Fresno's Offense Stuck In Neutral As They Lose Again To Reno
July 31, 2014 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno Grizzlies (53-59) dropped the second game of the series to the Reno Aces (60-52) by a score of 3-1 on Tuesday night at Chukchansi Park. The Grizzlies offense failed to materialize any scoring chances after plating their lone run in the first inning. Fresno has now lost four of their last five games and six of their last eight.
Fresno starter Chris Heston (L, 9-6; 3 ER/8.0 IP) turned in his team-leading 13th quality start as he threw a season-high tying 8.0 innings. Two of the three runs he allowed came in the first inning as Andy Marte lined a RBI single to left and Mike Jacobs followed with a RBI groundout to first. The Aces added an insurance run in the fourth inning on Mike Jacobs' RBI single to score Andy Marte. After the run-scoring single, Heston retired 14 of his last 15 batters faced, including the final seven in a row. Despite the quality outing, he falls to 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA (18 ER/30.0 IP) over five career starts against Reno.
The lone run for the Grizzlies came when Mark Minicozzi cracked a RBI double over the head of the center fielder to score Darren Ford in the first, cutting the deficit to 2-1. However, Minicozzi was left stranded at second base when Chris Dominguez flied out to center and Brandon Hicks popped out to second.
The Grizzlies couldn't manage to put a runner in scoring position after the first inning. They went without a hit from the third-sixth, managing only one base runner when Minicozzi drew a sixth-inning two-out walk. Fresno was retired in order in the third, fourth, fifth, and eighth.
Over the first two games of the series against the Aces (both losses), the Fresno offense has combined to hit .161 (10-62) and go 2-11 with runners in scoring position.
The LRG professional skate team joins forces with three local Valley skate teams to put on a demonstration before (5:30 p.m. Tulare Plaza) and during tomorrow night's 7:05 p.m. game at Chukchansi Park. Additionally, the game will feature $2 (24 oz.) Tecate and Tecate Light through the end of the 5th inning and $1 (12 oz.) sodas all evening. Left-hander Kelvin Marte makes his first career Triple-A start for Fresno, while Reno sends right-hander Mike Bolsinger (6-1, 3.29) to the mound, who has split the season between the Aces and Arizona Diamondbacks (1-6, 5.50).
Notes: Heston is 5-3 with a 3.14 ERA over his last 11 games after turning in his shortest outing of the year on May 31st vs. Sacramento (5 ER/1.0 IP). Eight of 10 losses the Grizzlies have suffered in his starts have been by two runs or less. Fresno is 3-11 against the Reno Aces this season.
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