PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Sidewinders Strike Against Fresno Bullpen In Win

Published on April 14, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO, CA - The Tucson Sidewinders flipped the script on Fresno to pick up their second win of the season and avoid being swept at Chukchansi Park on Monday afternoon. Just as the Grizzlies victimized the Tucson bullpen for a pair of late-inning wins over the weekend, the visitors put eight runs on the board in the 8th and 9th innings on their way to a 9-3 win.

The Grizzlies got on the board first, thanks to a two-out rally in the first inning. With two done in the frame, Brett Harper singled sharply to right and Scott McClain followed with a double to right-center field for a 1-0 lead.

Tucson answered in the top of the third inning against Fresno starter Matt Palmer. After a one-out single and a stolen base, Emilio Bonifacio scored on Josh Whitesell's single to right to tie the game at 1-1. Palmer turned in his best outing of the season, allowing just two hits and striking out eight over 6.0 innings of work. He would not factor into the decision however, departing with the scored knotted at one.

Fresno took the lead back in the seventh inning against reliever Connor Robertson. A leadoff walk to McClain and a single by Nate Schierholtz got things starter. With one out, a sacrifice fly by Brian Horwitz scored McClain. The next batter, Todd Jennings, doubled to left-center to score Schierholtz and put the Grizzlies on top 3-1.

But Tucson, who had scored just 11 runs in the first three games of the series, exploded in the top of the 8th inning against Fresno reliever Kevin Gryboski. Gryboski faced seven batters, and recorded just one out. The Sidewinders tagged him for five hits (four doubles) and six runs before Bartolome Fortunato was called upon to end the frame, but by then Tucson had built a four run advantage.

Tucson tacked on another pair of runs in the 9th against Geno Espineli before Leo Rosales retired the side in order to give the Sidewinders their first win of the series, 9-3.

The Grizzlies, having taken three of four games form the Sidewinders, will open a four-game series against the Tacoma Rainiers on Tuesday night at Chukchansi Park. Right-hander Julio Mateo, a former Rainier, looks for his first win of the season for Fresno and will be opposed by Tacoma's Robert Rohrbaugh.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 14, 2008


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