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Fresno Grizzlies

Crawford Redeems Miscue, Keys Late Comeback

August 3, 2011 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO- Perhaps the Fresno Grizzlies have finally hit their stride, as the 2011 season enters the dog days of August. Or maybe there is just something about good teams that brings the best out of this Fresno squad. Whatever the reason, the Grizzlies are playing their best baseball of the season, winning their fifth straight game Tuesday night, 4-3, to polish off a four-game sweep of first-place Reno at Chukchansi Park.

After dropping the first two games of its season-long 12-game homestand, Fresno (50-61) won seven of the final 10, including each of the last five, their longest home winning stretch of the season.

Trailing by one entering the bottom of the eighth, newcomer Brandon Crawford singled with one out and stole second base. He was still there with two away, when Hector Sanchez came through with a pinch-single to center field, tying the game. Sanchez moved up to second on the throw home, and Conor Gillaspie followed with the second consecutive pinch RBI-single up the middle, as Sanchez beat the throw home to give Fresno the go-ahead run.

Crawford, making his first Fresno start, had a throw from Dan Runzler clank off the heel of his mitt in the fifth inning, leading to Reno's only scores of the game. The error put runners at the corners with nobody out, and one batter later Mark Hallberg doubled and Tony Abreu followed with a two-run single to put Reno (63-47) in front, 3-2.

Justin Christian got the Grizzlies off to a fast start, cranking a leadoff home run to left field. Four of his six homers with Fresno have led off the game, with three of them coming on this 12-game homestand.

Fresno added its second run in the bottom of the third, as Christian just missed his second home run in as many at-bats, hitting the top of the padded wall in left-center field and scooting into second with a double. He would score anyway, though, as with two outs Edgar Gonzalez singled back through the box to make it 2-0.

Meanwhile, Runzler was in and out of trouble all night long on the hill. He worked out of two-baserunner jams in the second, third and fourth innings, getting a pair of double plays to help him.

Runzler finally ran into trouble he could not escape in the fifth, though, no thanks to some shaky defense behind him. After issuing a leadoff walk, Runzler fielded a bunt by Miley and threw to second in plenty of time to get the lead runner and possibly start a double play. That's when Crawford committed his miscue, leading to the three-run inning.

The Grizzlies loaded the bases with two out in the fourth and no outs in the fifth, but could not score in either inning off Reno starter Wade Miley. Fresno got a runner as far as second with one out in the seventh, but could not score him, as Miley fanned Edgar Gonzalez and Kam Mickolio came out of the bullpen to get Brett Pill to fly out to center, keeping the Aces ahead.

The game finally turned in the eighth, on the consecutive, two-out pinch-hits by Sanchez and Gillaspie.

The Grizzlies embark on an eight-game Midwest road trip to Iowa and Omaha starting Wednesday night, as Fresno sends righty Shane Loux (5-10) against I-Cubs right-hander Chris Rusin (1-1) at 5:05pm PDT.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 3, 2011


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