Prayers didn’t look flashy, didn’t look invincible, and honestly didn’t look particularly interested in style points — and that’s kind of the point.

They lost games they’ve won before. They gave one away in Brooklyn that probably should’ve been theirs. They also showed up the next night and flattened the same team like nothing happened. That’s July baseball. That’s a team with a lead that knows it doesn’t need to sprint.

Andretti’s shutout was the quiet headliner — no drama, no nonsense, just get the ball and give it back seven innings later. Hernandez keeps doing Hernandez things. MacDonald keeps being the most “wait, how does he have four RBIs already?” guy in the lineup. And the bullpen? Wobbly in spots, sturdy where it mattered.

This didn’t feel like a statement week. It felt like a maintenance week. The Prayers checked the oil, rotated the tires, and kept the engine humming. That’s how teams with October plans behave in July — not loud, not desperate, just professional.

The Prayers are 12 games over .500 and the magic number is already shrinking. This week showed that even when they stumble — like the Gaias blowout or the 12-inning heartbreak in Brooklyn — they have the mental fortitude to bounce back and win the next day. Francisco Hernandez is playing the best baseball of his career, and the rotation remains the envy of the league. If they can survive the rest of this road trip without another major injury, the fans at the Cathedral can start drafting their October schedules.

[liberty-ca]

FBL TRADE BULLETIN — BREAKING NEWS SPECIAL
Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle


SACRAMENTO — The midnight oil isn't just burning at the Cathedral; it’s being consumed by the gallon. In a stunning Friday afternoon blitz that has sent shockwaves from the Central Valley to the Atlantic coast, Prayers General Manager Jimmy Aces has fundamentally reshaped the roster of the American League West leaders.

In a three-pronged attack involving the Charlotte Monks, the Los Angeles Saints, and the Brooklyn Priests, Sacramento has signaled to the rest of the league that "good enough" is a foreign concept. With $800,000 in fresh cash entering the coffers and a significant portion of incoming salaries being paid by rival owners, this isn't just a series of trades — it’s a financial and tactical masterclass.

★ ★ ★

THE HEADLINER: TORRES COMES TO THE CATHEDRAL

The most significant tremor came in a massive swap with the Charlotte Monks. Sacramento has acquired 28-year-old second baseman Alex Torres, a player widely regarded as a stabilizing force in the middle infield.

The financial terms of this deal are, quite frankly, staggering. In a move that highlights the Prayers' leverage, Charlotte will retain 100% of Torres’s remaining contract. Effectively, Sacramento has landed a starting-caliber infielder for free. To sweeten the pot, the Prayers also landed intriguing 19-year-old infield prospect Alex Bonilla and 21-year-old third baseman Daniel Cascio, plus a 2nd round draft pick and $350,000 in cash. Charlotte is also paying 100% of Bonilla’s contract.

The cost was high, but perhaps necessary. Departing Sacramento is fan favorite and 25-year-old right-hander Ricky Gaias. While Gaias has been a fixture in the rotation, his recent struggles — culminating in that seven-run shellacking in El Paso — likely made him expendable in the eyes of a front office hunting for a championship. Joining him in Charlotte are 3B Jesus Rodriguez (.275, 6 HR) and minor league 2B Jose Cruz.

League analysts have called this a "fairly even transaction," but for a Prayers team looking to lock down the AL West, the addition of Torres’s glove and Bonilla’s potential, subsidized entirely by Charlotte, feels like a heist.

★ ★ ★

THE VETERAN ADDITION: HAMILTON HEADS WEST

Not content with just one major upgrade, Sacramento turned their attention to the Brooklyn Priests. The Prayers have acquired 30-year-old outfielder Andy Hamilton, a veteran who brings much-needed depth and a steady bat to the grass. What is even more important, is the expectation, that Andy Hamilton will provide dangerous threat as our main centerfielder.

The shrewdness continued here: Brooklyn will retain 50% of Hamilton’s contract. In exchange, Sacramento sent RF Roberto Cardenas and 23-year-old 1B Willie Gonzalez to the borough. Hamilton’s arrival provides a veteran insurance policy for the outfield as we head into the high-pressure environment of September.

★ ★ ★

THE CAPITAL SHUFFLE: THE L.A. CONNECTION

In the most complex move of the day, Sacramento and the Los Angeles Saints engaged in a massive swap of personnel and future assets. The Prayers moved 27-year-old 2B Damien Garcia along with three minor league prospects (Smith, Villarreal, and Escalera) and a full suite of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks.

In return, Sacramento received 26-year-old minor league catcher Alex Gomez, a fresh set of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round draft picks from the Saints, and an additional $450,000 in cash. This move appears to be a strategic "reset" of the team’s draft capital while moving Garcia, who had become a redundant piece following the acquisition of Alex Torres.

★ ★ ★

CONTRACTUAL CLARITY: THE FINANCIAL IMPACT

To say the Prayers won the day at the negotiation table is an understatement. By the time the ink dried on these three deals, the Prayers had:

1. Injected $800,000 in cash into the team’s operations.
2. Ensured Charlotte pays every penny of Alex Torres’s and Alex Bonilla’s salaries.
3. Convinced Brooklyn to pay half of Andy Hamilton’s salary.

In an era where every dollar counts toward building a sustainable winner, Jimmy Aces has managed to improve the current roster while actually lowering the team’s financial burden.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE IMPACT: THE CHASE IS ON

Around the FBL, these moves are being viewed as a declaration of war. By raiding the Charlotte Monks (currently 57-43 and fighting for the NL East) and the Brooklyn Priests (50-50 in the AL East), Sacramento has weakened potential cross-league rivals while fortifying their own castle. The AL West lead remains commanding, but with Torres in the middle infield and Hamilton in the corner outfield, the gap between Sacramento and the rest of the division feels less like a lead and more like a canyon.

★ ★ ★

PRAYERS WEEKLY: THE FAN MAILBAG

Dear Gemmy,
I’m devastated about Ricky Gaias. He was the heart of the rotation! Is Alex Torres really worth losing our 'Fan Favorite' and two solid infielders? It feels like we’re trading away our soul for a few percentage points on a scouting report.
— Heartbroken in Roseville

Gemmy: I feel your pain. Watching a guy like Gaias walk out the door is never easy, especially given his history with the Cathedral. But look at it through the lens of a championship: Torres is a significant upgrade at a position where we needed stability. And remember, Charlotte is paying his entire salary! Jimmy Aces didn't just trade for a player; he traded for a veteran leader and convinced someone else to pick up the check. It’s cold, yes, but it’s the kind of move that wins rings.

Dear Gemmy,
Three trades in one day? $800,000 in cash? Is the team for sale, or are we just that much smarter than everyone else?
— Skeptical Sam

Gemmy: Neither, Sam. We’re just aggressive. The cash is likely being stockpiled to handle upcoming arbitration cases for stars like Edwin Musco and Rafael Alonzo. By moving Damien Garcia and collecting $450k from L.A., the Prayers are essentially pre-paying for their future All-Stars. It’s chess, Sam. Everyone else is playing checkers.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

The roster you see today is not the roster that started the season, and that is a good thing. The Prayers are younger in the prospect pool, more experienced in the starting lineup, and significantly wealthier in the bank account. Alex Torres brings a championship pedigree to the dirt, and Andy Hamilton adds great outfield coverage and the "professional hitter" presence that every playoff-bound team craves.

