Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes vs San Jose
July 10, 2022 - California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release
The Grizzlies/Lowriders de Fresno and Giants conclude their six-game series tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 pm PT from Chukchansi Park. Grizzlies/Lowriders de Fresno RHP Cullen Kafka and Giants RHP Nick Sinacola are the probable starters.
Tonight's Promotion:
7/10 (Sunday, July 10th) - Lowriders de Fresno, Copa de la Diversion, Save Mart Sundays & Kids Run The Bases w/FREE Ice Cream from Producers Dairy!
First Pitch: 5:05pm
Opponent: San Jose Giants
Promotion: Low Riders Weekend, team taking field in special game-worn jerseys that can be found in team store
Promotion: Save Mart Sundays w/ Kids Run The Bases Post-Game w/FREE Ice Cream from Producers Dairy!
Promotion: Pre-Game Catch on the Field! Play catch on the field from 4:05pm - 4:35pm, on the right field line.
Other Details: Splash Park, Bounce Houses & More!
BRITO COMES IN CLUTCH FOR LOWRIDERS: For the second straight game, the Lowriders de Fresno fueled a comeback win, racing past the San Jose Giants 5-4 Saturday evening from Chukchansi Park. Fresno enjoyed their fourth consecutive triumph and a series victory against San Jose. The Lowriders recorded their ninth comeback win of 2022 and their third against the Giants. San Jose powered ahead 2-0 early after a pair of solo shots by Yorlis Rodriguez and Aeverson Arteaga. Both homers carried over the left field wall. In the third, Fresno knotted the game at two after a triple by Yorvis Torrealba, RBI double by EJ Andrews Jr. and a sacrifice fly by Braxton Fulford. The Giants grabbed a 4-2 lead in the sixth after a groundout and Grant McCray RBI single. After enjoying the seventh inning stretch, the Lowriders came to the plate, looking to rev another comeback victory. A Ben Sems ground-rule double and a pair of walks loaded the bases for Juan Brito. With two outs and two strikes, Brito laced a fastball down the right field line, clearing the bases and putting Fresno in front 5-4. The double by Brito was just enough for the Lowriders to halt the Giants offense. Fresno reliever Angel Chivilli (1-0) received the triumph in his second appearance since joining the squad. Sergio Sanchez picked up a hold after a clean eighth and Juan Mejia secured his sixth save after a strong ninth. Lowriders starter Victor Juarez did not factor in the final line after four innings of work. Tyler Ras yielded a no-decision after taking over for Juarez.
GIANT AMOUNT OF MATCHUPS: The Fresno Grizzlies and San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants Single-A affiliate) conclude their six-game series tonight at Chukchansi Park. This is the third series between the clubs in 2022 and the first meeting in Fresno. This season, the two clubs play 30 times against one another with 18 of those contests being held in San Jose. Last season, the two squads faced each other 33 total times with three of those games being held in the playoffs.
FROM FRIEND TO FOE: The San Jose Giants coaching staff have a few names that the Central Valley may recognize. Giants pitching coach Dan Runzler was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 9th round of the 2007 MLB June Amateur Draft. He would play for the Grizzlies from 2009-2014, appearing in 144 games. Runzler would then end up pitching in the major leagues for parts of five seasons (Giants 2009-2012, Pirates 2017) before playing overseas and in independent ball. Over 97 big league games, he had a 4-2 record with a 3.89 ERA, 82 strikeouts. 46 walks and 72 hits allowed in 76.1 innings pitched. The other coach and former Grizzlies player fans may remember is Giants hitting coach Travis Ishikawa. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 21st round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Federal Way HS in Washington. Ishikawa would play eight Major League seasons starting in 2006 and ending in 2015 with time spent in San Francisco (2006, 2008-2010, 2014-2015), Milwaukee (2012), Baltimore (2013), New York AL (2013) and Pittsburgh (2014-15). Ishikawa would also don a Grizzlies uniform in 2008, 2011 and 2014, playing in 175 games. In 2008, Ishikawa would bat .310 with a 1.107 OPS over 48 games, one of the best stretches by any Fresno hitter.
GRIZZLIES SWEEP MONTHLY AWARDS FOR JUNE: Two Fresno Grizzlies were awarded by Minor League Baseball for their outstanding performances in the month of June. First baseman/catcher and Colorado Rockies #20 prospect Hunter Goodman received California League Player of the Month, while right-handed pitcher and Rockies #29 prospect McCade Brown was named Pitcher of the Month. This is the first time the Grizzlies have swept monthly awards since becoming a Rockies affiliate. In the month of June, Hunter Goodman batted .330/.439/.660 and led the league in homers (eight), total bases (62), slugging percentage (.660) and OPS (1.099) while finishing fifth in runs (22). Goodman was recently promoted to High-A Spokane after winning Player of the Week for his efforts at Stockton. He went 10-for-24 (.417) with four homers, two doubles, eight RBI, seven runs, five walks and two hit-by-pitches over the series against the Ports. Goodman, 22 was selected by Colorado in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Memphis. On the other side, McCade Brown went 1-1 with a 2.39 ERA in five starts as he scattered 19 hits over 26.1 innings. He led the league with 39 strikeouts and held opponents to a league-best .194 average. Brown fanned eight or more batters in his last three June starts, including a season-high 10 on June 23 versus Modesto. On June 30 at Stockton, Brown allowed one hit over six shutout innings, earning his first win in a Grizzlies uniform. Brown, 21, was selected by Colorado in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Indiana University.
