CalL Fresno Grizzlies

Fresno Grizzlies/Tacos Game Notes vs Stockton

Published on July 24, 2022 under California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


The Tacos and Ports conclude their three-game series tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 pm PT from Chukchansi Park. Tacos RHP Jarrod Cande and Ports RHP Dheygler Gimenez are the probable starters. I have attached the roster/game notes.

Tonight's promotion:

7/24 (Sunday, July 24th) - Fresno Tacos Weekend, Save Mart Sundays & Kids Run The Bases w/FREE Ice Cream from Producers Dairy!

First Pitch: 5:05 pm vs. Stockton Ports

Promotion: Fresno Tacos Weekend, presented by Fresno / Clovis Convention and Visitors Bureau, Team taking field in special Taco themed jerseys!

Promotion: Taco Trucks from all over the Valley!

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: Taco Trucks, Splash Park, Bounce Houses & More!

LET'S TACO BOUT IT: The alter ego that started it all, the Fresno Tacos, returns to Chukchansi Park this series for "Tacos Weekend." This year's Tacos colorway features purple and black as a tribute to both the Colorado Rockies, Major League affiliate of the Grizzlies, and the team's original 1998 branding. Come down to the ballpark to get your Tacos gear, enjoy some tacos around the ballpark and of course, watch your playoff-bound team.

SERVING UP A WIN WITH ROCKIES PROSPECTS: The Tacos cooked up a 9-5 victory over the Ports Saturday night from Chukchansi Park. With the triumph, the Tacos set a new franchise record for wins (20) against a team in a single season. The Tacos improved to 20-3 (+105 run differential, 194-89) against the Ports this year and 37-10 against Stockton over the past two seasons. Fresno has now won seven straight home games and rose to 12-4 in the second contest of a series. Five of the Rockies Top 30 prospects were on full display for the Tacos on Saturday. In the first, Rockies #4 prospect Adael Amador roped a double to leadoff the game. He would waltz home on a chopper to center by Rockies #5 prospect Benny Montgomery. The center fielder would score on the next batter when Rockies #16 prospect Yanquiel Fernandez whacked an oppo taco two-run homer to left. It was Fernandez's 12th clout of the year. In the third, Rockies #22 prospect Juan Guerrero launched a two-run no-doubter to left field, his 11th wallop of the season. An inning later, Fernandez picked up his third hit and RBI of the evening, a single to left. That base hit notched Montgomery, who finished with a pair of hits and runs. Amador would round out the scoring in the fifth with a groundout, adding Zach Kokoska. Thanks to the offensive support, Rockies #28 prospect McCade Brown (3-4) cruised to his third win of 2022. Brown tied his career-high with six innings of three-run ball (two earned). He allowed five hits and one walk while punching out eight. He would give way to a quartet of relievers with three of them recording scoreless outings. Sergio Sanchez and Bryce McGowan tossed a frame apiece while Ever Moya secured his first save after fanning the final batter of the game.

STOCK-PILING SOME FACTS: The Fresno Grizzlies and Stockton Ports (Athletics Single-A affiliate) conclude their three-game series tonight at Chukchansi Park. This is the fifth series between the clubs in 2022 and the third meeting in Fresno. One name on Stockton's coaching staff that may seem familiar to Fresno fans is hitting coach Kevin Kouzmanoff, who played seven MLB seasons and played against Fresno from 2011-2014. The Ports are managed by Franklin Font, who was initially tabbed to be the assistant hitting coach. Font will continue his managerial career at the helm in Stockton, coming back to the states from France where he served as the manager for the Aigles of France in 2021, an independent team of the ESBL (European Super League of Professional Baseball). He was a part of the Chicago Cubs organization for over 10 years where he started as a development manager and minor league rover instructor in 2008 before being promoted to the major league staff as the assistant hitting coach in 2012 and ultimately a staff assistant from 2013-2020. Finally, Stockton broadcaster Alex Jensen coached Grizzlies righty Cullen Kafka when he played JV baseball at De La Salle High School.

STATEMENT AGAINST STOCKTON: The Grizzlies have found success against the Ports over the past two seasons. Thanks to yesterday's 9-5 win, the Grizzlies improved to 20-3 (+105 run differential, 194-89) against the Ports this year, 37-10 against Stockton over the past two seasons and 22-2 at Banner Island Ballpark (117-39 run differential this year). On July 23rd, the Grizzlies broke the team record for the most victories (20) against an opponent in a single season (previously: Visalia, 19, 2021). Fresno has mashed 55 homers over their 23 affairs against Stockton this season, with four contests of five taters or more. On the other side of the ball, the Grizzlies pitching staff has struck out 205 batters over the past 19 contests against the Ports.

