Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at Visalia
May 12, 2022 - California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release
On Tuesday, we have our 2nd Making the Grade Kids Day (4,800 kids) with first pitch at 11:05 am. On May 20th, we have our Mental Health Awareness Night and Friday Night Fireworks. On May 21st, we have a pregame concert for Christian Fellowship Night, Community Outreach Night and the celebration of the 2002 Taylor Cup Champion Fresno Falcons! Hope to see you at the park for those three amazing games!
The Grizzlies and Rawhide continue their six-game series tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm PT from Valley Strong Ballpark. Grizzlies RHP McCade Brown and Rawhide LHP Avery Short are the probable starters.
EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT: Last night, the Grizzlies defeated the Visalia Rawhide 6-3 in 12 innings from Valley Strong Ballpark. The 12-inning thriller was the longest game in terms of innings since the Grizzlies became a Rockies affiliate. Prior to that, the longest-inning game was 11 frames between the same two teams on May 14, 2021 at Chukchansi Park. The win gave the Grizzlies their ninth straight road victory, tying their longest away win streak from last season (July 9-18). The 3-hour and 32-minute barn burner saw the squads combine for 22 hits (seven for extra-bases), 12 walks and 32 strikeouts. Both offenses had 11 hits with seven total players notching multi-hit affairs. The Grizzlies lineup struck out 16 times, breaking their season-high while the Fresno pitching staff punched out 16, matching their 2022 best mark.
HIGHWAY 99: The Fresno Grizzlies and Visalia Rawhide continue their first series against one another tonight at Valley Strong Ballpark, the first of two meetings at Visalia. Fresno is now 21-5 against Visalia in the last two seasons, outscoring the Rawhide 160-107. The 19 wins against the Rawhide last year were the most against one team in a single season in Grizzlies franchise history. Of those 19 wins, 12 of them came at Chukchansi Park, where Fresno swept Visalia two separate times. The two cities are 39.26 miles from one another, or if you drive non-stop, 43 minutes or so. From Fresno to Visalia, you would drive in a southeast direction, following the CA 99 route.
ROARING ON OFFENSE: In 2022, the Fresno Grizzlies offense has been one of the best at the Single-A level. The Grizzlies lead all Single-A teams in batting average (.275), homers (35), hits (279), total bases (456), slugging percentage (.450) and OPS (.809). Not only is Fresno leading some of these categories, but they are substantially higher than the rest of the level. The Grizzlies batting average is .21 points higher than the team in second (Fredericksburg) and their slugging percentage is .28 points higher than the next team (Rancho Cucamonga). They also have 28 more hits and 31 more total bases than the respected second place squad (Rancho Cucamonga). Overall, the Grizzlies rank tied for seventh in batting average, ninth in OPS and tied for 10th in slugging percentage in all of Minor League Baseball.
"BEAR"ING DOWN ON THE REST OF THE LEAGUE: Currently, four Grizzlies hitters rank in the Top 10 of the California League in batting average. Braiden Ward leads the league with a .394 average and nine hit-by-pitches. The Merced native also ranks first in OBP (.500), slugging percentage (.634) and OPS (1.134). Warming Bernabel currently sits third at a .340 average. Bernabel is riding a 2022-best and team-long 12-game hit streak with four homers, five doubles, 15 RBI and 12 runs in that span. Braxton Fulford sits seventh at .315 and Adael Amador ranks ninth at .310 to round out the Fresno batters. Amador was named California League Player of the Week April 25-May 1 while Fulford had a seven-game hit streak from April 24-May 4.
FROM HOOSIER TO BEAR: Tonight, the Grizzlies will hand the ball to Rockies #29 prospect McCade Brown, who will make his second start in a Fresno uniform. The 2021 3rd-round draft pick joined the Grizzlies rotation on May 2nd after spending the first month of 2022 with the ACL Rockies. Brown started his professional career last summer with the ACL Rockies (rookie ball), appearing in four games (three starts). He hurled eight innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) while striking out nine. Brown was selected by the Rockies in the 3rd round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Indiana University. He spent three years with the Hoosiers and anchored the rotation for the first time in his final season. Brown made 12 starts and had a 5-4 record with a 3.39 ERA. He was an important piece of an Indiana pitching staff that finished No. 3 in the country in ERA and now looks to continue his success with the Grizzlies. Read more about Brown on Page 2.
