Fulford, Fresno finish comeback with 8-7 walk-off double versus Stockton

Fresno, CA (Tuesday, August 23) – The Fresno Grizzlies (70-45, 29-20) walked-off on the Stockton Ports (41-74, 16-33) 8-7 Tuesday night from Chukchansi Park. With the triumph, Fresno improved to 22-3 (+113 run differential, 210-97) versus the Ports this year and 39-10 against Stockton over the past two seasons. The Grizzlies have now won seven straight games, tying a season-long (done twice). Fresno enjoyed their sixth walk-off win in 2022 and 15th comeback victory in the seventh inning or later. The Grizzlies moved to 8-0 on Tuesday home games and 10-1 in the first game of a series at Chukchansi Park.

Fresno’s offense supplied eight runs on nine hits and seven walks. Ben Sems highlighted the Grizzlies lineup with a trio of hits and RBI while scoring twice. Sems smoked a three-run shot in the second over the manual scoreboard in right. It was his fifth homer of the season. Yanquiel Fernandez provided three RBI on a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly. Fernandez’s single in the ninth scored Sems. He is now four RBI shy of joining the Top 10 in Grizzlies single-season RBI. After the ninth inning base hit by Fernandez, Juan Guerrero tied the affair with a groundout to third. This brought Braxton Fulford to the plate and Zach Kokoska to first as a pinch-runner. Kokoska swiped second, putting himself into scoring position. On a 1-1 count, Fulford drove an off-speed hanger to deep left-field, banging the pitch off the wall and sending Kokoska in with the game-winning run.

On the other side, every Stockton starter relished at least one hit with a pair of batters notching multiple RBI contests. Junior Perez led off the game with a solo clout to left-center field. In the seventh, Alexander Campos reached on a fielder’s choice, adding T.J. Schofield-Sam. An inning later, the Ports plated five runs to take the lead. Tommy Stevenson blasted a two-run bomb to right, his second longball of the year. CJ Rodriguez evened the game at five with a single to left. Finally, Campos raked a two-run double to center. Campos headlined the evening with three RBI while Daniel Susac mustered two hits.

Reigning California League Pitcher of the Week Jordy Vargas was sensational in his third start and home debut. Vargas twirled a career-high five innings, allowing just one run on a leadoff dinger. He permitted four hits and one walk while fanning four. Vargas did not factor in the final line, but reliever Bryce McGowan (2-0) did. The righty struck out the side in a clean ninth. Stockton southpaw James Gonzalez took a no-decision after five frames of four-run ball. Serafino Brito (1-3) suffered the setback after blowing the save and giving up all three ninth-inning runs. The clubs are back to battle tomorrow night from downtown Fresno.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• C Braxton Fulford (1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, SB; walk-off 2B)

• 3B Ben Sems (3-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)

• RF Yanquiel Fernandez (2-4, 3 RBI)

Top Performers: Stockton Ports (Oakland Athletics)

• SS Alexander Campos (1-3, 2B, 3 RBI, BB)

• 1B Tommy Stevenson (1-5, HR, 2 RBI, R)

• CF Junior Perez (1-5, HR, RBI, R)

On Deck:

Wednesday, August 24 vs. Stockton Ports, Stockton RHP Yehizon Sanchez (2-5, 4.89) vs. Fresno RHP Jaden Hill (0-0, 0.00), 6:50 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTES:

Adael Amador passed Gary Brown (2014) and A.J. Reed (2017) for seventh in Grizzlies franchise single-season runs. He also drew one walk, putting him in a tie for third on the Grizzlies single-season walks list (78).

Fresno has mashed 56 homers over their 25 affairs against Stockton this season, with four contests of five taters or more. On the other side of the ball, the Grizzlies’ pitching staff has struck out 221 batters over the past 21 contests against the Ports.