PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Raley Field Plays Hero, Grizzlies Can't Complete Sweep

Published on July 17, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


WEST SACRAMENTO- The Grizzlies were well on their way to a second consecutive series sweep of Sacramento Sunday afternoon, when something kicked in. Perhaps it was fate, or perhaps a rock in the infield dirt at Raley Field- either way, it cost Fresno the game. A bizarre bounce on a routine ground ball opened the door for a five-run Sacramento rally, and eventually a walk-off home run to help the River Cats to an 8-7 victory.

With two on and two out in the bottom of the eighth and the Grizzlies (42-53) leading 7-2, Michael Taylor hit a routine chopper to Gonzalez at second for what should have been the inning-ending out. But the ball caromed off an uneven surface in the middle of the infield dirt and over Gonzalez's head into right field. Sacramento followed with a single and a double to pull within one. Then, with the tying run at third, defensive replacement Ryan Lormand booted a grounder by Kevin Kouzmanoff, allowing the tying run to score.

That set up the heroics for Sacramento's Jai Miller, who homered to right-center field leading off the bottom of the ninth to seal Fresno's fate. The loss snaps the Grizzlies season-high five-game winning streak, and also drops them back to 13.5 games behind Sacramento in the Pacific South Division.

In a bit of déjà vu, Brett Pill helped the Grizzlies get on the board first following a Brandon Belt walk. On Saturday night, Sacramento had intentionally walked Belt to load the bases for Pill, who powered a 1-0 fastball over the visiting clubhouse behind the left-center field wall. On Sunday, it was an unintentional, leadoff walk to Belt in the top of the second that brought up Pill, who cranked a 1-0 Travis Banwart fastball straight down the line in left and over the Home Run Terrace to make it 2-0 Grizzlies.

Fresno stretched its lead to 3-0 in the third inning, thanks to some more clutch hitting from Edgar Gonzalez. Justin Christian singled with one out and Tyler Graham followed with a hit to shallow right. Christian advanced to third, but Graham was thrown out trying to advance to second on the play. That left a runner at third with two out for Gonzalez, who came through with a bounding ball into center field to score the run.

Sacramento (55-39) struck back in the bottom of the fourth, as Jai Miller led off with a triple and Adam Rosales, in his first game back from Oakalnd, homered just over the outstretched glove of a leaping Christian in right field to cut the margin to 3-2.

The game stayed that way into the top of the eighth inning, when the Grizzlies got an assist from the Sacramento defense to seemingly blow the game wide open. With one out, Gonzalez singled for his third hit of the day and Belt walked to put runners at first and second. River Cats second baseman Andy LaRoche was shaded up the middle as Pill followed with a sharp grounder just to the right of the second base bag, setting up a potential inning-ending double play. But LaRoche booted the ball, getting nobody out and loading the bases. Sacramento reliever Trystan Magnuson struck out Gillaspie on three pitches, but Max Ramirez hit a high drive to the left of center field that Jai Miller could not corral, clearing the bases for a three-run double. Brad Eldred followed with a single to score Ramirez, capping the four-run outburst. That appeared to be enough of a cushion at the time, but turned out to only set up the five-run bottom half of the inning.

Grizzlies starter Felix Romero delivered 5.0 solid innings of work, with the only two runs against him coming on the Rosales home run. Romero allowed seven hits in his longest outing of the year, walking two and striking out four. He has yet to win through his first three starts, despite leaving each with the lead.

Fresno will head to Reno for the second half of this eight-game road trip Monday night at 7:05pm as they send lefty Chuck Lofgren (NR) to the hill against Reno southpaw Wade Miley (2-0).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 17, 2011


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