Big Opening, Grizzlies Kick-Start Road Trip with Dominant Shutout
Published on April 29, 2026 under California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Fresno Grizzlies (13-9) wasted no time settling into life on the road, erupting early and never looking back in a 10-0 rout of the Stockton Ports (10-12) to open their longest road trip of the season Tuesday night at Banner Island Ballpark.
Fresno established the tone of the series in a hurry, turning a scoreless first inning into a seven-run avalanche in the second that effectively decided the game before Stockton could find its footing.
The rally started simply enough, with Luis Mendez doubling to ignite the inning and Cameron Nelson following by legging out an infield single. A walk to Clayton Gray loaded the bases, setting the stage for a relentless stretch of offense.
Wilder Dalis got the Grizzlies on the board with an RBI single, but it was just the beginning.
Ethan Holliday followed by pulling a ball through the right side for a two-run single, and Tanner Thach delivered with a two-run double that pushed the lead to five.
Moments later, Derek Bernard punctuated the frame with a two-run home run to deep right center, capping a seven-run outburst that gave Fresno a commanding 7-0 lead before the Ports could record the final outs.
From there, the Grizzlies continued to apply pressure, piling up 11 hits and drawing 11 walks on the night. Fresno went 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position, consistently turning traffic into runs throughout the game.
Jeremy Ciriaco added the exclamation point in the eighth inning, launching his first home run of the season-a three-run shot that extended the lead to 10-0 and put the game completely out of reach.
The offensive production was balanced throughout the lineup, with Ciriaco tallying three hits in his best offensive output in his young career. Thach and Holliday each added two RBIs, and Bernard extended his on-base streak to 22 consecutive games.
Holliday was also on base all night, reaching in all six plate appearances, going 1-1 with 5 walks.
On the mound, the Grizzlies were just as dominant. Angel Jimenez set the tone with three scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing no hits to keep Stockton off balance early.
Jhon Medina earned the win with three strong innings in relief, limiting the Ports to just two hits while striking out four and maintaining the shutout.
The bullpen trio of Yanzel Correa and Dylan Crooks closed it out, combining for three scoreless innings as Fresno pitching allowed just three hits total and struck out 12 in the first shutout effort of the season for the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies open the six-game set with authority, improving to 1-0 on the road trip and setting the tone for a stretch that will test their consistency away from Chukchansi Park.
The second game of the series is on Wednesday night with JB Middleton taking the ball for Fresno against left-hander Jackson Phipps with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.
The Chukchansi Gold Pregame Show begins at 6:50pm on FresnoGrizzlies.com/Listen. Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday will all be on 1430 ESPN Fresno as well.
California League Stories from April 29, 2026
- Big Opening, Grizzlies Kick-Start Road Trip with Dominant Shutout - Fresno Grizzlies
- 66ers Outpace Quakes in Series Opener - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Ports Fall Flat in 10-0 Loss to Grizzlies - Stockton Ports
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