PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Fresno rides big early lead to afternoon win

Published on May 11, 2016 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


The Fresno Grizzlies surged to a 7-0 lead in Wednesday's matinee against the Tacoma Rainiers, and hung on for a 7-6 win, snapping a four-game losing streak. It was a reversal of fortune of Grizz struggles in the sun, as they improved to 2-6 in day games in 2016.

A Nolan Fontana RBI groundout gave Fresno a 1-0 lead in the third, followed by a Tony Kemp single. Kemp (2-for-5) scored a batter later when Colin Moran ripped a RBI double into the left field gap for a 2-0 lead.

The Grizzlies tacked on another in the third with a two-out rally, when Eury Perez's (2-for-4) double scored on Roberto Pena's RBI single.

Fresno strung together four consecutive hits in the fifth, punctuated by a mammoth Jon Singleton home run to the right field gap, his team-leading seventh round-tripper, making the score 7-0. The blast turned out to be the game-winning hit for Fresno after Tacoma's big sixth and seventh. On the homer Singleton drove in Colin Moran (single), and Matt Duffy (RBI double). Duffy drove in Kemp, who started the rally with his second base hit of the day.

Kemp has now hit safely in nine consecutive games (and 15 of 17), which is the longest current Grizz hit streak and the second-longest Fresno hit streak of the season, one shy of Danny Worth's 10. Duffy (2-for-3, BB) has hit safely in four in a row and six of seven, and has three straight two-hit games dating back to the series at El Paso. Colin Moran (2-for-4) has now hit safely in five in a row, nine of 10, and 23 of 27 games played this season. While Worth leads the club in multi-hit games with 10, Moran (nine) and Kemp (eight) are pacing right behind in that category.

Tacoma staged a furious rally in sixth and seventh, nearly tying the game. Stefen Romero's sixth home run, a three-run shot, made the score 7-3. An inning later a three-run seventh highlighted by a two-run Daniel Robertson homer, his second, pulled the Rainiers within a run.

Still leading 7-6 in the ninth however, Grizzlies' closer James Hoyt was overpowering in picking up his PCL-leading eighth save of the young season. He retired the side in order with a pair of strikeouts and a game-ending leaping grab by Fontana at short to wrap it up.

Hoyt saved a win for Fresno starter Mike Hauschild, who put together a quality start for the fourth time in six outings this season. He allowed just four hits in six innings, walked just one batter and struck out five. The three runs were earned on Romero's homer in the sixth.

The win improved the Grizzlies to 5-6 in one-run games this season, 4-4 at home. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak of one-run games at home.

Game three of the series is set for Wednesday night at Chukchansi Park in Downtown Fresno. RHP Adrian Sampson (3-2, 3.47) is the scheduled starter for Tacoma, against LHP Tommy Shirley (3-1, 2.79) for Fresno. The Grizzlies are 4-1 in games Shirley pitches this season.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 11, 2016


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