PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Late Home Run Fuels 3-2 Victory

Published on July 30, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO- On Thursday night, Fresno went to a left-hander out of the bullpen to try to get a dangerous left-handed batter, only to watch the move backfire when Paul McAnulty homered for the game's only run. Conor Gillaspie returned the favor on Friday, taking Salt Lake Bees left-hander reliever Barret Browning deep to right to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the eighth, handing the Grizzlies a 3-2 victory.

Former Grizzly Jerome Williams had largely shut Fresno (46-61) down to that point, but allowed a leadoff walk to Justin Christian before a force out by Edgar Gonzalez brought Gillaspie to the plate. Salt Lake manager Keith Johnson went to the southpaw in his bullpen against the left-handed Gillaspie, but the move backfired, as the infielder hit his eighth longball of the year.

McAnulty delivered his second ninth-inning blast in as many nights, taking the first pitch he saw from Marc Kroon out to right field, cutting the margin back to a single run. But the Grizzlies closer got the next three batters he faced, including the final two on strikeouts, to lock down his 17th save of the season.

Just as it was on Thursday night, the game remained scoreless until a solo home run to right field. This time it came much earlier, and by the home side, no less. Nick Noonan turned around an 0-1 offering from former Williams in the bottom of the third and dumped it into the lower lot, just to the right of the manual scoreboard to make it 1-0 Grizzlies.

Hank Conger answered for Salt Lake (47-60) in the top of the fourth, driving a solo shot of his own to right field to tie the game. The score remained level at one apiece until Gillaspie's game-deciding shot.

Grizzlies starter Shane Loux, who has had his roughest month of the season in July, looked as sharp as he has been since the All-Star Break. He finished 7.0 innings of five-hit, one-run ball, walking just one while striking out three as he left in a 1-1 tie.

The Grizzlies got runners to second and third in the bottom of the seventh, as Brad Eldred followed Mark DeRosa's leadoff single with a one-out double. But Williams bared down to get Noonan to fly out to shallow right and struck out Jackson Williams to keep the score tied.

Ronnie Ray then pitched out of trouble in the top of the eighth, as the Bees loaded the bases on two singles and an intentional walk before Jeff Baisley popped up to end the threat.

After combining for 29 runs through the first two games of this series, Fresno and Salt Lake scored a grand total of just six over the final two contests, despite five home runs.

The Grizzlies earned the split against the Bees, and will send southpaw Matt Yourkin (7-5) against Reno Aces lefty Tom Layne (8-4) as they open the final four-game set in this season-long 12-game homestand Saturday night at Chukchansi Park.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 30, 2011


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