Early Offense, Excellent Bullpen Quiet Friday Night Storm

Sports stats



CalL Fresno Grizzlies

Early Offense, Excellent Bullpen Quiet Friday Night Storm

May 16, 2025 - California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


Robert Calaz belted a three-run homer in the first and four Fresno Grizzlies' (16-21) pitchers combined to hold onto the 6-3 win over the Lake Elsinore Storm (16-21) Friday night at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore.

Calaz's fourth homer of the year sparked a big first inning for Fresno before things turned to the bullpen which has been airtight in the month of May.

Kelvin Hidalgo, batting in the leadoff spot, sparked the Grizzlies offense with a leadoff single and moved to third on Tommy Hopfe's single. After Hopfe stole second, the Grizzlies had two on and nobody out in the first.

Calaz crushed a no doubter down the left field line to stake Fresno to a 3-0 lead just three batters into the game.

Jacob Hinderleider walked to restart the rally and then Blake Wright ripped a single into left.

Jimmy Obertop cashed them both in, bouncing a ball off the top of the wall to push the lead to 5-0.

Lake Elsinore shaved a little off the lead with single runs in the first and second against Jackson Cox to pull within three runs at 5-2.

Cox finished the outing after two innings while striking out one and navigating around five hits and a walk.

Wright's leadoff single was cashed in to start the third when Kevin Fitzer smashed a double into the left center field gap.

The Storm scored a run on a wild pitch in the third to bring the margin back within three.

But Ismael Luciano kept things quiet from there, finishing four innings of relief by striking out three, only allowing a pair of hits, on his way to picking up the victory.

Tyler Hampu backed Luciano up with a pair of scoreless innings, erasing a leadoff hit in the eighth with a double play to keep the score at 6-3 in Fresno's favor.

Nathan Blasick worked a seamless ninth to lockdown his seventh save, the most in the California League this season.

The Grizzlies' pitching staff has excelled in May, with the team ERA at just 2.30 in the first two weeks.

Blasick has led a group of stingy relievers, tossing his fifth consecutive scoreless outing.

The bullpen has allowed just 9 earned runs through the first two weeks of the month, logging over 60 innings.

The win assures the Grizzlies at least a split of the series for the first time in their four-road series so far in 2025.

Fresno will have two opportunities to earn the series victory on Saturday and Sunday.

The series continues Saturday night when Bryan Mena takes the hill for the Grizzlies against Bryan Balzer of the Storm with first pitch scheduled for 5:45pm.

All broadcasts will be available through Bally Sports Live, the MiLB App, and accessed through the Lake Elsinore Storm's broadcast.

Fresno returns to Chukchansi Park on May 20th to open its longest homestand of the season.

Check out the Fresno Grizzlies Statistics



California League Stories from May 16, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central