PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Tough Call Seals Fresno's Fate

Published on June 7, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO- In a very even, well-fought game on Monday night, the outcome was determined by a controversial call at first base. That call went against the Grizzlies, who fell, 4-3 to Las Vegas at Chukchansi Park.

In a 3-3 game with runners at second and third and two outs in the top of the eighth, 51s third baseman Craig Stansberry hit a grounder deep in the hole at shortstop. Ydwin Villegas dug the ball out and made a strong throw across his body to a stretching Travis Ishikawa at first, beating Stansberry by a half-step. But first-base umpire Tyler Funneman ruled that Ishikawa's foot had come off the base as he extended towards the throw, allowing the game-winning run to score.

Fresno (25-34) struck first, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Ishikawa was at first after a one-out walk when Brad Eldred laced a ball two feet from the top of the wall in dead center field for a double. James Simmons grounded out to plate Ishikawa with the first run of the inning, then Tyler LaTorre hit a sky-high shot off the wall in left for an RBI-double to make it 2-0 Grizzlies.

Las Vegas (33-26) fought back with a run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Manny Mayorson, then tied the game on a fifth-inning solo home run by Adam Loewen that just escaped the reach of Tyler Graham at the wall in center field. The 51s put two more runners on against Grizzlies starter Doug Mathis with just one out, but Geno Espineli came on to get a force out and a soft fly out to end the threat and keep the score level.

Mathis really struggled with his control, walking seven in just 4.1 innings of work. He allowed just two runs, but failed to complete five innings of work for just the second time this season.

The Grizzlies pushed ahead in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to speed of the fleet-footed Graham. After beating out an infield single to second base with two outs, Graham was at first when Edgar Gonzalez lifted a soft line drive single down the line in right field. Graham raced around second, taking third base easily. Seeing that he had no play on the lead runner, right fielder Eric Thames lobbed the ball back to his cut-off man, Mayorson at second base. When Graham noticed Mayorson's back turned to the infield, he never broke stride, catching the defense off guard and beating the throw home to put Fresno ahead, 3-2.

But Loewen came through again in his next at-bat, serving a Justin Dowdy offering the opposite way into the first row of bleachers in left-center field to tie the game at 3-3 in the seventh.

Wilfredo Ledezma earned the win with 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, while Dowdy took the loss. Danny Farquhar struck out one in a perfect ninth for his seventh save.

Fresno will try to win the series Tuesday night as the Grizzlies sent righty Andrew Kown (6-4) against Las Vegas southpaw Brett Cecil (7-1) at 7:05pm.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 7, 2011


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