The "fairly even" label from the analysts doesn't tell the whole story. When you factor in the salary retentions and the cash influx, Sacramento didn't just make a trade — they staged a coup. The Cathedral is ready. Are you?

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY: JULY 15 – JULY 21, 1990
THE BLESSED STRETCH
Gemmy Nay (Sacramento Sports Chronicle) in collaboration with Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot (BNN)


If the baseball gods are indeed watching, they must be wearing white, green and gold this week. Sacramento opened it on the road before returning home for a pivotal homestand, finishing the stretch with four wins in six games. Strong starting pitching set the tone early, while the Prayers’ lineup showed timely power and late-game resilience as the club continued to press its advantage atop the American League West.

Following a flurry of trade activity that saw General Manager Jimmy Aces raid the coffers of the East Coast, the Sacramento Prayers returned to the Cathedral to prove that their dominance isn't just a result of savvy front-office accounting — it’s built on the shoulders of the most resilient pitching staff in the American League.

From the final echoes of the Brooklyn trip to a high-stakes showdown with the division-leading Long Beach Diablos, this week was a symphony of shutouts, late-inning heroics, and the spectacular debut of the Prayers' newest disciples.

★ ★ ★

Sunday, July 22 — at Brooklyn Priests

Sacramento 2, Brooklyn 1
Rubalcava’s Eight‑Inning Gem Steadies Road Trip

Before the trades were even finalized, Jordan Rubalcava provided a reminder of why he is the bedrock of this rotation. In a hostile environment in Brooklyn, Rubalcava delivered one of his sharpest outings of the season, keeping the Priests’ bats in a state of perpetual frustration for eight innings in a tight 2–1 win Sunday at Priests Grounds. The right‑hander allowed just four hits and a lone mistake — a two‑out homer to Luke Reddick — while striking out seven and walking one.

Sacramento struck first in the seventh inning when George MacDonald launched a solo home run, his 14th, to break a 1–1 tie. An earlier run came on a two-out RBI single by Alex Velasquez, capitalizing on limited chances against Brooklyn starter Tomas Mendez.

Rubalcava improved to 11–6 before turning the game over to Steve Dodge, who entered in the 9th, looking every bit the cold-blooded closer the Prayers need, securing his fourth save in as many tries.

“We take it day by day here,” Rubalcava said. “Today was a good one for us.”

Sacramento improved to 62–37, stabilizing after a bruising stretch of injuries and bullpen strain. It was a professional, blue-collar win that set the tone for the journey home.

★ ★ ★

Tuesday, July 24 — vs. Long Beach Diablos

Sacramento 6, Long Beach 0
Andretti Dominates Again as Prayers Cruise in Series Opener

The Cathedral was electric for the arrival of the National League West-leading Diablos, but Bernardo Andretti quickly sucked the air out of the visitors’ dugout. Bernardo Andretti continued his torrid mid‑season run, firing 8⅓ scoreless innings in a crisp 6–0 shutout of the Diablos on Tuesday night at Sacramento Stadium. He scattered three hits over 8.1 innings, walking one and striking out five in a commanding performance.

The bats, perhaps energized by the home cooking, provided plenty of cushion. The Prayers struck early, getting solo home runs from Edwin Musco and Gil Cruz, who went long to the yard back‑to‑back in the first inning, staking Andretti to an early cushion. Alejandro Velasquez later blew the game open with a three‑run homer in the sixth.

Manager Jimmy Aces praised his starter afterward. “Bernardo pounded the strike zone and made good pitches when he needed to,” Aces said.

Andretti improved to 12–3 with a 2.36 ERA, as Prayers moved moved to 63–37. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement to the cross-league leaders that the road to the postseason runs through Sacramento.

★ ★ ★

Wednesday, July 25 — vs. Long Beach Diablos

Sacramento 3, Long Beach 0
Salazar’s Three‑Hitter Completes Back‑to‑Back Shutouts

Fernando Salazar followed Andretti’s lead with a masterpiece of his own, tossing a complete-game three-hit shutout. Salazar needed just 107 pitches, walking one and striking out four, rarely allowing the Diablos to mount any pressure.

Sacramento provided just enough offense. Gil Cruz homered in the fourth inning, and Hector Iniguez added a solo shot in the seventh. Edwin Musco chipped in an RBI single as the Prayers made their limited opportunities count.

Afterward, Salazar broke down his approach. “There are three important elements in pitching success: location, location, and location,” he said. “I was hitting my spots time and time again.”

The win secured the series against Long Beach and Prayers improved to 64–37, their rotation suddenly looking like the league’s most dangerous unit.

★ ★ ★

Thursday, July 26 — vs. Long Beach Diablos

Long Beach 6, Sacramento 4
Late Rally Falls Short as Villalobos Silences Bats

The quest for a sweep fell just short on Thursday as Robby Larson struggled to find his rhythm. The Diablos salvaged the finale behind right-hander Albert Villalobos, who worked 8.1 strong innings. Larson surrendered four earned runs over five innings, including a two-run blast to Kyle Thomas in the opening frame that put Sacramento in an immediate hole.

“I tried to mix it up, keep them off balance,” Villalobos said.

Despite the deficit, the Prayers refused to go quietly. In the bottom of the 9th, George MacDonald cleared the bases with a towering triple that brought the Cathedral to its feet and the Prayers within two. However, the comeback stalled there. It was a rare night where the pitching couldn't quite keep the lid on, but the fight shown in the final inning left the fans with their heads held high.

Despite the late fireworks, the Prayers slipped to 64–38.

★ ★ ★

Friday, July 27 — vs. Tucson Cherubs

Sacramento 4, Tucson 1
Rubalcava Sharp Again as Musco Stays Hot

Jordan Rubalcava delivered another strong outing Friday, holding Tucson to one run over 7⅓ innings in a 4–1 win at home.

Newly acquired left fielder Andy Hamilton, coming over from Brooklyn, made an immediate impact with a triple in the 5th inning that signaled a new chapter in his career. Edwin Musco homered in the first and doubled in the seventh, finishing with three hits and two RBI. Hector Iniguez added two doubles, and Alex Velasquez chipped in two hits. The only dark cloud was an injury to Alejandro Lopez, who left the game with a sore shoulder after a defensive play. Early reports suggest he is day-to-day, but his absence will be felt in center field.

A key defensive moment came in the eighth, when Tucson hit into a momentum-killing double play with runners at the corners. Sacramento continued to get steady contributions throughout the lineup, finishing with 14 hits.

Luis Prieto recorded save No. 25, and Sacramento climbed to 65–38.

★ ★ ★

Saturday, July 28 — vs. Tucson Cherubs

Sacramento 6, Tucson 5 (12 innings)
Hernandez’s Walk‑Off Sac Fly Caps Wild Extra‑Inning Battle

If there were any doubts about the Alex Torres trade, they were erased in twelve innings of high-drama baseball on Saturday. Making his full debut at the Cathedral, Alex Torres put the team on his back, going 2-for-5 with a massive three-run home run in the 6th that gave Sacramento a temporary lead.