CULLEN KAFKA GETS THE NOD: Tonight, the Grizzlies give the ball to righty Cullen Kafka. Fresno is 9-1 when Kafka appears in a game this year. The Walnut Creek, California native makes his eighth start of the season (first since May 24th) and his 11th appearance overall. Kafka enters his second professional season with the Colorado Rockies organization. In 2021, he started his pro 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.
CARDIAC BEARS: The Grizzlies improved to 11-4 at home and 14-9 overall in one-run games after winning 5-4 last night against the San Jose Giants.
WEAR THE BEAR: Red (12-12), Beige (7-3), Black & Gold (9-1), Gray (18-11), Specialty Promo (1-2), Fresno Tacos (0-0), Lowriders de Fresno (Copa de la Diversion, 2-0), Fresno Growers (1-0), Fresno Tigers (0-1), Red Pants (2-2).
FLURRY OF ROSTER MOVES: The Grizzlies made a plethora of roster transactions over the past few days. Infielder Warming Bernabel, catcher/first baseman Hunter Goodman and left-handed pitcher Mason Green were all assigned to High-A Spokane. To counter the moves, Fresno added outfielder Benny Montgomery back from rehab and the injured list, utility man AJ Lewis from High-A Spokane and right-handed pitcher Angel Chivilli from ACL Rockies.
MAN, HUNTER IS GOOD: Former Fresno Grizzlies first baseman/catcher and Colorado Rockies #20 prospect Hunter Goodman was selected by Minor League Baseball as the California League Player of the Week for June 27 - July 3. Goodman's impressive series in Stockton helped the Grizzlies earn a series win over the Ports and improve to 22-2 at Banner Island Ballpark. During the week, Goodman went 10-for-24 (.417) with four homers, two doubles, eight RBI, seven runs, five walks and two hit-by-pitches over six games. Goodman picked up three multi-hit contests, which included a four-hit game on June 30. In that contest, Goodman homered twice, drove in a trio of runs and scored three times (all career-highs). On Saturday July 2, Goodman tallied the 100th homer hit by the Fresno offense in 2022. Prior to his promotion, Goodman ranked first in the California League in homers (22), total bases (167) and extra-base hits (40). Goodman was also second in RBI (68), second in slugging percentage (.592), second in OPS (.960) and tied for seventh in doubles (17). Of those mentioned stats, Goodman ranks third in all of Minor League Baseball in total bases and is fifth in both homers/RBI. The University of Memphis product is one of six Grizzlies player to earn California League Player or Pitcher of the Week honors this season and the first 2022 Fresno batter to win the award twice.
PLAYOFF BOUND IN THE "GROWL"IFORNIA LEAGUE: For the second straight season, the Fresno Grizzlies are headed back to the playoffs after a 4-2 win over the Modesto Nuts on June 22nd from Chukchansi Park. Over those two years, Fresno has clinched both times against Modesto. The Grizzlies claimed the California League Northern Division and the best first half record among the eight teams (41-25). This is the first time in Grizzlies history that the team has made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The last time Fresno baseball made it to the postseason in back-to-back years were the Fresno Cardinals in 1955-1956. With the California League being split into two halves, the Grizzlies will not know their playoff opponent until the second half ends on September 11th. If the Grizzlies were to also win the second half, the team with the next best record in the Northern Division will play Fresno in the playoffs. The first (Grizzlies, Northern and Lake Elsinore Storm, Southern) and second half (to be determined) 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.
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.
JULY 12, 2022 @ RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): LOANMART FIELD- 11:00 AM PT
RHP Jarrod Cande (3-2, 2.93) vs. LHP Maddux Bruns (0-2, 5.16)
JULY 13, 2022 @ RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): LOANMART FIELD- 6:30 PM PT
RHP Case Williams (7-2, 4.38) vs. LHP Benony Robles (3-2, 6.60)
JULY 14, 2022 @ RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): LOANMART FIELD- 6:30 PM PT
RHP McCade Brown (2-3, 4.32) vs. RHP Jerming Rosario (2-6, 7.84)
JULY 15, 2022 @ RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (LOS ANGELES DODGERS): LOANMART FIELD- 6:30 PM PT
RHP Brayan Castillo (1-4, 5.32) vs. RHP River Ryan (1-2, 3.74)
Recent Transactions:
7/6: OF Benny Montgomery: Returned from rehab assignment and reinstated from the IL
7/6: C AJ Lewis: Assigned to Fresno from A+ Spokane
7/6: RHP Angel Chivilli: Assigned to Fresno from ACL Rockies
7/6: LHP Mason Green: Assigned to High-A Spokane from Fresno
7/6: C/1B Hunter Goodman: Assigned to High-A Spokane from Fresno
California League Stories from July 10, 2022
- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes vs San Jose - Fresno Grizzlies
- Giants Drop Fourth Straight Game In Fresno - San Jose Giants
- Perez, Judkins Carry Ports to Victory in Modesto - Stockton Ports
- Brito's Bases-Clearing Double in 7th Fuels Lowriders Past Giants 5-4 - Fresno Grizzlies
- Inland Downs Rancho Again on Saturday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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