Six-Run Second Leads Grizzlies Past Chasers
Published on August 7, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release
PAPILLION, NE- Of all the strange splits and stats that have followed the Grizzlies around this season, perhaps none is more bizarre than their propensity to play their best games against the best teams in the Pacific Coast League. That trend continued on Sunday, as Fresno used a six-run second inning to put away the first-place Omaha Storm Chasers, 7-3, in the franchise's first-ever game at the new Werner Park.
Despite an overall record of just 52-64, the last-place Grizzlies own a 15-9 record against the PCL's first-place teams. They play three more here at Omaha (63-52) before hosting Round Rock and Sacramento later in August.
Fresno got some help from the Omaha defense in the top of the second inning and took full advantage. Brett Pill led off the inning with a squib back to Omaha starter Luis Mendoza, who had the ball glance off his glove for an error. Conor Gillaspie followed with a single and Bill Hall walked to load the bases with nobody out. Brandon Crawford hit a slow roller up the first base line, which Mendoza (8-5) got to, but his throw clanked off Clint Robinson's mitt at first for another error, allowing Pill and Gillaspie to score. Max Ramirez struck out on a wild pitch that allowed the runners to move up to second and third, and Tyler Graham hit a soft liner off the tip of Irving Falu's mitt at second, scoring Hall with Crawford holding at second. Justin Christian followed with an RBI-single, and he and Graham pulled a double-steal. With two outs, Brandon Belt was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Pill, who doubled down the line in left, scoring two, but Belt was thrown out on a bang-bang play at the plate to end the six-run outburst.
Omaha used a single Fresno error- also on the pitcher- to cut the lead in half in the third inning. With a runner at first and one out, Joaquin Arias hit a chopper back to the mound that Grizzlies starter Dan Runzler could not handle, allowing both runners to reach. After a walk to Jarrod Dyson to load the bases, David Lough floated a broken bat single to center, scoring two. Lorenzo Cain added an RBI groundout before Runzler (2-2) worked out of the jam.
Only one of the three runs allowed by Runzler was earned, as he allowed only one other runner as far as second base the rest of the evening. The southpaw finished his season-high 6.0 innings of work with six hits allowed and a single walk, striking out four.
The Grizzlies scored the only other run of the game in the top of the fourth, as Emmanuel Burriss powered a solo shot onto the berm in left. Burriss did not homer through his first 22 games with Fresno this season, but has gone deep twice in his last six games.
University of Nebraska alum Steve Edlefsen came on in relief and turned in his longest outing of the season, going nine up, nine down over three scoreless innings of relief. He earned his first save in nearly a full calendar year, since August 11, 2010 at Albuquerque.
The Storm Chasers had not allowed more than five runs in any of their last 11 games before Fresno's six-spot in the second inning. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, had not scored more than four runs in any of their previous five contests.
These two teams meet for the second of the four-game set Monday night at Werner Park with Fresno righty Shane Loux (5-10) taking on Storm Chasers righty Sean O'Sullivan (4-2) at 5:05pm PDT.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 7, 2011
- Sounds Win Series Opener in Reno, 11-5 - Nashville Sounds
- Rainiers Slow Down Express, 12-7 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Round Rock Express Drop Opener to Tacoma 12-7 - Round Rock Express
- Sox Drop Opener to Memphis 10-3 - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Error-Filled Second Catches up with Chasers - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Six-Run Second Leads Grizzlies Past Chasers - Fresno Grizzlies
- I-Cubs Topple Sacramento 6-1 - Iowa Cubs
- Oklahoma City RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Round Rock Express Game Notes - Round Rock Express
- Oklahoma City RedHawks Transactions - Oklahoma City Comets
- Sellout Crowd Sees Aces Drop Redbirds, 13-10 - Reno Aces
- Padres Shut Down by New Orleans - Tucson Padres
- RedHawks Earn Split in Las Vegas with 6-5 Win - Oklahoma City Comets
- Albuquerque Levels Rainiers, 20-7 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Storms Not Enough to Slow Chasers - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Rainiers run over by Albuquerque, 20-7 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Sox Walk-Off with 4-3 Victory - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Sounds Suffer Walkoff Loss in Series Finale at Colorado Springs - Nashville Sounds
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