The game turned into a marathon after Luis Prieto suffered a rare blown save in the 9th, but the Prayers' bullpen — led by Chris Ryan — held the line through the extra frames. In the bottom of the 12th, with the bases loaded and the tension at a breaking point, Francisco Hernandez lofted a sacrifice fly to deep right field. As the winning run crossed the plate, the celebration at home plate centered around Torres and Hernandez, proving that the chemistry of this new-look roster is already bubbling over.

“It’s great when the crowd gets into it,” Hernandez said.

The Prayers finished the week 66–38, maintaining firm control of the AL West.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE BULLETIN: SHOCKING NEWS FROM SAN JOSE

While Sacramento celebrates, their closest divisional rivals are mourning a massive loss. The San Jose Demons have announced that star player Raul Pavia will be sidelined for at least five months. In a bizarre turn of events, Pavia was reportedly injured while "attempting to make amends for violating anti-doping rules." Faced with a barrage of questions from the media, San Jose officials refused to provide any further details about circumstances of the incident.

Pavia, who was hitting .288 with 6 home runs, was the engine of the San Jose offense. With the Demons already trailing Sacramento by 11 games in the standings, this injury effectively cripples their hopes of a late-season surge. The AL West is now firmly in the Prayers' control, provided they stay healthy.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL — QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
I saw that we gave up a lot of draft picks to the Saints just to get a minor league catcher and some cash. Isn't that mortgaging our future? We already have Alonzo and Vieyra!
— Future-Focused Fred

Gemmy: Fred, I hear you, but look at the "Ledger" of talent. Jimmy Aces didn't just get cash; he cleared the logjam at second base by moving Damien Garcia, who was redundant the moment Alex Torres stepped off the plane. The draft picks we gave up were high, but the picks we got back from the Saints are in the same rounds. It’s a reshuffle, not a firesale. Plus, having $800,000 in the bank means we can actually afford to keep our stars when their contracts come due. Trust the process!

Dear Gemmy,
Is Andy Hamilton going to start every day in centre field, or is he just a bench piece? I liked Velasquez out there!
— Left Field Larry

Gemmy: Larry, Hamilton didn't come here to sit. With his veteran experience and that triple he clocked on Friday, he’s earned the look. Velasquez is still a vital part of this "Blessed" lineup, but having Hamilton's bat gives Jimmy Aces the flexibility to play the matchups. And don't forget — defensively Hamilton is a fortress. In a long season, you can never have too many "professional" hitters.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

There are weeks where the Prayers feel like they’re sprinting, and weeks where they’re just putting their heads down and chewing through innings like it’s a long road trip with bad coffee. This was very much the second kind — and honestly, those are usually the good ones.

The pitching carried the vibe. When Rubalcava is doing his calm, businesslike thing, the rest of the team tends to follow suit. No theatrics, no drama, just ground balls, fly outs, and everyone back to the dugout wondering how the inning ended so fast. Andretti and Salazar piling on shutouts right after that felt borderline rude to the opposition, but I’m not here to apologize.

Offensively, this wasn’t a week about fireworks shows. It was more like professional annoyance — solo homers at inconvenient times, a bases-loaded triple just to ruin someone’s evening, and enough late-inning at-bats that opposing relievers probably checked their watches more than once. That Saturday walk-off? Classic July baseball. Nobody’s fresh, everyone’s tired, and the winning run comes home on a sac fly instead of a moonshot. Beautiful stuff.

What I liked most is that nothing about this week felt forced. The Prayers didn’t chase style points. They didn’t try to win the standings in one night. They just… won games. That’s usually how good teams look before you realize they’ve quietly opened up a cushion.

The Prayers exit this week with a 66-38 record and a winning percentage of .635. They are the class of the American League, and with the new additions of Torres and Hamilton already producing, the "Sacramento Magic" shows no signs of fading. The division lead is a comfortable 11 games, and with San Jose losing one of their best players, the path to the postseason is wide open.

July doesn’t crown champions — but it absolutely exposes pretenders. Sacramento still looks very comfortable in its own skin, and that might be the most reassuring thing of all. Keep the faith, Sacramento. The best is yet to come.

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY: JULY 29 – AUGUST 4, 1990
THE LAST STAND AT SACRAMENTO STADIUM AND THE ROAD TO BEANTOWN
Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle, and C.O.Pilot, BNN


As the summer heat intensifies, the Sacramento Prayers continue to provide the coolest performance in the American League. Following a week that saw the Prayers navigate a grueling homestand and initiate a high-stakes series in Boston, the club finds itself sitting comfortably atop the West Division with a 71-40 record. Despite a brief mid-week hiccup against the Fort Worth Spirits, the Prayers have regained their stride, proving that their path to the postseason remains paved with both veteran grit and young, explosive talent.

★ ★ ★

SUNDAY, JULY 29 — vs. TUCSON CHERUBS

SACRAMENTO 4, TUCSON 2
Torres and Hamilton Deliver as Prayers Take the Finale

The week began with a clinical performance against the Tucson Cherubs. Sacramento continued the homestand with a composed 4–2 win over Tucson, powered by a three‑run second inning and a breakout night from Alex Torres. The newly acquired infielder went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI, continuing his sudden surge into the lineup’s fabric.

Andy Hamilton provided the early blow — a two‑run single with two outs in the second — and Torres followed with a run‑scoring double in the third to extend the lead. Bernardo Andretti took the mound and further cemented his status as the rotation’s anchor, earning his 13th win of the season. Andretti navigated 5.1 innings of two-run ball before handing the reigns to Mario Espenoza and Luis Prieto, who locked down save No. 26.

Sacramento improved to 67–38, maintaining firm control atop the AL West.

★ ★ ★

MONDAY, JULY 30 — vs. FORT WORTH SPIRITS

SACRAMENTO 10, FORT WORTH 3
Musco’s Four‑RBI Showcase Powers Blowout Victory

The series opener against Fort Worth was a masterclass in total dominance. Fernando Salazar turned back the clock, hurling a complete-game gem that left the Spirits bewildered. Fernando Salazar went the distance, scattering 11 hits in a complete‑game effort.

However, the story of the night was the offensive onslaught led by Edwin Musco and Rafael Alonzo. Edwin Musco authored one of his finest games of the season, driving in four and homering for the 20th time as Sacramento rolled to a 10–3 win over Fort Worth. His two‑run blast in the third set the tone, and later on Musco doubled home two more as part of a relentless offensive display. Not to be outdone, Alonzo, playing with the confidence of a man about to secure his future, added two solo homers of his own, and Alejandro Lopez collected three hits and a stolen base.

Sacramento moved to 68–38, their offense humming at full throttle.

★ ★ ★

TUESDAY, JULY 31 — vs. FORT WORTH SPIRITS

FORT WORTH 7, SACRAMENTO 3
Gomez’s Big Swings Halt Prayers’ Momentum

Even the mightiest stumble. On the day the club announced a massive five-year contract extension for catcher Rafael Alonzo, the celebratory mood was dampened by a tough loss. The Prayers’ winning streak snapped as Fort Worth struck early and often in a 7–3 decision at Sacramento Stadium. John Gomez delivered the decisive blow — a two‑run homer in the fourth — and the Spirits never trailed again.

Sacramento mustered seven hits but couldn’t string together enough sustained pressure. Alex Torres doubled home a run, and Edwin Musco added another extra‑base hit, but Robby Larson struggled to keep the ball in the yard and was tagged for four runs in 5.1 innings, tooking the loss.

The Prayers slipped to 68–39.

