PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Grizzlies, Leone, Rally For Five In Ninth To Win Home Opener

Published on April 12, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO, CA - On Opening Night at Chukchansi Park, with fireworks scheduled to follow the game, Justin Leone and the Grizzlies got the fireworks started early. Facing a 5-1 deficit in the ninth inning, the Grizzlies rallied against the Tucson Sidewinders bullpen for five runs, the final two coming on a walk-off, two-run triple by Leone to center-field.

Tucson wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard in the opener at Chukchansi Park. In the top of the first inning, following a leadoff walk and a sacrifice, Trot Nixon singled to drive in Emilio Bonifacio for a 1-0 advantage. Fresno knotted things up in the second though, thanks to an RBI single by Julio Cordido scoring Eliezer Alfonzo.

After Nixon's RBI-single in the first, Grizzlies starter Pat Misch retired 7 of the next 8 men he faced and picked the other off first after a base-on-balls. However, after getting a pair of outs on just four pitches in the 4th inning, Misch surrendered a solo home run to dead-center field by Josh Whitesell.

Whitesell wasn't done with just the one shot however, making sure in the 6th that Misch wouldn't soon forget him. With a runner on first base and two outs in the inning Whitesell homered for a second time, this one to the opposite field, for a 4-1 Tucson lead.

Fresno came to the plate in the 9th inning down 5-1, with the bottom of the lineup due up. After a leadoff walk to Alfonzo, the Grizzlies strung together a triple, a pair of doubles, and a bunt single with one out to bring Leone to the plate trailing 5-4.

With runners at the corners, and a 0-2 count, Leone hammered a ball to center-field that drove Tucson's Tim Raines Jr. into the wall. As Raines lay on the ground, Emmanuel Burriss scored the tying run, and Ivan Ochoa followed to give the Grizzlies a thrilling 6-5 win in front of 13,191 fans.

The Grizzlies and Sidewinders will meet again on Saturday night at Chukchansi Park, with the game's first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm. Right-hander Victor Santos (1-0, 3.60) makes his second start of the season for Fresno, and will be countered by Tucson's Max Scherzer (0-0, 0.00). The first 2,500 fans into Chukchansi Park will receive a free hat featuring the Grizzlies new logo courtesy of Ahart Benefit Insurance Services.

Check out the Fresno Grizzlies Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from April 12, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central