Lewis enjoys career night as Grizzlies conquer Quakes 9-4 Wednesday

Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Wednesday, July 13) – The Fresno Grizzlies (52-31, 11-6) growled past the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (43-40, 7-10) 9-4 Wednesday night from LoanMart Field. Fresno earned their first win ever at Rancho Cucamonga and improved to 10-4 against the Quakes over the last two seasons.

For the second consecutive game, the Grizzlies tallied double-digit hits with eight of their nine starters reaching base safely. Fresno’s lineup spanked 13 hits on Wednesday with five of them landing for extra-bags. The Grizzlies roared ahead 4-0 in the first from a triple and a pair of productive outs. Yanquiel Fernandez laced a two-run triple to the right field corner, adding Adael Amador and Juan Brito. Then, Juan Guerrero mustered a groundout and Ben Sems picked up a sacrifice fly to right.

Rancho Cucamonga made it 4-1 in the bottom of the first after a double play. In the second, Brito extended the lead to 5-1 after plating EJ Andrews Jr. on a double to left. The Quakes once again cut into the deficit after a three-run third. Austin Gauthier led off the frame with a solo shot to left field and Griffin Lockwood-Powell demolished a two-run tater to left-center. Those three runs concluded Rancho Cucamonga’s scoring on the evening.

In the fourth, Amador expanded the advantage to 6-4 after a two-out single notched AJ Lewis. The first baseman doubled prior to waltzing home. In the seventh, Lewis put the contest out of reach with a bases-clearing double to right. This provided Lewis a career-high two doubles and three RBI. Fresno finished with a pair of triples (Zach Kokoska and Fernandez), the most by the offense in a single game this season.

Grizzlies’ starter Case Williams (8-2) relished the offensive support, recording his league-best eighth win of 2022. Williams fanned two over six strong innings. He was relieved by righty Luis Amoroso, who was unstoppable. Amoroso faced and retired nine batters in a perfect three frames of work. He secured his first save of the season after striking out two in the ninth. Quakes’ pitcher Edgardo Henriquez (2-3) suffered the defeat after lasting one inning. The squads are back to battle tomorrow night from LoanMart Field.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• 1B AJ Lewis (2-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, R, BB)

• RF Yanquiel Fernandez (2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB)

• RHP Luis Amoroso (3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K; save)

Top Performers: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Los Angeles Dodgers)

• SS Austin Gauthier (1-3, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB)

• 1B Griffin Lockwood-Powell (1-4, HR, 2 RBI, R)

• RF Yunior Garcia (1-4, R)

On Deck:

Thursday, July 14 @ Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, Fresno RHP McCade Brown (2-3, 4.32) vs. Rancho Cucamonga RHP Jerming Rosario (2-6, 7.84), 6:30 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTES:

The Grizzlies have crushed 27 hits over the first two games of the series. Five batters collected multiple hits for the second straight contest (Brito, Fernandez, Kokoska, Lewis and Andrews Jr.).

Luis Amoroso hurled a season-high three innings of work and the first six batters he saw grounded out.

Braxton Fulford caught the only attempted Rancho Cucamonga runner. Fulford has thrown out 24 of 57 base stealers this season.