★ ★ ★

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1 — vs. FORT WORTH SPIRITS

FORT WORTH 7, SACRAMENTO 5
Spirits’ Mid‑Game Surge Overcomes Prayers’ Late Push

In a rare back-to-back loss, the Prayers' defense and bullpen faltered. Fort Worth completed the two‑game punch with a 7–5 win, capitalizing on a four‑run fifth inning highlighted by Giacomo Benoldi’s two‑run triple off Jordan Rubalcava.

Sacramento collected 14 hits — including three from Edwin Musco and two each from George MacDonald, Rafael Alonzo, and Alex Torres — but left ten runners stranded. A late two‑run rally in the eighth cut the deficit, but fell short when Michael Kaplan entered for the Spirits to extinguish the fire.

Rubalcava absorbed the loss, dropping to 12–7, while the Prayers fell to 68–40.

★ ★ ★

THURSDAY, AUGUST 2 — vs. FORT WORTH SPIRITS

SACRAMENTO 6, FORT WORTH 1
Gilbert Shines, Iniguez Delivers as Prayers Rebound

Order was restored in the series finale thanks to a breakout performance by Aaron Gilbert. The right-hander stifled the Spirits over 7.2 innings, allowing only a single run, as Sacramento secured a crisp 6–1 victory. Manager Jimmy Aces praised Gilbert’s composure afterward, noting, "Aaron's not intimidated by who's stepping into the batter's box."

The "big bat" of the night belonged to Hector Iniguez, who provided the early spark with a two‑run double in the second, and Edwin Musco added a two‑run double of his own in the fifth. George MacDonald chipped in two hits, and the defense turned three double plays behind Gilbert’s efficient work.

The win lifted Sacramento to 69–40, restoring order after two tough losses.

★ ★ ★

FRIDAY, AUGUST 3 — AT BOSTON MESSIAHS

SACRAMENTO 6, BOSTON 0
Andretti Dominates Again as Prayers Blank Messiahs

Traveling to Boston for a clash of division titans, the Prayers made a resounding statement. Bernardo Andretti continued his torrid midsummer run, firing six shutout innings in a 6–0 victory at Boston. The right‑hander improved to 14–3 with another poised, strike‑pounding performance.

Gil Cruz opened the scoring with a run‑scoring double in the first, and Sacramento added four more in a decisive seventh inning, highlighted by RBI knocks from Andy Hamilton and Alex Velasquez.

The bullpen — Manny Espenoza and Chris Ryan — completed the combined shutout. Sacramento reached 70–40, their pitching staff in peak form.

★ ★ ★

SATURDAY, AUGUST 4 — AT BOSTON MESSIAHS

SACRAMENTO 5, BOSTON 2
Torres Strikes Early as Prayers Secure Series Win

Sacramento clinched the series win on Saturday behind the steady hand of Fernando Salazar. Alex Torres continued his remarkable week, delivering a two‑run single in a five‑run first inning that propelled Sacramento to a 5–2 win and a sweep‑clinching victory in Boston.

Fernando Salazar worked eight sturdy innings, allowing two runs on nine hits while inducing 13 ground‑ball outs. Luis Prieto closed the door for save No. 27.

Edwin Musco added his 20th homer of the season, and Francisco Hernandez swiped his 40th base as Sacramento improved to 71–40, their AL West lead stretching to 13 games. However, the win came with a price: 3B Gil Cruz was forced from the game with knee soreness. He is currently listed as day-to-day.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE ROUNDUP

While Sacramento dominates the AL West with a massive 13-game lead over the Fort Worth Spirits, the American League East remains a dogfight. The Columbus Heaven (65-45) hold a slim three-game lead over the Boston Messiahs.

In the National League, the Detroit Preachers (66-44) are fending off a dual-threat challenge from the Nashville Angels and Charlotte Monks, both of whom sit just two games back in the East. Out West, the Long Beach Diablos (65-46) hold a five-game cushion over the Las Vegas Blessed.

★ ★ ★

TRANSACTION WATCH: THE CATCHER OF THE FUTURE

The Prayers front office made a major move on July 31st, securing the services of Rafael Alonzo through the mid-90s. The 5-year contract extension, worth a total of $2,904,000, ensures that Sacramento keeps one of the most promising backstops in the league. Alonzo’s power surge against Fort Worth this week proved exactly why the organization was willing to open the checkbook.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

Folks, if you aren't watching Cruz and Hernandez right now, you’re missing a masterclass. Seeing Gil Cruz swipe 13 bases while anchoring the hot corner has been a revelation, and we all hope that "knee soreness" is just a minor speed bump.

And can we talk about some unsung heroes? The buzz in the clubhouse is that the depth of this roster is what truly frightens the rest of the league. When a guy like Rubbi can come off the bench and provide veteran stability, you know you’re watching a championship-caliber squad. The Prayers aren't just winning; they are proselytizing the league with their brand of baseball.

The rotation of Bernardo Andretti*, Fernando Salazar and Steve Dodge has been remarkably durable. While Dodge had a rough outing Sunday, the "Mad Hare" Salazar’s performance on Saturday proved that veteran guile still wins championships. As we return home to face the Houston Crusaders, expect this lineup to wake up. Houston’s pitching staff has been porous of late, and Sacramento Stadium is hungry for some home-cooked home runs.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL - QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
Is it true that Rafael Alonzo’s new contract includes a clause that he gets a free steak dinner every time he throws out a runner? I’ve seen him gun down so many Spirits and Cherubs lately that the local rancher's union might go on strike!
— Hungry in Highlands

Gemmy: While I can't confirm the steak clause, Hungry, I can tell you that Raffy is eating the league alive right now. That contract is a bargain if he keeps hitting two homers a game!

To the Chronicle,
I saw Salazar pitching in Boston and I swear the man doesn't age. Does he have a secret fountain of youth in his backyard, or is he just fueled by the pure spirit of Sacramento?
— Believer Since '77

Gemmy: Salazar is a marvel. In an age of pitch counts and early exits, seeing him go nine innings on the 30th was like watching a ghost from a better era. He isn't fueled by water, Believer — he's fueled by the desire to see a parade in Sacramento this October.

Gemmy Nay,
Is it time to worry about the bullpen? Mario Espenoza looked a little shaky in the Fort Worth series, and seeing Chris Ryan come in for just two-thirds of an inning in Boston makes me wonder if the roles are shifting.
— Relief Seeker

Gemmy: I wouldn't panic just yet. Manager Jimmy Aces likes to play the matchups, especially on the road. Mario Espenoza has been a workhorse for us, and every pitcher hits a wall in August. With Luis Prieto sitting at 27 saves, the back end of the game is as secure as a Sunday vault.

★ ★ ★

NEXT SERIES: The Prayers finish their business in Boston before returning home to face the Houston Crusaders for a three-game set starting Tuesday, August 7th. Robby Larson is expected to take the mound for the opener.

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY: AUGUST 5 – AUGUST 11, 1990
FROM THE BRINK OF A SLUMP TO A SACRAMENTO SLUGFEST
Gemmy Nay (Sacramento Sports Chronicle) in collaboration with Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot (BNN)


The game of baseball is often a test of patience, and for the Sacramento Prayers, this past week was a masterclass in staying the course. After a frustrating flight home from Boston and a narrow, error-plagued opening against the Houston Crusaders, the Prayers looked like a team searching for its identity. However, as the summer heat intensified at Sacramento Stadium, so did the bats.

