CalL Fresno Grizzlies

Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at San Jose

Published on May 31, 2023 under California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


The Grizzlies and Giants continue their six-game series tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm PT from Excite Ballpark. Grizzlies RHP Blake Adams and Giants RHP Hayden Birdsong are the probable starters. I have attached the roster/game notes. The link below has everything needed for tonight.

To listen to tonight's game: https://www.milb.com/fresno/fans/audio-listen-live

Fres-Notes:

THE ROAD TO OMAHA: The field of 64 teams competing for the 2023 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship (College World Series) was announced earlier this week by the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee. The 2023 Grizzlies will be highly invested in the tournament with 10 current players having their alma maters/team they were drafted from in the 64-team field. If you took every player who donned a 2023 Grizzlies jersey, you would have 12 total players who would have a stake in this year's CWS.

GIANT AMOUNT OF MATCHUPS: The Fresno Grizzlies and San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants Single-A affiliate) continue their six-game series tonight at Excite Ballpark. This is the third of five series between the clubs in 2023 and the second of three sets in San Jose. Last season, the Grizzlies won 17 of the 30 meetings between the clubs and swept the Giants in the Divisional Series 2-0. Overall, Fresno is 38-32 (5-5 in 2023) in the regular season and 2-3 in the playoffs against San Jose since the Grizzlies joined the California League.

FROM FRIEND TO FOE: The San Jose Giants have a few names on their coaching staff that the Central Valley may recognize. Giants pitching coach Dan Runzler was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 9th round of the 2007 MLB Draft. He played for the Grizzlies from 2009-14, appearing in 144 games. Runzler pitched in the majors for parts of five seasons (Giants 2009-12, Pirates 2017) before playing overseas and independent ball. Over 97 big league games, he logged a 4-2 record with a 3.89 ERA over 76.1 innings. Another staff member fans may remember is Giants hitting coach Travis Ishikawa. The Giants selected Ishikawa in the 21st round of the 2002 MLB Draft out of Federal Way HS in Washington. Ishikawa played eight MLB seasons starting in 2006 and ending in 2015 with time spent in San Francisco (2006, 2008-10, 2014-15), Milwaukee (2012), Baltimore (2013), New York AL (2013) and Pittsburgh (2014-15). Ishikawa wore a Grizzlies uniform in 2008, 2011 and 2014, playing in 175 games. The final coach fans may remember is Giants Fundamental Coach Ydwin Villegas. The always smiling infielder played for the Grizzlies from 2011-14, appearing in 95 games. Villegas batted .208 and had a .962 fielding percentage.

BUGARIN IS ON FIRE: In the month of May, Grizzlies center fielder Jesus Bugarin is batting .303 over 23 games. Bugarin has recorded four extra-base hits (one homer, two triples and one double), scored 14 runs and drove in 12 RBI. He has also swiped four bases and has yet to be caught in the month of May.

RITTER IS RAKING: Grizzlies INF Ryan Ritter sits among the Top 10 of the California League Hitting Leaderboard in six categories. Ritter ranks second in OPS (.948), tied for second in extra-base hits (19), third in homers (11), third in slugging percentage (.554), third in total bases (82) and tied for third in RBI (33). In the month of May, Ritter is batting .304/.387/.544/.931 over 20 games. He has recorded five homers, four doubles, 20 RBI, 16 runs and 10 walks.

DO YOU WANT TO GO TO WAR BALAKEY: Tonight, the Grizzlies hand the ball to righty Blake Adams, who is tied for first in the California League in WHIP (0.88). The 22-year-old was a 13th round draft pick by the Rockies in 2022 out of Kansas State University. You can read more about Blake Adams on Page 2 of the Game Notes and Page 13 of the Media Guide.

NO RUN SUPPORT FOR ADAMS: In seven starts this season, Grizzlies righty Blake Adams has tossed 40 innings, permitting 11 runs (nine earned) on 30 hits and five walks while fanning 50. Unfortunately for Adams, he is 1-3 on the year and has suffered three straight tough-luck losses (0 runs of support). In his last six outings, Adams has received only three runs of support (0.5 runs per game) and in four of those starts, he has not had any run support.

ROCKING AND ROLLING WITH RAMIRES: Grizzlies lefty Felix Ramires has been a bright spot in the bullpen this season. Ramires has appeared in 15 games, going 1-0 with four holds and a 0.90 ERA. In 20 innings, Ramires has allowed two runs (both earned) on 12 hits and nine walks while striking out 22. Lefties are 0-for-18 with nine punchouts against Ramires this season. Ramires has not permitted a run in his last six appearances (9.1 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 5 K). Over his past two games, Ramires has yielded three double plays in 5.1 scoreless frames (season-highs). The sidearmer is in his sixth professional season after signing with the Rockies as an international free agent in 2017 out of the Dominican Republic.

CAR"SO"N S"K"IPPER: Grizzlies southpaw Carson Skipper has been a strikeout machine over the past month. Skipper has made eight relief appearances spanning from April 25 to May 27. In that stretch, he has struck out 19 batters over 11 innings of work. He has fanned multiple batters in six straight outings and seven of his last eight contests. Skipper was an 11th round draft pick by the Rockies in 2022 out of Auburn University.

COMEBACK CLAWS: This season, the Grizzlies have scored 40% of their runs in innings 7-9 (100 runs of 248 total runs). The eighth inning has been the most productive for Fresno with 40 runs scoring. That is followed by the seventh inning, where the Grizzlies have scored 35 times.

WEAR THE BEAR: Beige (3-4), Red (9-7), Black & Gold (2-4), Gray (5-6), Fresno Tacos (0-1), Lowriders de Fresno (Copa de la Diversion, 1-1), Fresno Growers (1-0), Fresno Tigers (0-0), Specialty Promo (2-0), Red Pants (2-0).

Upcoming Probable Pitchers:

JUNE 1, 2023 @ SAN JOSE GIANTS (SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS): EXCITE BALLPARK - 6:30 PM PT

Fresno LHP Michael Prosecky (3-2, 4.09) vs. San Jose LHP Reggie Crawford (0-0, 0.00)

JUNE 2, 2023 @ SAN JOSE GIANTS (SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS): EXCITE BALLPARK - 7:00 PM PT

Fresno RHP Jordy Vargas (4-2, 4.08) vs. San Jose RHP Gerelmi Maldonado (1-0, 5.14)

JUNE 3, 2023 @ SAN JOSE GIANTS (SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS): EXCITE BALLPARK - 6:00 PM PT

Fresno RHP Connor Staine (2-3, 6.96) vs. San Jose RHP Miguel Yajure (REHAB, 0-0, 6.00)

JUNE 4, 2023 @ SAN JOSE GIANTS (SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS): EXCITE BALLPARK - 5:00 PM PT

Fresno RHP Jackson Cox (1-0, 10.32) vs. San Jose LHP Hayden Wynja (3-0, 4.50)

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California League Stories from May 31, 2023


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