Grizzlies Drop Series Finale Despite 13 Hits
June 8, 2025 - California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release
After a week of taking early leads, the Fresno Grizzlies (25-31) fell into a six-run deficit and could not climb back despite a strong offensive showing in a 6-3 loss to the Stockton Ports (28-29) Sunday afternoon at Banner Island Ballpark.
The Grizzlies took early leads in four of six games, but it did not translate to victories on the road.
Fresno faced a rehabbing big leaguer for the third time in the series with Brady Basso making the start for the Ports. Tommy Hopfe singled on the first pitch he saw with one out, but Fresno didn't open the scoring as Basso worked out of the inning with less than 15 pitches.
Bryan Mena worked around a two-out walk thanks to a pair of nice plays by shortstop Kelvin Hidalgo, who went into the hole to throw out the first hitter of the game and then leaped up for a snow-cone catch off a soft liner to end the inning.
Sam Stuhr came on in the second for the Ports and surrendered a one-out single as well, with Blake Wright lining a ball into center field.
But Wright was caught stealing and Stuhr used a strikeout to end the inning.
Mena cruised through the bottom of the second, retiring the side in order.
Fresno put a pair of runners on in the third as Yeiker Reyes drew a one-out walk and Hidalgo singled on a hard ground ball through the right side. But a lineout and a fielder's choice ended the threat.
The Ports put the first four guys on in the third, using a single, two walks and a Cameron Leary double put Stockton ahead 2-0.
Mena escaped any further damage with three straight groundouts to strand two runners.
But Stockton threatened in the fourth after a leadoff batter was hit by a pitch. A single put runner on the corners before a sacrifice fly extended the lead and Luis Freitez hit a two-run homer to left field.
Ali Camarillo added a double and Cameron Leary singled him in to make it a four-run inning for the Ports and a 6-0 margin in the game.
Fresno broke through after Sam Stuhr exited the game. Alejandro Manzano worked one scoreless inning before Blake Wright hammered a leadoff double in the 7th, bouncing it off the angled wall above the Ports bullpen. He came around to score on an RBI single by Juan Castillo.
The Grizzlies put together three hits in the eighth against Riley Huge, with Kevin Fitzer cashing in Jacob Hinderleider to pull within four. But the Grizzlies left two more runners on in each of the 7th and 8th innings.
Fresno added one more run in the ninth after Hidalgo's one-out double off the right center field wall. Tommy Hopfe singled him in to pull within three. But Blake Hammond struck out the final two batters to seal Stockton's 6-3 win.
The bullpen of Yanzel Correa and Luke Thelen kept Stockton from adding any more on after Mena gritted his way through the final 7 outs of his 5.2 innings start. Correa and Thelen combined to allow just two hits over the final 2.1 innings on the mound.
The Grizzlies put constant pressure on the Ports' pitchers but were 3-14 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.
Still, Fresno received 3-5 games from Kelvin Hidalgo, Tommy Hopfe and Blake Wright and pounded out a series high 13 hits.
Fresno drops the final three games of the series after taking two of the first three and battling through three extra-inning contests.
The Grizzlies return home Tuesday night to open a six-game series with the Modesto Nuts at Chukchansi Park. Fisher Jameson is slated to take the mound for Fresno against Modesto's lefty Harold Melenge. First pitch is scheduled for 6:50pm Tuesday night.
It's a week full of great promotions as the Grizzlies will take the field as the Malmo Oat Milkers on Thursday, with another 1v1 Food Truck Throwdown. Friday the Grizzlies will be the tribute to the Fresno Tigers, Saturday is Grizzcon with a special appearance by Kate Flannery from "The Office" and Sunday is the first night game with the return of Pre-Game Catch on Father's Day.
All broadcasts will be available streamed through Bally Sports Live, the MiLB App, and the Grizzlies broadcast with Tim Slack can be accessed on fresnogrizzlies.com/watch.
California League Stories from June 8, 2025
- Rawhide Walk-Off 66ers for First Six Game Sweep in Club History - Visalia Rawhide
- Stockton Takes Series Versus Fresno with 6-3 Victory in Finale - Stockton Ports
- Giants Outlast Quakes to Complete Sweep - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Nuts Edge Storm 6-5 to Earn Series Split - Modesto Nuts
- Grizzlies Drop Series Finale Despite 13 Hits - Fresno Grizzlies
- Nuts Ride Christian Little's Gem to 7-1 Win Over Storm - Modesto Nuts
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