The Sacramento Prayers spent the first full week of August doing what first-place teams tend to do: absorb a couple of punches, steady themselves, and then start swinging back harder. The week featured tight losses in Boston, a frustrating one-run stumble against Houston, and then a decisive reset at home — capped by back-to-back emphatic wins over San Jose that reminded everyone why the Prayers are still the standard in the league. The club finished the week on a four-game winning streak, dismantling the San Jose Demons in a weekend display of power that reminded the rest of the American League why Sacramento sits comfortably at 75-42, holding a commanding 13-game lead in the West.

★ ★ ★

SUNDAY, AUGUST 5 — At BOSTON MESSIAHS

BOSTON 3, SACRAMENTO 2
HEARTBREAK AT MESSIAHS STADIUM

The series finale in Boston was a classic pitcher’s duel that ultimately slipped through the Prayers' fingers. The week opened in Boston, where Sacramento couldn’t quite solve Jeremy Leone. Robby Larson was magnificent, pitching 7.1 innings and allowing only two earned runs. However, Boston’s Jeremy Leone was just a hair better, stifling the Sacramento offense and holding them to a mere three hits. Boston starter Jeremy Leone set the tone early and stayed sharp deep into the game.

“Everybody stayed in sync,” Leone said. “That’s how you beat a team like that.”

Sacramento couldn’t crack Boston’s bullpen late, falling 3–2 in a quiet Sunday afternoon at Messiah Park. Gil MacDonald and Rafael Alonzo drove in the Prayers’ only runs, both coming in the sixth, but Boston answered immediately and never let Sacramento regain momentum. Robby Larson pitched well enough to win, but a seventh-inning triple by Boston’s Manuel Hernandez proved to be the dagger. It was a somber flight back to California, as the Prayers felt they had let a winnable game — and a series sweep — evaporate in the New England humidity.

★ ★ ★

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7 — Vs. HOUSTON CRUSADERS

HOUSTON 4, SACRAMENTO 3
ERRORS COST THE HOSTS

The homecoming wasn't the celebration fans expected. Jordan Rubalcava deserved a better fate, throwing 5.1 innings without allowing a single earned run. Yet, the scoreboard showed four runs for Houston. Three costly errors — two by Gil Cruz and one by George MacDonald — allowed the Crusaders to manufacture a lead that the Prayers' 11 hits couldn't overcome.

Despite a two-run home run by Cruz that brought the crowd to its feet in the fifth, Sacramento couldn't find the clutch hit needed to complete the comeback. The Prayers threatened in the ninth but couldn’t push across the tying run. “We had chances,” Cruz said. “We just didn’t stack them.”

Houston’s Matt Richardson drove in the decisive run and later called the game “a grind that went our way.”

★ ★ ★

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8 — Vs. HOUSTON CRUSADERS

SACRAMENTO 6, HOUSTON 3
ANDRETTI REACHES FIFTEEN

Sacramento responded the next night with a crisp, balanced victory, as the tide turned on Wednesday behind the steady arm of Bernardo Andretti. Securing his 15th win of the season, Andretti provided the stability the rotation needed with 5.1 steady innings. Gil Cruz delivered again, this time with a two-run double during a four-run seventh that broke the game open. Edwin Musco added two RBIs of his own, and Sacramento turned the late innings over to the bullpen with breathing room. For the game Prayers’ lineup worked Houston’s pitching staff for 11 hits and four walks.

“Once we got the lead, it felt calmer,” Andretti said. “That’s when this team is tough to deal with.”

Luis Prieto entered in the ninth to secure his 28th save, putting an end to the brief two-game skid.

★ ★ ★

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9 — Vs. HOUSTON CRUSADERS

SACRAMENTO 4, HOUSTON 2
SALAZAR’S VINTAGE PERFORMANCE

Fernando Salazar turned back the clock again, carving through Houston for eight innings of two‑run ball. The 39‑year‑old righty mixed speeds, hit spots, and let his defense work behind him.

Manager Jimmy Aces praised his veteran afterward. “Fernando pounded the zone and didn’t blink,” Aces said. “That’s what you want from a guy like that.”

Sacramento’s offense chipped away methodically — a Musco RBI single in the sixth, a Velasquez double in the eighth — and Prieto handled the ninth with ease. The win secured the series, sealed a strong midweek rebound, pushed the Prayers' record to 73–42 and set the stage for a weekend of fireworks.

★ ★ ★

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10 — Vs. SAN JOSE DEMONS

SACRAMENTO 11, SAN JOSE 0
LARSON’S REDEMPTION GEM

This one got out of hand for the visitors early — and stayed there. If the loss in Boston weighed on Robby Larson, he exercised those demons — literally — on Friday night. Larson was untouchable, surrendering only two hits over 7.2 shutout innings. While Larson dominated the mound, the lineup feasted on San Jose’s J. Brierly.

“Robby set the mood,” Aces said. “Everything followed.”

The offense erupted behind Larson, scoring in five different innings, and never let the Demons breathe. Felix Hernandez opened the game with a lead-off blast, Gil Cruz homered twice, driving his season total to 16, and Alejandro Velasquez doubled twice as Sacramento overwhelmed San Jose in every phase. By the time the fifth inning ended, the Prayers had a 10-0 lead, turning the series opener into a victory parade. A statement win for a club finding its stride again.

★ ★ ★

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11 — Vs. SAN JOSE DEMONS

SACRAMENTO 12, SAN JOSE 8
THE INIGUEZ POWER HOUR

The weekend slugfest continued on Saturday with more fireworks. While Aaron Gilbert struggled through 5.2 innings, the offense ensured his record stayed perfect at 4-0. Sacramento and San Jose traded blows early, but Hector Iniguez stole the show with a towering three‑run homer in the fifth — part of a five‑RBI afternoon that powered the Prayers to a 12–8 victory. Alejandro Velasquez added three hits and Antonio Torres continued his torrid pace, collecting three more hits of his own to raise his average to a staggering .396.

It was a high-scoring, chaotic affair, that reinforced the Prayers' status as the most dangerous lineup in the league, and the bullpen held on through a late Demons push. Sacramento piled up 15 hits and rode early offense to their fourth straight win.

“That one felt good,” Iniguez said afterward. “We didn’t let up.”

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE REPORT & FRONT OFFICE FOCUS

The American League continues to watch Sacramento with a mixture of awe and concern. The 13-game lead over the Fort Worth Spirits is the largest in baseball, though the Columbus Heaven are doing their best to keep pace in the East, holding a steady lead over the Boston Messiahs. In the National League, the Nashville Angels and Detroit Preachers remain locked in a dead heat for the top seed, providing a preview of what could be a historic postseason clash.

On the contract front, the "Alonzo Effect" is being felt throughout the clubhouse. Following Rafael Alonzo’s recent multi-year extension, league insiders report that several other Sacramento veterans have expressed interest in early negotiations. The front office’s commitment to securing the core of this 75-win team has created a sense of long-term stability that is rare in the high-stakes world of professional baseball. As the trade deadline looms, the Prayers are expected to be quiet, confident that their current roster has the chemistry and the contracts to go the distance.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE

Alright, deep breath — this was one of those weeks where the Prayers looked human for about five minutes and then remembered they’re really, really good at baseball.

