PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Grizzlies Throw Away Game, Series

Published on May 22, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO- In a game that was otherwise mostly equal, a wild pitch and a passed ball proved to be the difference Sunday afternoon at Chukchansi Park. The Grizzlies saw another early lead slip away, as New Orleans scored twice in the eighth and once in the ninth to beat Fresno, 5-2, taking the series, three games to one.

In a 2-2 game in the top of the eighth, Bryan Petersen singled and one out later Josh Kroeger walked against Grizzlies reliever Justin Dowdy to put runners at first and second with one out. Dowdy was lifted in favor of Marc Kroon, who made a fantastic defensive play on a swinging bunt for the second out, with the runners advancing to second and third. But Kroon could not get out of the inning unscathed, first throwing a ball off the mitt of catcher Chris Stewart to the backstop for a passed ball to plate a run, then uncorking one off the top of Stewart's mitt to the screen for a wild pitch to score a second run, putting New Orleans ahead for good.

The Grizzlies (20-24) got on the board first, courtesy of a Tyler Graham triple, leading off the bottom of the third. Graham would score one out later on Joe Thurston's error at second base. Fresno scored another unearned run in the fourth, as Chris Stewart singled with one out, stole second, moved to third on a single by Graham and scored on a two-out error by shortstop Ryan Klosterman to make it 2-0.

New Orleans (25-19) came back to tie the game in the fifth, as with two outs and a runner at first, Thurston powered a 3-2 pitch straight down the right field line and into the seats to make it 2-2. That snapped Fresno starter Doug Mathis' team-high, 15.2-inning scoreless streak, dating back to the third inning of his start at home against Tucson on May 6th.

Mathis failed to earn a win again, despite turning in his fifth quality start of the season, and his fourth in a row. He lowered his ERA to 3.47 on the season, but sits at just 0-1 through nine outings.

The Zephyrs got six innings of one-run ball out of their bullpen after starter Sean West, who came off the Disabled List prior to the game, lasted just three frames. Lefty Dustin Richardson earned the win with 2.0 innings of hitless relief, striking out three.

The Grizzlies got four more stolen bases, extending their league-leading total to 83 for the season. Graham had one of the swipes, increasing his PCL-high total to 20.

Fresno opens a four-game home set with Oklahoma City starting Monday night at 7:05pm with right-hander Andrew Kown (5-3) taking on RedHawks lefty Douglas Arguello (2-4).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 22, 2011


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