PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Grizzlies Need Extras, But Beat Chasers, 4-3

Published on August 9, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


PAPILLION, NE- An unusually ineffective performance from Fresno's best relief pitcher nearly cost the Grizzlies a game they seemed destined to win Tuesday night. But the rest of the bullpen picked up the slack, and the offense had just enough left in it to squeeze out a 4-3, 10-inning victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park.

In a 3-3 tie, Fresno (53-65) rallied in the 10th inning, as Edgar Gonzalez led off with a walk and Brandon Belt singled against former Grizzly Kevin Pucetas (5-6). Brandon Sisk came on out of the 'pen to face Conor Gillaspie, who sacrificed the runners to second and third. Following an intentional walk to Brad Eldred, Brett Pill pinch hit for Brandon Crawford, and hit a broken-bat chopper on the left side of the infield on which shortstop Yamaico Navarro's only play was to first base, scoring Gonzalez with the game-deciding run.

Ronnie Ray came on and got a pair of groundouts and a fly out to right to end the game, earning his first save of the season for Fresno. Emmanuel Burriss made a couple of nice defensive plays at shortstop in his first inning at the position, after being shifted over in a defensive realignment, following the Pill pinch-hit appearance.

The Grizzlies threatened early, but could not push anything across against Storm Chasers (64-53) starter Vin Mazzaro, through the first two frames, leaving five runners. But Fresno finally broke through in the fourth, starting with Crawford's one-out solo shot to the berm in right-center, his first Triple-A home run. Graham followed with a single, then stole second, his league-leading 54th swipe of the season. Justin Christian singled him home and took second on the throw, then stole third on a walk to Burriss. Gonzalez capped the three-run frame with an RBI-single of his own to make it 3-0 Grizzlies.

Meanwhile, Matt Yourkin kept the Storm Chasers offense off-balance all season long, holding Omaha scoreless on seven hits. He did not walk a batter, striking out four in his longest outing of the season. He had just two three-up, three-down innings, but mostly kept the ball off the barrel of the bat, as the only extra-base hit against him was a Clint Robinson bloop double in the sixth.

Yourkin turned the ball over to the usually reliable Dan Otero, but the righty literally could not get anyone out on Monday. He allowed five straight hits as Omaha roared back to tie the game, and had runners at second and third with nobody out when Waldis Joaquin was summoned from the 'pen. Joaquin (2-1) got a shallow line out and a pair of groundouts to escape further damage, leaving the game at 3-3 after eight.

Omaha loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but again Joaquin was able to get out of the jam, inducing a weak groundout to first to push the game into extra innings.

The Grizzlies improved to 7-3 in extra-inning affairs this season, as they have won each of their last six games that have gone past the regulation nine innings. Fresno has not dropped an extra-inning game since falling 8-7 in 10 innings at Colorado Springs back on May 28th.

Crawford had his best night as a Grizzly so far, but was robbed of a perfect 4-for-4 evening and his second home run in his final at-bat. The shortstop powered a ball to the wall in deep right, but Jarrod Dyson leaped at the wall and brought it back. Crawford settled for his second three-hit night in his last five games, as he is now batting .375 (12-for-32) through his first eight games with the club.

Fresno will go for the series win and a split of the eight-game road trip Wednesday with a 10:05am PDT start time, as the Grizzlies send right-hander Andrew Kown (10-7) against Omaha southpaw Mike Montgomery (4-7).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 9, 2011


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