The losses? Fine. Annoying, sure, but fine. You’re not sweeping every week in August unless you’re fictional (which, okay, they kind of are). What matters is how quickly they snapped back — and boy did they. Once Houston left town, Sacramento basically turned the volume knob clockwise and snapped it off.

Watching Robby Larson bounce back from that tough luck in Boston to pitch a near-masterpiece against San Jose tells you everything you need to know about this club. They don't linger on losses. They don't pout when the errors mount. They simply wait for the next sunrise and let their talent speak.

The return of Gil Cruz to full power is the real story here. When he is healthy and hitting the ball out of the park, this lineup has no soft spots. If Antonio Torres continues to hit nearly .400 from the bottom of the order, I truly don't know how any pitching staff — even one as disciplined as Columbus or Boston — is going to stop this freight train come October.

This team isn’t sprinting. Prayers are cruising with windows down and an arm out the passenger side. It's August baseball done the right way.

★ ★ ★

FAN MAIL - QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Dear Gemmy,
The offense is clicking, but I’m worried about Robby Larson’s pitch counts. 111 pitches on Friday seems high for a guy we need for a deep playoff run. Should we be calling up another arm from the minors to give the rotation a breather?
— High Heat in Hilltop

Gemmy: I hear you, High Heat! But remember, Larson is a workhorse. Manager Jimmy Aces knows exactly how much is left in that tank. With the division lead so large, I wouldn't be surprised to see some "spot starts" from the bullpen in late August, but for now, you let your ace deal when he’s in the zone.

Gemmy,
Is Antonio Torres for real? He’s hitting close to .400. Is there any chance he keeps this up, or are we just watching a lucky streak?
— The Average Observer

Gemmy: We are well past "lucky streak" territory. Torres has a short, compact swing that is built for consistency. While .400 is a monumental task to maintain, his discipline at the plate suggests he’s going to be a thorn in the side of opposing pitchers for a long, long time.

★ ★ ★

UPCOMING SERIES: The Prayers conclude their home stand against the San Jose Demons today before hitting the road for a three-game set against the Tucson Cherubs.

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY: AUGUST 12 – AUGUST 18, 1990
PRAYERS KEEP ROLLING, THEN STUMBLE AT HOME
Gemmy Nay (Sacramento Sports Chronicle) in collaboration with Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot (BNN)


Sacramento entered the week with the best record in the American League and left it much the same way, even if the ending was a little sour. The Prayers won four of six, leaned heavily on their rotation early, and then ran into a Baltimore club that spoiled the mood with two tight, draining games at Sacramento Stadium.

At 79–44 by Saturday night, the Prayers remained firmly in control of the AL race, but the week served as a reminder that even good baseball weeks can leave a bruise or two.

★ ★ ★

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12 — vs. San Jose

SACRAMENTO 4, SAN JOSE 2
Rubalcava Steers Prayers to Fifth Straight Win

Jordan Rubalcava didn’t dominate so much as he endured, and that was more than enough. The right-hander scattered 11 hits over 7.2 innings, bent often, but broke rarely as Sacramento extended its winning streak to five with a 4–2 win over San Jose.

The tone was set immediately in the first. Francisco Hernandez opened the game with a double, and two batters later Alex Torres shot a sharp two-run double into the gap, giving Rubalcava a quick cushion. Sacramento added two more in the fifth on a George MacDonald RBI double and a Gil Cruz run-scoring knock.

San Jose kept pressing, loading runners and threatening late, but Rubalcava calmly worked through traffic before handing the ball to Steve Dodge, who shut the door in the ninth.

“That’s just staying present,” Rubalcava said afterward. “You don’t worry about how many hits. You worry about the next pitch.”

Torres, who has been white-hot of late, continues to be the spark plug in the bottom of the order. "Everyone is pulling their weight," Torres told reporters, a sentiment reflected in a clean defensive performance that secured Sacramento’s fifth straight win. Torres finished with two RBIs, and Sacramento played a clean, efficient game behind its starter — exactly the kind of Sunday they wanted.

★ ★ ★

MONDAY, AUGUST 13 — at Tucson

SACRAMENTO 4, TUCSON 1
Velasquez’s Late Blast Lifts Prayers in Opener

Bernardo Andretti made this one feel routine, and that’s saying something on the road. The right-hander improved to 16–3 by allowing just one run over 7.1 innings, calmly silencing a Tucson lineup that never found rhythm.

The game stayed tight until the eighth, when Alex Velasquez broke it open with a two-run homer to right, a swing that finally gave Sacramento breathing room.

“Bernardo has got a slow heartbeat,” manager Jimmy Aces said. “He doesn’t panic. That settles everyone else down.”

Edwin Musco also chipped in with a solo homer earlier, Sacramento’s pitching allowed just one baserunner after the seventh, and Luis Prieto handled the final five outs with little drama, recording his 31st save.

★ ★ ★

TUESDAY, AUGUST 14 — at Tucson

SACRAMENTO 2, TUCSON 1
Salazar Outduels Bradford in Tight Road Victory

In the second leg of the Tucson series, Fernando Salazar continued his remarkable run since returning to the rotation. Fernando Salazar worked eight strong innings, allowing just one run on eight hits, and Sacramento scratched out just enough offense to get out of town with another win.

The Prayers scored both runs in the third. Alex Lopez doubled home one, and Edwin Musco followed with a groundout that plated the other. That was it — and it was enough.

Tucson threatened late, but Salazar never lost control, and Prieto cleaned up the ninth.

“I put my work in and trusted the process,” Salazar said, summing up a night where pitching and defense did all the talking. The win pushed Sacramento’s streak to seven and clinched the series. The Prayers moved to 18 games over .500, a season high.

★ ★ ★

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15 — at Tucson

SACRAMENTO 6, TUCSON 2
Musco’s Timely Hit, Iniguez’s Spark Power Sweep

The sweep of the Cherubs was completed in a 6-2 finale. Robby Larson earned his 12th win behind 6.1 steady innings, and the offense erupted late. After Tucson tied the game 2–2 in the sixth, Sacramento answered with a three‑run seventh highlighted by Edwin Musco’s two‑run single. Hector Iniguez tripled as part of a four‑hit day, and Francisco Hernandez added a mammoth insurance home run in the ninth, sending the Prayers back to Sacramento with a broom in hand.

“That’s a grinder’s win,” Musco said. “Nobody got carried away. We just kept pushing.”

The Prayers left Tucson having taken three straight — business handled. The sweep pushed Sacramento to a season‑best 79–42.

★ ★ ★

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17 — vs. Baltimore

BALTIMORE 1, SACRAMENTO 0
Schuler Silences Prayers in Rare Home Shutout

The homecoming was spoiled by Baltimore’s Abraham Schuler. In a game that felt like a playoff preview, the Prayers' bats went inexplicably silent. Jordan Rubalcava was the "tough-luck" loser, giving up only one run in 7.0 innings — Bryan Walsh’s sacrifice fly in the second, that ended up deciding everything. The Prayers managed only three hits the entire afternoon, including a ninth-inning push that fizzled against Zach Plowden. Despite aggressive baserunning — four stolen bases by the Prayers — they could never find the hit that mattered, falling 1-0 in a frustratingly quick contest.

“Those games happen,” Jimmy Aces said quietly. “You don’t chase them. You move on.”

