PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Grizzlies Walk off Winners for Second Straight Night

Published on July 6, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO- For a team with the history that the Fresno Grizzlies have had with their rival to the north, the last two nights could not have been sweeter. After overcoming a 5-0 deficit on Monday to win in extra innings, the Grizzlies watched the Sacramento River Cats come back to force extra innings only to come through again with a walk-off single in the 11th inning for a 7-6 victory.

In a 6-6 game, Sacramento (55-35) reliever Willie Eyre got the first two outs of the bottom of the 11th, but Justin Christian flared a single over the shortstop Andy LaRoche, then swiped second base just ahead of the tag. Ryan Lormand, who had entered the game for Major League rehabber Mike Fontenot in the 10th, stepped up in his first at-bat and dropped a single into shallow right field. Christian raced around third and slid into home with his hand outstretched ahead of Josh Donaldson's tag.

The Grizzlies (36-50) scored on the opening pitch of the bottom of the first, as Christian turned around a Tyson Ross fastball on a frozen rope into the first row over the 13-foot wall in left field. That marked the recent addition's third home run in his seventh game as a Grizzly after hitting just four in 73 games at Double-A Richmond prior to his promotion.

Fresno continued to add runs early against Ross with two-out, RBI singles by Hector Sanchez and Fontenot in the second inning. Brandon Belt then led off the top of the third with a walk and scored on a Brett Pill double to stretch the margin to 4-0.

Ross lasted just 3.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out four in his second rehab start for Sacramento.

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, got a sparkling spot start from Felix Romero, who allowed just one hit along with two walks, striking out four over 3.0 innings of scoreless work. Dan Runzler followed out of the 'pen, pitching around a pair of Fresno errors in his 3.0 innings of scoreless work thanks to seven strikeouts. That marked the most punchouts for a Grizzlies reliever this year, surpassing Justin Dowdy's previous record of six, set June 6th against Las Vegas.

Sacramento finally got on the board in the seventh, as the first three batters of the inning reached on a single and two walks to load the bases. Andy LaRoche then pulled a double inside first base off Casey Daigle, with two runners coming around to score and the third runner Kevin Kouzmanoff stopping at third. But Brad Eldred's throw from right field missed the cut-off man and rolled into the infield, as Kouzmanoff raced home to cut the gap to 5-3.

Conor Gillaspie got one of those runs back, thanks to an extra out in the bottom of the seventh. Edgar Gonzalez struck out to lead off the frame, but the pitch went through the legs of the catcher Donaldson to the screen, allowing the batter to reach. That proved crucial, as with two outs Gillaspie ripped his second triple in as many nights into the right-center field gap, pushing the margin up to 6-3.

The Cats struck for three more to tie the game in the eighth, again using two walks and a single to load the bases ahead of a two-run double, this one by Jermaine Mitchell. On the ensuing play, Donaldson grounded back to the pitcher Dan Otero, who checked the runner Adrian Cardenas at third and fired to first for the out. Belt then threw behind Mitchell, who had strayed off second, and Cardenas broke for the plate. The shortstop Gonzalez's throw beat Cardenas home, but short-hopped Sanchez, allowing the tying run to score.

The game remained tied until the Grizzlies ended it in the 11th, handing Sacramento its franchise record eighth straight loss.

The Grizzlies pitching staff combined to fan 15 Sacramento batters, matching a season high first set April 14th vs. Tacoma.

Gonzalez took no time in extending his on-base streak after ending Monday night's game with a ringing walk-off in the 10th. Gonzalez singled through the hole in his first at-bat on Tuesday, bringing his streak to 40 games. It is the longest on-base streak in professional baseball this season, surpassing Tampa Bay Ray Johnny Damon's mark of 39.

These teams will meet for the third and final game of this series Wednesday night as the Grizzlies look for the sweep, sending righty Shane Loux (4-9) against River Cats southpaw Carlos Hernandez (4-3) at 7:05pm.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 6, 2011


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