NEW RULES IN 2022: Major League Baseball announced in March that experimental rules will expand in the California League for the 2022 season. The following rules include the return of the pitch clock and pickoff limits. Pitchers must deliver a pitch within 14 seconds with the bases empty and 18 seconds with runners on base. Hitters must be in the batter's box and be alert to the pitcher with nine seconds left. Pitchers will also be limited to two pickoff attempts or step-offs per plate appearance; any more without retiring the baserunner will effectively function as a balk. The league also added larger bases, increasing the size from 15 to 18 inches, a rule in place at Triple-A during the 2021 season. The increase is aimed to provide more room for players to operate around the bases, while modestly shrinking the distance between bases themselves. Additionally, the larger bases are composed of material that is expected to perform better in wetter conditions. Finally, teams must have a minimum of four defensive players on the infield when a pitch is delivered, with at least two infielders on either side of second base. The penalty for violation is an automatic ball, but if the hitter swings and gets a better outcome, the offensive team can take that. Goal is to increase batting average on balls in play.
HOW 2022 WILL LOOK IN THE "GROWL"IFORNIA LEAGUE: The 2022 California League regular season will be split into two halves. The first half ends on June 23rd with the second half beginning on June 24th. Four of the eight teams in the Single-A California League will make the playoffs. The first and second half division winners will meet in a best-of-three game series. The winners of those series will meet for a best-of-three championship series. Similar to 2021, each Monday will be a day off in the league except for July 4th. All but two series will be six-game series this season. The break for players and coaches will be four days long from July 18th to July 21st.
WEAR THE BEAR: Red (4-6), Beige (4-2), Black & Gold (1-0), Gray (8-2), Specialty Promo (0-1), Fresno Tacos (0-0), Lowriders de Fresno (Copa de la Diversion, 0-0), Fresno Growers (1-0), Fresno Tigers (0-0), Red Pants (1-2).
MAY 13, 2022 @ VISALIA RAWHIDE (ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS): VALLEY STRONG BALLPARK- 6:30 PM PT
RHP Brayan Castillo (0-2, 6.14) vs RHP Peniel Otano (0-2, 3.79)
MAY 14, 2022 @ VISALIA RAWHIDE (ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS): VALLEY STRONG BALLPARK- 6:30 PM PT
RHP Victor Juarez (2-0, 3.20) vs LHP Yaifer Perdomo (0-3, 9.49)
MAY 15, 2022 @ VISALIA RAWHIDE (ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS): VALLEY STRONG BALLPARK- 1:00 PM PT
LHP Mason Green (2-1, 2.96) vs LHP Liam Norris (0-0, 3.66)
MAY 17, 2022 VS. RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 11:05 AM PT
RHP Edgardo Henriquez (1-1, 4.11) vs RHP Cullen Kafka (1-1, 4.09)
California League Stories from May 12, 2022
- McCade Brown Fans 10, Visalia Walks-off on Fresno 4-3 - Fresno Grizzlies
- McCade Brown Fans 10, Visalia Walks-Off on Fresno 4-3 - Fresno Grizzlies
- Mariners Announce Veronica Hernandez as Modesto Nuts New General Manager - Modesto Nuts
- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at Visalia - Fresno Grizzlies
- Bernabel, Grizzlies corral Rawhide 6-3 in 12 innings - Fresno Grizzlies
- Bernabel, Grizzlies Corral Rawhide 6-3 in 12 Innings: Grizzlies - Fresno Grizzlies
- Rawhide Fall to Grizzlies in Extras - Visalia Rawhide
- Giants Erupt Offensively in 11-1 Rout of Storm - San Jose Giants
- Clarke's Late Hit Lifts Ports over Quakes - Stockton Ports
- Rancho Falls to Ports - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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