Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at Visalia
May 15, 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!
The Grizzlies and Rawhide conclude their six-game series today. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm PT from Valley Strong Ballpark. Grizzlies LHP Mason Green and Rawhide LHP Liam Norris are the probable starters. I have attached the roster/game notes.
HIGHWAY 99: The Fresno Grizzlies and Visalia Rawhide conclude their first series today against one another at Valley Strong Ballpark, the first of two meetings at Visalia. Fresno is now 22-7 against Visalia in the last two seasons, outscoring the Rawhide 174-124. 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. On the other side, four of the Rawhide's seven wins have come via one-run walk-offs. 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.
COMEBACK CLAWS: Friday night, the Grizzlies enjoyed their third comeback win of the 2022 season (April 8th vs Stockton and 17th at San Jose). With two outs, two runners on and Fresno trailing 4-2 in the top of the ninth, Juan Guerrero changed all of that with one swing of the bat. Guerrero took a 1-1 pitch and deposited it over the left field wall, giving the Grizzlies a 5-4 lead. Fresno would add an insurance run thanks to a Braiden Ward RBI double and the Grizzlies would hold on to win 6-4. This was the second comeback victory in the 9th inning for the Grizzlies in 2022 with the most recent coming on April 17th.
NOTHING BUT AVERAGE: Currently, four Grizzlies hitters rank in the Top 10 of the California League in batting average. Braiden Ward leads the league with a .365 average (.14 points higher than the second place batter) and 10 hit-by-pitches. Warming Bernabel currently sits fifth at a .327 average, Adael Amador ranks eighth at .312 and Hunter Goodman is tied for ninth at .295. These four players also rank in the Top 10 of the California League in OPS. Ward sits in third place at 1.041, Bernabel ranks sixth at .979, Amador is seventh at .965 and Goodman is tied for eighth at .912.
MAN, HUNTER IS GOOD: Grizzlies first baseman and catcher Hunter Goodman has been hitting at another level during the series against Visalia. Goodman is riding a personal-best five-game hitting streak, picking up three multi-hit contests in that span. He is 9-for-21 (.429) with two homers, one triple, one double, eight RBI, four runs and two hit-by-pitches. He has gone deep in two of his last three games and his eight clouts are a team-high. He ranks third in the California League as well with those eight longballs.
GREEN GOES FOR THE GRIZZLIES: Today's scheduled starter is lefty Mason Green, a 23-year old from Lenexa, Kansas. Green was selected by the Rockies in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft out of the University of Central Missouri, a Division II college. In Green's last collegiate season, he started all 18 games on the bump, going an outrageous 16-0, finishing his college career without a loss (27-0). Green had one complete game shutout and pitched 104.2 frames. He also struck out 123 batters and walked 26, becoming just the sixth Central Missouri Mule to ever reach 100 strikeouts in a single-season. Read more about Green 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 (9-4), 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 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)
MAY 18, 2022 VS. RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 6:50 PM PT
RHP Jerming Rosario (1-2, 6.88) vs RHP Case Williams (1-1, 4.26)
MAY 19, 2022 VS. RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 6:50 PM PT
LHP Benony Robles (2-1, 7.11) vs RHP McCade Brown (0-1, 10.13)
MAY 20, 2022 VS. RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 6:50 PM PT
RHP Ben Casparius (0-2, 3.66) vs RHP Brayan Castillo (0-2, 6.00)
California League Stories from May 15, 2022
- Hunter Goodman's big afternoon helps Grizzlies rally past Rawhide 8-5 on Sunday - Fresno Grizzlies
- Quakes and Port Split Series - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Giants Shutout Storm, Extend Win Streak to Five - San Jose Giants
- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at Visalia - Fresno Grizzlies
- Goodman's Early Wallop Not Enough as Fresno Drops 9-5 Contest to Visalia: Grizzlies - Fresno Grizzlies
- Rawhide Put Together 10 Hits for a Win - Visalia Rawhide
- Myers Walks the Tightrope, Ports Hang on for 6-4 Win - Stockton Ports
- Hunter Goodman blasts 8th homer of the season - Fresno Grizzlies
- Brown's Walk-Off Home Run Caps Thrilling Comeback Win - San Jose Giants
- Quakes Come up Short to Ports - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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