PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Matt Duffy Making Case for PCL MVP Award

August 14, 2015 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


ALBUQUERQUE - For only the seventh time in 18 seasons, the Fresno Grizzlies have made it to 70 wins. Although, this year has the recipe for something even more special given the current 70-48 record has them bearing down on their first postseason berth since 1998. Tonight, they piled up runs in a 10-4 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes (51-68) at Isotopes Park in front of 4,748 fans. It's the 11th win for the Grizzlies in their past 12 games as they'll aim for their second consecutive series sweep over Albuquerque tomorrow night in the series finale.

Part of the reason for the recent surge has been tremendous starting pitching, but tonight third baseman Matt Duffy alerted everyone in the league that he's worthy of some extra attention. He recorded an RBI single in the second to make it 3-0 and then broke the game wide open in the fifth with a three-run homer (17) off lefty Jason Gurka to make it 9-4 Fresno. Already leading the Pacific Coast League in RBI coming into the game, the University of Tennessee product now has 92 on the season and is zeroing in on the Grizzlies franchise single-season record of 108 set by Scott McClain in 2008.

Duffy was one of three players to record three hits on the evening, joined by L.J. Hoes and Tyler White. Hoes scored three times on the night, while White picked up three RBI. Duffy and Hoes are tops on the team in multiHIT efforts, while White has recorded 17 in only 34 Triple-A games.

The aggression on the bases also continued as Jonathan Villar collected his 28th stolen base of the season and 16th in his last 14 games. The Grizzlies have combined for 39 stolen bases in their last 17 games, helping them climb up the ranks to amount the second-most in the Pacific Coast League.

Starter Asher Wojciechowski secured his seventh Triple-A win of the year by going 5.2 IP, allowing four runs on six hits. He made a key pitch in the bottom of the fourth to strikeout Rockies No. 11 Prospect Trevor Story to end the inning with runners on second and third. The whiff seemed to turn the tide in what was a 6-4 Fresno lead. In the frames prior, Albuquerque tied the game at three in the second on a three-run homer and then came back in the third to tie it again at four.

Relievers Jordan Jankowski (1.1 IP) and Kevin Chapman (2.0) held Albuquerque scoreless the rest of the way to secure Fresno's eighth straight win over the Isotopes.

The two teams will meet for the series finale on Friday night at 6:05 PM PT. Lefty Brett Oberholtzer, who is 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA (1 ER/14.1 IP) in his last two starts, takes the hill for the Grizzlies and opposes righty Boone Whiting. Fans in Fresno can follow the action on 1430 AM-KYNO.

Check out the Fresno Grizzlies Statistics



Pacific Coast League Stories from August 14, 2015


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