PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Fresno Suffers Their 10th Loss After Leading In The Month Of July

Published on July 24, 2014 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


ALBUQUERQUE - The Fresno Grizzlies (51-55) suffered another stinger at the hands of the Albuquerque Isotopes (50-56) Thursday afternoon at Isotopes Park. After Fresno trailed early, they rallied to grab a 7-3 in the top of the sixth, but watched the Isotopes plate five eighth-inning runs, the last four coming on Joc Pederson's grand slam off Heath Hembree (BS, 3)(L, 1-3). The last four losses by the Grizzlies have all come by one run, and have been contests in which they've held a lead.

The back-cracking eighth inning came alive when reliever Dan Runzler issued a two-out walk to pinch-hitter Tim Federowicz to load the bases. In came closer Heath Hembree after the walk, but he proceeded to walk the first batter he faced to force in a run. Still holding a three run lead with two outs, Hembree worked Joc Pederson to a 1-1 count before the Dodgers' No. 1 Prospect unleashed a grand slam to give the Isotopes an 8-7 lead. Albuquerque closer Yimi Garcia retired the Grizzlies in order in the ninth to hand them a series victory over Fresno. The Grizzlies finished 9-7 against the 'Topes this season, four of the losses coming by a single run.

Starter Mike Kickham earned his ninth no decision by allowing three runs on seven hits over 5.0 innings. The lefty struck out eight, walked two and did not give up a home run for the 12th straight start. He also extended his undefeated streak to 12 games, last accomplished by a Fresno Grizzlies starter in 2010 by Madison Bumgarner (also 12). In his last dozen starts, Kickham is 6-0 with a 2.74 ERA (21 ER/69.0 IP), 27 walks, 70 strikeouts and a .230 (60-261) opponents average.

He was taken off the hook for a potential loss when the Grizzlies rattled off seven unanswered runs between the fourth-sixth inning to grab the lead. The first run came across in the fourth when Gary Brown led off with a walk, advanced to third on a double from Dan Uggla (1-3, 2 BB, R), and crossed home plate on a groundout by Mark Minicozzi.

Things erupted in the top of the fifth when Guillermo Quiroz struck for his first home run of the year, a two-run shot to tie the game at three. Later on in the inning, back-to-back two-out walks issued to Brown and Uggla proved fatal when Juan Perez connected on a three-run homer (2) off starter Red Patterson (ND; 6 ER/5.0 IP) to put Fresno up 6-3.

Kickham exited after the five-run rally, handing a three-run lead over to a recently leaky bullpen. Sandy Rosario (1.0+ IP) made things interesting in the seventh with Fresno up 7-3 when he issued back-to-back walks to begin the inning, but Dan Runzler (0 ER/1.2 IP) took over the inherited runners and retired three straight batters to end the frame without a run scoring.

Notes: Chris Dominguez added the seventh run for Fresno on a solo homer off reliever Colt Hynes in the sixth. Dominguez went 2-4 with the homer and run scored to extend his hitting streak to a season-high eight games.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 24, 2014


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