CalL Fresno Grizzlies

Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes vs Rancho Cucamonga

Published on May 17, 2022 under California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


Today, we have our 2nd Making the Grade Kids Day (4,800 kids) with first pitch at 11:05 am. On Friday, we have our Mental Health Awareness Night and Friday Night Fireworks. On Saturday, 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 these three amazing games!

The Grizzlies and Quakes start a six-game series today. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 am PT from Chukchansi Park. Grizzlies RHP Cullen Kafka and Quakes RHP Edgardo Henriquez are the probable starters.

THE SINGLE-A DODGERS ARE IN TOWN: The Fresno Grizzlies and Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers Single-A affiliate) start a six-game series today at Chukchansi Park. This is the first of two meetings between the clubs and the only regular season series in downtown Fresno. Last season, the Grizzlies and Quakes only played each other six times, all in Fresno. The Grizzlies won four of the six games, including an epic 10-9 comeback win on July 3rd.

ROARING AND SHAKING UP SINGLE-A: The Grizzlies and Quakes are ranked 1-2 in eight different Single-A offensive categories. These categories include batting average, at-bats, hits, total bases, home runs, slugging percentage, OPS and hit-by-pitches. Fresno is ranked first with a .271 batting average (Rancho Cucamonga, .259), 311 hits (Rancho Cucamonga, 300), 510 total bases (Rancho Cucamonga, 509), 40 home runs (tied with San Jose, Rancho Cucamonga, 39) and a .445 slugging percentage (Rancho Cucamonga, 440). On the other side, the Quakes are ranked first with 1,158 at-bats (Grizzlies, 1,146), .816 OPS (Grizzlies, .803) and 40 hit-by-pitches (Grizzlies, 35).

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 .364 average (.24 points higher than the second place batter) and 12 hit-by-pitches. Warming Bernabel currently sits fifth at a .327 average, Adael Amador ranks eighth at .316 and Hunter Goodman is 10th at .307. These four players also rank in the Top 10 of the California League in OPS. Ward is in first place at 1.052, Bernabel ranks sixth at .979, Amador is seventh at .967 and Goodman is 10th at .946.

MAN, HUNTER IS GOOD: Grizzlies first baseman/catcher and Colorado Rockies #20 prospect Hunter Goodman was acknowledged by Minor League Baseball as the California League Player of the Week for May 9-15. Goodman's impressive series in Visalia helped the Grizzlies earn a series win over the Rawhide. During the week, Goodman went 12-for-26 (.462) with three homers, one triple, one double, 13 RBI, five runs and two hit-by-pitches over six games. Goodman picked up four multi-hit contests, 24 total bases and had a tremendous 1.423 OPS. On Sunday (May 15), Goodman went 3-for-5 with a clout and five RBI, tying his and the team's 2022-high for RBI in a single game As of today, Goodman is tied for first in the California League in hits (39), extra-base hits (18), second in total bases (76), second in RBI (34), third in wallops (9) and third in slugging percentage (.598). The University of Memphis product is the second Grizzlies player to earn California League Player of the Week honors (Adael Amador, April 25 - May 1).

CULLEN KAFKA GETS THE NOD: Today, the Grizzlies give the ball to righty Cullen Kafka, who looks to get Fresno back into first place. The Walnut Creek, California native makes his sixth start of the season and his third start at home. Kafka enters his second professional season with the Colorado Rockies organization. In 2021, he started his professional career with the ACL Rockies (rookie ball), appearing in four games, all out of the bullpen. Kafka hurled five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks while fanning five batters. He had a 0.60 WHIP and hitters batted .158 against the righty. Kafka was selected by the Rockies in the 9th round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft out of the University of Oregon, where he ended his Ducks career fifth all-time in starts (39) and seventh in strikeouts (195). Kafka finished his four-year career 13-11 with a 4.75 ERA in 50 appearances where opponents batted .288 in 204.2 innings pitched. Read more about Kafka 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 (10-4), 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 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)

MAY 21, 2022 VS. RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 6:50 PM PT

LHP Maddux Bruns (0-0, 4.20) vs RHP Victor Juarez (2-0, 3.38)

Recent Transactions:

5/17: OF Benny Montgomery: Activated off IL

5/17: LHP Felix Ramires: Assigned to Fresno from ACL Rockies

5/17: C AJ Lewis: Assigned to Fresno from A+ Spokane

5/15: RHP Juan Mejia: Placed on IL

5/14: C Bryant Quijada: Placed on IL

Check out the Fresno Grizzlies Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



California League Stories from May 17, 2022


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