PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Whiteside Not Enough As Grizzlies Drop Finale

Published on April 17, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO, CA - Catcher Eli Whiteside singled, tripled, homered, and drove in three runs but the Tacoma Rainiers overcame a three-run deficit in the final two innings to defeat the Grizzlies 8-5 on Thursday night at Chukchansi Park. The visiting Rainiers scored six runs in the 8th and 9th to take the game, and the series, from Fresno.

Tacoma struck early against Grizzlies starter Steve Hammond. The Rainiers loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning, but managed just one run on Mike Carp's sacrifice fly as Hammond escaped the jam with minimal damage. In the second inning, Chris Woodward singled to score Chris Burke and give Tacoma a 2-0 lead. Following the RBI-single, Hammond retired eight of the next nine hitters he faced, ultimately striking out seven over 4.1 innings in the outing.

The Grizzlies cut their deficit in half with a run in the third. Whiteside delivered a two-out home run, his first of the season, into the left-field bleachers to pull Fresno within a run. Entering Thursday's game, Grizzlies catchers Whiteside and Steve Holm had combined to go 0-for-22 with 11 strikeouts in the first seven games of the season.

In the 5th, the home team's bats erupted for four runs. Clay Timpner ripped an RBI-double to right, scoring Matt Downs to tie the game at 2-2. With Timpner on second and Ryan Rohlinger on third, Whiteside laced a triple into the left-center field gap to give the Grizzlies their first lead of the game. Kevin Frandsen followed with an RBI-bunt single for a 5-2 lead.

Following Hammond, Pat Misch twirled 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to extend his season-opening scoreless streak to 7.0 frames, but things got interesting after that. Tacoma victimized a trio of Grizzlies relievers for four runs (one earned) in the 8th inning. The big break came with reliever Ronald Ray on the mound when Callix Crabbe lined a ball to second that got through Matt Downs, scoring Mike Morse and Chris Burke.

Leading 6-5, the Rainiers added a pair of runs in the 9th inning against Ray, before Eric Hull retired the Grizzlies in order in the ninth to secure the win and pick up his first save of the season.

Having dropped six-of-eight games on their season-opening homestand, the Grizzlies will hit the road on Friday to kick off an eight-game road trip to Portland and Las Vegas. Game 1 against Portland at PGE Park is scheduled for 7:05 on Friday, with RHP Billy Sadler taking the mound for Fresno while the Beavers counter with southpaw Wade LeBlanc.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 17, 2009


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