Still, the loss snapped Sacramento’s seven‑game winning streak and set the tone for a long weekend.

★ ★ ★

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 — vs. Baltimore

BALTIMORE 8, SACRAMENTO 5 (11 INN.)
Ricacho’s 11th‑Inning Blast Stuns Sacramento

The week ended on a somber note in a Saturday night thriller that went deep into the Sacramento night. In a wild, seesaw contest, Sacramento’s bullpen faltered late. Edwin Musco starred with a triple, a double, and three RBI, while George MacDonald added two extra‑base hits. The Prayers led 5–3 entering the eighth, but Baltimore tied it with a pair of runs off Luis Prieto. In the 11th, Alex Ricacho crushed a three‑run homer off Steve Dodge, sealing Sacramento’s second straight loss. A frustrating finish to an otherwise strong week.

“That’s a tough one,” Musco said. “You feel like you’re right there, and then it’s gone.”

★ ★ ★

WEEK IN REVIEW

Sacramento’s 4–2 week showcased both their ceiling and their vulnerabilities. The rotation — Andretti, Salazar, Larson, Rubalcava — was superb, combining for four wins and only five earned runs across the victories. The offense was streaky but explosive when needed, with Musco, Velasquez, and Hernandez all delivering pivotal swings.

The weekend stumble doesn’t erase the dominance of the Tucson sweep or the continued excellence of the pitching staff. At 79–44, Sacramento remains firmly in command of the AL West and continues to track toward a 100‑win season.

★ ★ ★

WHO’S HOT?

* SS Edwin Musco: .295 AVG, 21 HR, 81 RBI. The engine of the offense.
* P Fernando Salazar: 5-1, 2.03 ERA. Has become the definitive #3 starter.
* 2B Alex Torres: Even after a quiet weekend, he is hitting .343.

WHO’S NOT?

* C Alex Vieyra: Hitting just .197. The Prayers are getting almost zero offensive production from the backup catcher spot.
* P Steve Dodge: Took a heartbreaking loss in the 11th; ERA rose to 2.87 after a rough week.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE REPORT: THE BATTLE FOR THE EAST

While the Prayers have turned the AL West into a foregone conclusion, the AL East has devolved into a street fight. The Columbus Heaven and Boston Messiahs are locked in a dead heat, sporting identical 72-51 records. This stalemate has massive implications for Sacramento; whoever survives that divisional war will likely be the only thing standing between the Prayers and a World Series berth.

Over in the National League, the Detroit Preachers (73-50) are holding off a surging Charlotte Monks squad, while the Long Beach Diablos have managed to create a 3-game cushion in the NL West.

CONTRACT CORNER
Front office sources indicate that there has been "zero movement" regarding contract extensions for the upcoming free-agent class. With the team focused entirely on the Magic Number and postseason eligibility, GM Jimmy Aces seems content to let the current roster ride into October. However, the heavy workload of Luis Prieto (53 appearances) and the rotation's exhaustion may force a look at the waiver wire for depth before the month is out.

★ ★ ★

PRAYERS WEEKLY: QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Q: With the rotation so tired, why aren't we seeing more of Aaron Gilbert or Russ Gray in starting roles?
— Armchair Manager in Roseville

A: It’s the "Aces Mentality." Jimmy Aces is a traditionalist; he trusts his thoroughbreds. However, with the Albuquerque series coming up against the struggling Damned (50-74), this would be the logical time to skip a Rubalcava start and let the bullpen or a spot-starter carry the load. If he doesn't rest them now, we might be watching a tired staff get shelled in October.

Q: Our catchers are hitting a combined average that looks more like a blood alcohol level. Do we need a trade?
— Alex in Arden-Arcade

A: It’s grim. Rafael Alonzo and Alex Vieyra are both in "Who's Not Hot" territory, hitting .091 and .083 respectively over their last several games. While their defensive framing remains elite (helping that #1 league ERA), the bottom of the order has become a black hole. Don't expect a trade this late, but do expect a heavy dose of Jose Rubbi if the starters don't find their swing soon.

Q: What is the most realistic date for the Division Clinch?
— Math Whiz on K Street

A: If the Prayers continue at their .800 clip from the last 10 games, and Fort Worth plays .500 ball, we are looking at a "Champagne Sunday" on September 2nd. Mark your calendars.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY'S TAKE

Look, if this is a “rough” week, sign me up for about ten more of them.

The Prayers went into Tucson, took three straight, packed their bags, and then ran into a Baltimore team that apparently decided to cosplay as spoilers. That happens. Baseball has a sense of humor, and sometimes it’s the dry kind.

What I liked? The rotation looked calm, professional, and deeply annoying for opponents. Andretti and Salazar were basically human sedatives. Rubalcava threw a tough-luck gem on Friday that deserved better, and Musco spent Saturday doing absolutely everything short of selling popcorn.

What I didn’t love? Extra innings at home that end with the other team jogging around the bases. That’s a vibe killer.

Still — 79 wins before mid-August, a roster that doesn’t panic, and a clubhouse that knows how to shrug and move on. If this team ever figures out how to win every close game, the rest of the league might file a complaint.

Next week comes fast. So does the eraser.

[liberty-ca]

PRAYERS WEEKLY: AUGUST 12 – AUGUST 18, 1990
CHASING GLORY: PRAYERS PUSH MAGIC NUMBER TO 18
Gemmy Nay (Sacramento Sports Chronicle) in collaboration with Chad G. Petey and C.O. Pilot (BNN)


The Sacramento Prayers (84-45) spent the last week carving through the American League like a team possessed. With a 5-1 stretch that saw them dismantle Baltimore and sweep the Albuquerque Damned, the Prayers have expanded their divisional lead to a staggering 15.5 games. While a mid-week shutout in Seattle reminded the faithful that this team is indeed mortal, Saturday’s offensive explosion — led by a monstrous performance from Edwin Musco — has the city of Sacramento checking the calendar for parade dates.

The "Magic Number" now sits at 18. With 33 games left to play, the question is no longer "if" the Prayers will win the West, but "when."

★ ★ ★

SUNDAY, AUGUST 19 — vs. Baltimore

Prayers 7, Satans 1
Salazar’s Sunday Service

Fernando Salazar took the mound at Sacramento Stadium and delivered a sermon on efficiency. In a complete-game masterpiece, Salazar allowed just one run on four hits over 9.0 innings. The bats provided plenty of collection-plate offerings, with Alex Velasquez and Francisco Hernandez both leaving the yard, as Sacramento closed the Baltimore series with authority.

Alex Velasquez opened the scoring with a solo blast in the 4th, Francisco Hernandez added another in the 7th, and Andy Hamilton reached base four times while scoring twice. Rafael Alonzo chipped in a pair of RBI as the Prayers cruised to their 80th win.

"Whenever we hold the other team to one run," Manager Jimmy Aces noted with his signature dry wit, "I like our chances."

★ ★ ★

TUESDAY, AUGUST 21 — at Albuquerque

Prayers 5, Damned 1
The Desert Siege

Opening a series in Albuquerque, Robby Larson continued his stellar season by stifling the Damned for seven innings and allowing just one run while scattering five hits to earn his 13th victory. Sacramento’s offense came in waves. The game was a tense 1-1 affair until the 7th, when Hector Iniguez launched a solo shot that seemed to deflate the home crowd. Edwin Musco added a solo shot in the 8th, and Rafael Alonzo capped the night with a two‑run homer in the 9th to turn a nail-biter into a comfortable 5-1 victory.

