Shutout in San Jose: Fresno plays most complete game of young season in 3-0 victory

San Jose, CA (Friday, April 15) – The Fresno Grizzlies (5-2) played their best game of the young 2022 campaign, blanking the San Jose Giants (4-3) 3-0 Friday night from Excite Ballpark. It was the first shutout for Fresno on the year and their ninth over the past two seasons.

Grizzlies’ starter Brayan Castillo was one of four pitchers to help the shutout. The righty dazzled for four and two-thirds innings, allowing three hits and no walks while fanning six. Sergio Sanchez (1-0, win) followed Castillo with two and one-third frames, striking out three. Joel Condreay (hold, 1) hurled a clean eighth inning, punching out one. Finally, Juan Mejia chucked a 1-2-3 ninth, receiving his second save. The quartet of arms permitted seven hits and no walks while striking out 11 overall.

Yanquiel Fernandez and Benny Montgomery led the Fresno offense by driving in all three runs. Fernandez started the scoring with a solo shot in the second. It was his first homer of the year and the Grizzlies first road longball. Montgomery plated a pair in the fifth with a double down the right field line. The Rockies #3 prospect tied his career-high in RBI with that hit and did so against MLB rehabber Jeremy Walker. Adael Amador supplied two hits and Hunter Goodman notched a double for Fresno. Warming Bernabel extended his hit streak to seven games and brought his batting average to .444.

The San Jose lineup scattered seven hits with Yorlis Rodriguez mustering two of them. Righty Will Bednar (0-1) took the loss after four solid frames of work. He struck out five. Walker tallied two innings of action for his rehab stint, punching out four. Seth Lonsway added three scoreless frames for the Giants. The clubs are back in action tomorrow evening from the South Bay.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• Grizzlies pitching (9.0 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K)

• CF Benny Montgomery (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI)

• RF Yanquiel Fernandez (1-3, HR, RBI, R, BB)

Top Performers: San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants)

• Giants pitching (9.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 12 K)

• 3B Yorlis Rodriguez (2-4)

• CF Grant McCray (1-4, 2B)

On Deck:

Saturday, April 16 @ San Jose Giants, Fresno RHP Victor Juarez (0-0, 5.79) vs. San Jose RHP Mason Black (0-0, 0.00), 5:00 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTE:

Left fielder Zach Kokoska made two outstanding diving plays during the game, helping the shutout cause.