DON'T POKE THE BEAR: The Grizzlies rank second in all of Minor League Baseball with a .280 batting average (El Paso, .289). They also rank second with 82 hit-by-pitches (Great Lakes, 89), second with an .833 OPS, third with a .465 slugging percentage, tied for third with 586 runs, fourth with 185 doubles, fourth with 865 hits, fourth with a .368 OBP, fifth with 1,437 total bases and sixth with 515 RBI.

THE CANDE MAN: Tonight's scheduled starter is righty Jarrod Cande, a 22-year old from Tampa, Florida. This is the eighth start and 12th appearance for Cande since he joined the Grizzlies on May 2. Cande was selected by the Rockies in the 17th round (500th overall pick) of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Florida Southern College (4-year private D-2 college). The righty was a two-way player in college, but has only pitched since turning professional. In his final season at Florida Southern College, Cande started eight games on the bump and appeared in the field nine times. He went 5-0 over 47.2 innings, striking out 39 batters. In 2020, Cande appeared in nine games as a hitter and four as a pitcher. As a hitter, he slashed .250/.368/.438 with one clout in 16 at-bats while as a pitcher, he made two starts and two relief appearances. Over 12.2 innings, Cande fanned 16 batters while recording a 6.39 ERA. Read more about Cande on Page 2.

BRITO WINS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Grizzlies second baseman Juan Brito was named by Minor League Baseball as the California League Player of the Week for July 11-17. During the week, Brito went 13-for-25 (.520) with one homer (off of MLB rehabber Andrew Heaney), one triple, three doubles, seven RBI, 10 runs, five walks and three stolen bases over six games. Brito finished the series with a .600 OBP, .840 slugging percentage and 1.440 OPS. The switch batter hit safely in all six games and had four multi-hit contests in that span. On Friday, July 15, Brito had four hits and was a clout shy of the cycle. Brito became the seventh different Grizzlies player (Hunter Goodman won twice) to earn California League Player or Pitcher of the Week honors this season. He signed with the Rockies as an international free agent in 2018.

BUSTER BOBBLEHEAD: The Grizzlies announced earlier this week that the organization will honor Buster Posey's retirement from professional baseball with an exclusive bobblehead giveaway on Saturday, September 3. This giveaway, presented by Healthy Fresno County, will be the organization's fourth time producing a bobblehead for the San Francisco Giants legend and can be picked up by being one of the first 3,000 fans in attendance at the game. Prior to starting his illustrious Giants career, Buster Posey spent parts of two seasons in a Fresno Grizzlies uniform. Posey played 82 games with Fresno, batting .337 with a .535 slugging percentage and .956 OPS. He blasted 11 homers and drove in 54 runs over those 82 games before making the Bay Area his permanent home. Fans can purchase tickets to the September 3 game starting at $15 at FresnoGrizzlies.com, at the Chukchansi Park Ticket Office, or by calling the Grizzlies at 559-320-8497(TIXS). The team is also offering a limited number of Buster Posey Tribute ticket packages. Purchasing this bundle will guarantee a bobblehead and also includes tickets to 2 Friday Night Fireworks games (July 22 & August 5) and the Buster Posey Bobblehead Giveaway game (September 3) for only $37, a nod to Posey's .337 batting average with the Grizzlies. This special 3-game package can be purchased at FresnoGrizzlies.com/Offers.

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.

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.

WEAR THE BEAR: Red (12-14), Beige (7-3), Black & Gold (9-1), Gray (19-14), Specialty Promo (1-2), Fresno Tacos (2-0), Lowriders de Fresno (Copa de la Diversion, 3-0), Fresno Growers (1-0), Fresno Tigers (0-1), Red Pants (2-2).

JULY 26, 2022 @ MODESTO NUTS (SEATTLE MARINERS): JOHN THURMAN FIELD- 7:05 PM PT

RHP Cullen Kafka (3-2, 3.83) vs. TBA

JULY 27, 2022 @ MODESTO NUTS (SEATTLE MARINERS): JOHN THURMAN FIELD- 7:05 PM PT

RHP Brayan Castillo (1-4, 6.06) vs. TBA

JULY 28, 2022 @ MODESTO NUTS (SEATTLE MARINERS): JOHN THURMAN FIELD- 7:05 PM PT

RHP Victor Juarez (4-3, 4.85) vs. TBA

Recent Transactions:

7/22: 1B/OF Cuba Bess: Assigned to Fresno from ACL Rockies

7/21: INF Aiverson Rodriguez: Assigned to ACL Rockies from Fresno

Check out the Fresno Grizzlies Statistics

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California League Stories from July 24, 2022


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