“It’s nice to step up when your team needs you,” Iniguez said.

The Prayers improved to 81–44 behind a balanced, patient offensive approach.

★ ★ ★

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22 — at Albuquerque

Prayers 4, Damned 2
Rubalcava’s Resilience

Jordan Rubalcava went eight innings and allowed only two runs as Sacramento secured the series in Albuquerque. Rubalcava struck out six and walked one, improving to 14–9. Sacramento did all its scoring in the first two innings — a Musco RBI single in the 1st, then a costly Albuquerque error in the 2nd inning allowed Sacramento to plate two unearned runs, which was all the breathing room "Pluto" needed. The Damned never mounted a serious threat. Luis Prieto worked a clean ninth for his 33rd save. He fanned six and walked only one for his 33rd save, proving why he is the current ERA leader in the AL.

“I really like what we did out there today,” Andy Hamilton said.

★ ★ ★

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23 — at Albuquerque

Prayers 4, Damned 0
Andretti’s Near-Perfect Night

The series finale in Albuquerque was the Bernardo Andretti show. The 1987 Cy Young winner was untouchable, carrying a shutout into the 9th inning. He was lifted with two outs in the final frame after allowing just three hits over 8.2 innings and lowering his ERA to 2.21. The 4-0 win moved Andretti to a staggering 17-3 on the season.

“Bernardo had good arm action, good stuff,” Aces said.

George MacDonald provided the thump with a 2-RBI single to support the ace. Andy Hamilton led the offense with a 4‑hit night, including a double, while Edwin Musco and Alex Torres each drove in runs.
Sacramento completed the sweep in Albuquerque, pushing the club to 83–44.

★ ★ ★

FRIDAY, AUGUST 24 — at SEATTLE

Lucifers 5, Prayers 0
The Emerald Silence

All win streaks must end, and Seattle’s Ricky Serrano made sure this one ended with a thud. Serrano threw a complete-game 3-hit shutout, leaving the Prayers’ bats looking lost in the Pacific Northwest mist. Sacramento never solved his mix of cutters and changeups, and a pair of early homers by Seattle’s Gus Arispe put the Prayers in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. Fernando Salazar, returning to the mound on shorter rest, struggled and took the loss despite working eight innings.

“It was frustrating against Serrano today,” Aces said.

It was Sacramento’s first shutout loss since early June.

★ ★ ★

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25 — at SEATTLE

Prayers 11, Lucifers 4
Musco’s Grand Statement

Sacramento responded emphatically the next day. Edwin Musco put on an MVP clinic, crossing home plate 3 times and going 4-for-5 with 5 RBIs, punctuated by a towering 8th-inning Grand Slam that turned a competitive game into a rout. Alex Velasquez went 3 for 4 with a two-run double and Rafael Alonzo doubled twice.

Aaron Gilbert battled through 5.1 innings for the win, and Russ Gray shut Seattle down over the final 3.2.

“Trying isn’t good enough in this league,” Velasquez said. “You’ve got to get results.”

★ ★ ★

WEEK IN REVIEW

Sacramento finished the week 84–45, maintaining a commanding 15½-game lead in the AL West. The Prayers are now 8–2 over their last 10, with the league’s top run prevention continuing to set the tone.

Pitchers of the Week

- Bernardo Andretti: 8.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R (W)
- Fernando Salazar: 9 IP CG, 4 H, 1 R (W)
- Jordan Rubalcava: 8 IP, 4 H, 2 R (W)

Hitters of the Week

- Edwin Musco: 10-for-23 (.435), HR, 7 RBI
- Alex Velasquez: 7-for-17 (.412), HR, 4 RBI
- Andy Hamilton: 10-for-24 (.417), 5 R, 3 SB

The Prayers continue to pace the league with dominant pitching and a lineup that can explode at any moment.

★ ★ ★

LEAGUE-WIDE NEWS & INFO

* The Beast in the East: The Boston Messiahs (76-53) have finally gained a full game of separation over the Columbus Heaven. The two titans are headed for a collision course that might decide the top seed in the AL.
* National League Chaos: The NL East remains the most volatile sector in professional baseball. Detroit (74-55) holds a razor-thin 1.0 game lead over Nashville, with Charlotte just a half-game behind them. Every night in the NL East is essentially a playoff game.
* The "Damned" Record: After being swept by Sacramento, Albuquerque has fallen 23 games out of first in the NL West. The "Damned" are currently fighting for the dubious honor of the worst record in baseball against the El Paso Abbots.

★ ★ ★

PRAYERS WEEKLY: QUESTIONS FROM THE FRONT PEW

Q: Is Edwin Musco the runaway MVP at this point?
— Downtown Dave
A: If the season ended today, he’d have to be the favorite. With 23 HRs, 89 RBIs, and a .296 average while playing elite defense at shortstop, he is the engine of this 84-win team. If he hits the 30/100 mark, the trophy is his.

Q: Can we get an honest opinion on the shortstop situation? Musco is great, but he has 17 errors. Is that going to haunt us?
— Nervous in Natomas
A: You take the lightning with the thunder. Yes, 17 errors is enough to make a defensive purist weep, but Musco’s range and his ability to turn the double play (like he did twice in the Seattle win) still make him a net positive. Plus, when you’re driving in 89 runs from the 6-spot, the fans will forgive a bobbled grounder or two. Just don’t do it in the 9th inning of a tie game in the playoffs, Edwin.

Q: Why did Jimmy Aces pull Andretti with one out to go in Albuquerque? Let the man finish his shutout!
— Frustrated in Fair Oaks
A: We hear you, Dave. But remember, Andretti is 17-3 and has a lot of miles on that arm. Aces is thinking about October. That extra out wasn't worth the risk of a late-inning strain. Chris Ryan got the final out, and Andretti got the win. Everyone goes home happy.

Q: We head to El Paso next. Should we expect another sweep?
— Optimistic in Orangevale
A: The Abbots (47-83) are statistically the weakest team in the league. However, El Paso is a "trap" city. If the Prayers overlook them while thinking about the Washington Devils series, they could drop a game. But given the way Musco and Velasquez are swinging, a sweep is certainly the expectation.

★ ★ ★

GEMMY’S TAKE: THE DANGER OF THE "GHOST" ROTATION

Let’s be real for a second. We are sitting 15.5 games up. The Magic Number is 18. The city is already picking out which suit to wear to the victory parade. But have you looked at the eyes of Jordan Rubalcava or Bernardo Andretti lately? Those aren't the eyes of championship-caliber thoroughbreds; those are the eyes of men who have been asked to carry the weight of the entire Central Valley on their shoulders without a day off since April.

Manager Jimmy Aces is playing a dangerous game of "Starter Chicken." He’s riding his aces into battle against teams like Albuquerque and Baltimore. Why? To win by five runs instead of three?

If we arrive at the ALDS with a rotation that has nothing left in the tank, all these regular-season accolades will be nothing more than expensive wallpaper. My take? Shut them down. Give Aaron Gilbert and Russ Gray the ball for the next two weeks. Let the "Iron Men" rust a little on the bench so they can be steel in October. Winning 100 games doesn't matter if you lose the four that count.