CalL Fresno Grizzlies

Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes vs Rancho Cucamonga

Published on May 18, 2022 under California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


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!

The Grizzlies and Quakes continue their six-game series tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 6:50 pm PT from Chukchansi Park. Grizzlies RHP Case Williams and Quakes RHP Jerming Rosario are the probable starters. I have attached the roster/game notes.

THE SINGLE-A DODGERS ARE IN TOWN: The Fresno Grizzlies and Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers Single-A affiliate) continue their six-game series tonight 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, walk-off win on July 3rd.

SPEAKING OF WALK-OFF WINS: The Fresno Grizzlies walked off on the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 8-7 yesterday morning from Chukchansi Park. Fresno relished their second walk-off win this season (Opening Night, April 8) with pinch hitter Zach Kokoska enjoying another game-winning hit. This was the third comeback victory for the Grizzlies in the past week and the fifth time overall this year. Kokoska took a 1-0 pitch to deep right field, ending the game on a three-run walk-off homer. The Grizzlies were trailing by three runs heading into the frame and found a way to get a crucial victory to open the series.

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, OBP, slugging percentage, OPS and hit-by-pitches. Fresno is ranked first with a .273 batting average (Rancho Cucamonga, .260), 321 hits (Rancho Cucamonga, 310), 530 total bases (Rancho Cucamonga, 519), and a .450 slugging percentage (Rancho Cucamonga, 435). On the other side, the Quakes are ranked first with 1,192 at-bats (Grizzlies, 1,177), .379 OBP (Grizzlies, .360), .814 OPS (Grizzlies, .810) and 41 hit-by-pitches (Grizzlies, 36).

NOTHING BUT AVERAGE: Currently, three Grizzlies hitters rank in the Top 10 of the California League in batting average. Braiden Ward leads the league with a .367 average (.31 points higher than the second place batter) and 13 hit-by-pitches. Warming Bernabel currently sits sixth at a .324 average and Adael Amador ranks eighth at .314. These three players also rank in the Top 10 of the California League in OPS. Ward is first at 1.060, Bernabel ranks seventh at .961 and Amador is eighth at .957.

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. 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).

CASE CLOSED: Tonight, the Grizzlies will hand the ball to righty Case Williams. The 20-year old is one of three returning pitchers to the Fresno staff after joining the club in the back half of the 2021 season. Williams enters his third professional season with the Colorado Rockies organization despite starting last year in the Cincinnati Reds system. In 2021, he split the season between the Daytona Tortugas (Cincinnati Reds) and Grizzlies. Williams started 2021 in Daytona, appearing in 12 games, 11 for starts. He went 2-5 with a 5.74 ERA over 47 innings. Williams was traded back to the Colorado Rockies on July 28, 2021. The Reds received RHP Mychal Givens and the Rockies got Williams and RHP Noah Davis. He was assigned to Fresno and finished the season with the Grizzlies. Williams went 1-3 with a 5.72 ERA over seven games with six going for starts. In 28.1 frames, he fanned 17 batters and had a good overall second half of the season. Read more about Case Williams' bio 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 (2-0), 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 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)

MAY 22, 2022 VS. RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 1:05 PM PT

RHP Edgardo Henriquez (1-1, 3.26) vs LHP Mason Green (2-1, 2.78)

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 18, 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