PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Grizzlies Set Attendance Record, Beat Giants

Published on March 26, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO, CA - In a banner night for the city of Fresno, and the Central Valley baseball community, the Fresno Grizzlies established a new Chukchansi Park attendance record on the same evening they defeated their parent club, the San Francisco Giants, 4-3 in an exhibition contest. A standing-room-only crowd of 14,084 packed Chukchansi Park for the game, the Giants first visit to Fresno since 2003.

The Giants struck first in their first time at-bat, but Fresno responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning against San Francisco starter Barry Zito. After the big leaguers took the lead back with two runs in the sixth inning, the Grizzlies responded with a run of their own to knot the score at 3-3. In the seventh, after Travis Ishikawa reached on an error, Fresno's Ivan Ochoa doubled to deep-center to score him with what proved to be the game's deciding run. Zito suffered the loss, while Fresno's Billy Sadler earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief.

The packed house also got a surprise following the 4th inning on the Chukchansi Park field. Grizzlies managing partner Chris Cummings was joined by Giants president and managing general partner Peter Magowan for a special ceremony where the two men signed a renewal of the Player Development Contract between the Grizzlies and Giants. The relationship between the two clubs, which has existed since the Grizzlies inaugural season in Fresno in 1998, was extended for two more summers, through the 2010 season.

The announced crowd of 14,084 eclipsed the previous mark of 13,970 established on August 31, 2006 when the Grizzlies defeated the Portland Beavers 7-1 in their final home game of the campaign.

The regular season at Chukchansi Park begins on April 11th when Fresno hosts the Tucson Sidewinders in Pacific Coast League action. For more information on the Grizzlies game schedule and promotional calendar, please call 559.320.HITS or visit fresnogrizzlies.com.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from March 26, 2008


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