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PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Tacoma Wins in Extras

September 2, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


After a 2-1, 14-inning defeat in the series finale at Tacoma on Thursday night into Friday morning, the Fresno Grizzlies dropped their third straight and the four-game series after winning the opener on Monday. The Grizzlies must now go at least 2-2 in their final series of the season at Sacramento, for the franchise's first consecutive winning seasons since moving downtown to Chukchansi Park in 2002. The 1998 (81-62) and 1999 (73-69) Grizz each had winning records in the first two seasons of Triple-A baseball in Fresno, playing at Pete Beiden Field on the campus of Fresno State.

Fresno starter and Houston Astros pitching prospect David Paulino went five soggy shutout innings, allowing just two hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. Paulino's counterpart, 34-year-old veteran Jarrett Grube lasted through the sixth inning allowing only three hits, walking four with six strikeouts.

The Grizzlies broke the scoreless tie in the seventh, when Max Stassi (single) and Jack Mayfield (walk) each reached base to begin the inning. After a Nolan Fontana sac bunt moved both runners over, Colin Moran's infield single scored Stassi from third base, snapping a 16.2-inning scoreless drought for Fresno.

Tacoma pushed across the tying run in the home half of the eighth. Nori Aoki singled and stole second, then scored with two out on a Mike Freeman RBI liner to right field, which would be the final run for six innings.

The Rainiers walked off with the victory in the 14th by collecting three consecutive singles off Eury De La Rosa (0-3) to begin the half-inning, the last of which was the game-winner into centerfield by Ryan Strausborger.

The low-scoring marathon was the Grizz's longest game this season in innings (previous high 12 on June 19 at Tacoma) and in time at 4:59 (previous high 4:01 in 10 innings June 9 at home vs. Salt Lake). Paul Fry (3-1) earned the win for Tacoma, throwing a hitless final four innings with two walks and six strikeouts.

Now just 5-16 since August 12, the Grizzlies have scored only one run in their last 24 innings. Fresno dropped to 4-7-1 in extra innings on Thursday (2-3 road), and 23-17 in one-run games (7-8 road) this season. The Grizz are now .500 in series finales in 2016 (17-17-1).

Fresno is 23-12 in series openers this season, and the opener of the final series of the season will be Friday at 7:05 at Sacramento's Raley Field. LHP Evan Grills (1-1, 2.31) will get the ball in his third Triple-A start for the Grizzlies. Grills has 10 strikeouts and just one walk so far in 11.2 innings of work since moving up from Double-A Corpus Christi. RHP Dan Slania (1-0, 1.29) will get the ball for Sacramento.

Check out the Fresno Grizzlies Statistics



Pacific Coast League Stories from September 2, 2016


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