PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Grizzlies late rally falls short in 3-2 loss to Tacoma

Published on May 27, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO, CA - Under rainy skies, the Grizzlies rallied late but could not dig out of an early hole in a 3-2 series-opening loss on Tuesday to the Tacoma Rainiers at Chukchansi Park. Eugenio Velez reached base four times in five at-bats to go along with a stolen base, and Guillermo Rodriguez had a pair of hits in the loss.

For the second time this season, Tacoma's first hitter got them on the board. Tug Hulett hit the second pitch he saw from starter Brad Hennessey over the right-center field wall for a 1-0 Tacoma lead. On April 17th, Rainiers' outfielder Jeremy Reed led off the game with a homer, and on Friday Xavier Paul led off the bottom of the first with a home run against the Grizzlies. Matt Tuiasosopo followed Hulett with a single, and later scored on Bryan LaHair's single to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.

Hennessey settled down after allowing three hits in the first inning to hold Tacoma scoreless until the 5th. LaHair, who had three hits and a walk in four plate appearances in the game, doubled to drive in the Rainiers' third run and chase the Grizzlies starter. Erick Threets relieved Hennessey and had his best performance of the year for Fresno, working 3.1 scoreless innings of relief.

For Tacoma, starter Joe Woerman waded in and out of trouble including allowing three hits and stranding a pair of runners in the 3rd. In the bottom of the fifth, Woerman walked the leadoff man, and issued two more walks to load the bases with two outs. Tacoma manager Daren Brown went to his bullpen for Jake Woods, who needed just one pitch to induce a harmless fly ball from pinch-hitter Justin Leone to end the threat and maintain the Rainiers' 3-0 lead.

After threatening several times throughout the game, Fresno finally got on the board in the 8th inning. Eugenio Velez singled through the left side of the infield, and stole second base, allowing him to score easily on Scott McClain's two-out double into the left-field corner.

In the bottom of the ninth, trailing by two, Ivan Ochoa led off with a walk against Eric O'Flaherty. After a Guillermo Rodriguez single, Velez, who had three hits and a walk in the game, singled to score Ochoa and push Rodriguez to third. With runners on the corners and one out however, O'Flaherty caught Rodriguez between third and home on a pickoff attempt for the second out and then got Brian Bocock to fly out to shallow right to end the game.

The Grizzlies and Rainiers will meet again on Way Back Wednesday at Chukchansi Park, with game time set for 7:05pm. Right-hander Matt Palmer, leading the PCL in strikeouts, takes the mound for Fresno while Tacoma sends Andy Baldwin to the hill to oppose him.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 27, 2008


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