PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Huge Chukchansi Park Crowd Sees Grizzlies Win 4-3 in Extras

Published on May 14, 2016 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


Jon Singleton of the Fresno Grizzlies in
Jon Singleton of the Fresno Grizzlies in "Halfway To Halloween" Uniform
(Fresno Grizzlies, Credit: Kiel Maddox)

In his highly-anticipated Triple-A debut, Houston Astros top pitching prospect Joe Musgrove went five innings for the Fresno Grizzlies Friday night at Chukchansi Park, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks. The right-hander struck out five in a no-decision, his first action with Fresno after posting a microscopic 0.34 ERA in 26.1 Double-A innings this season, with 30 strikeouts and three walks in that span.

An over-capacity crowd of 12,822 in Downtown Fresno witnessed the biggest comeback win for the Grizzlies on the young season, and their first extra-inning victory of 2016.

Tacoma established a 3-0 lead on a Efren Navarro RBI walk in the third, a Navarro RBI double in the fifth, and a Rob Brantley solo homer to lead the sixth. The dinger for Brantley was his second of the season.

Fresno's bats heated up in the sixth, when Matt Duffy stroked a two-out double to center. He scored a batter later on a towering Jon Singleton two-run homer to left-center; Singleton's team-leading eighth home run places him fourth in the PCL.

With Fresno trailing 3-2 in the seventh, Roberto Pena (2-for-3) worked a leadoff walk and eventually scored from first on Tony Kemp's two-out RBI triple into the right field gap, tying the game 3-3, delighting the huge Friday night crowd. After losing a nine-game hit streak on Thursday, Kemp has now hit in 10 of his last 11 games, and 16 of 19 games. Duffy has hit in six in a row and eight of nine, and Colin Moran extended his hit streak to a current club-high seven games with a single in the first inning. Moran has also hit in 11 of 12 and 25 of the 29 games he's played this season.

The Grizz bullpen rebounded in a big way Friday from some recent sour outings, as James Hoyt and Kevin Chapman (win, 2-2) were lights out in the ninth and 10th innings respectively. Each retired the side in order, Hoyt striking out two, and Chapman striking out the side. Each strikeout was of the swinging variety.

That set the stage for the Fresno walkoff in the bottom of the 10th. Nolan Fontana led off with a double to center, and then the bases were loaded with one out on a Tony Kemp sac bunt (reached on an error) and an intentional walk to Duffy. Singleton, in an unusual finish, grounded out behind the bag at first, leaving Tacoma helpless to make a play on Fontana coming in from third to score the game-winning run. The ballgame officially ended on a Singleton walk-off RBI groundout. It made for his third 3-RBI game of the season, improving Fresno to 6-7 in one-run games (5-5 at home). All three extra inning games this season for Fresno have been at Chukchansi Park (1-2).

The Grizzlies now embark on a nine-day road trip to Tennessee, their second-longest trip of the season. After four games in Nashville they'll have an off-day in Memphis on Wednesday, before a four-game series there. Saturday's probable starters are RHP Chris Smith (1-5, 5.21) for Nashville, against RHP Brad Peacock (0-0, 3.98) for Fresno. Game time is 4:35 Central / 6:35 Pacific.

Check out the Fresno Grizzlies Statistics




Images from this story

Fresno Grizzlies Pitcher Joe Musgrove in
Fresno Grizzlies Pitcher Joe Musgrove in "Halfway To Halloween" Uniform
(Kiel Maddox)		 Jon Singleton of the Fresno Grizzlies in
Jon Singleton of the Fresno Grizzlies in "Halfway To Halloween" Uniform
(Kiel Maddox)		  



Pacific Coast League Stories from May 14, 2016


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