Betancourt, Fresno drop 7-2 contest to Modesto on Sunday 

Modesto, CA (Sunday, August 20) – The Fresno Grizzlies (68-46, 32-16) fell to the Modesto Nuts (61-53, 27-21) 7-2 Sunday evening from John Thurman Field. Fresno dropped to 32-16 (.667) in the second half, 35-17 (.673) in their last 52 games and 45-20 (.692) in their last 65 contests. The clubs split the six games for the third time in four series this season. The Grizzlies hold a five-game lead over the Nuts in the second half standings with 18 contests to go (six versus one another).

Modesto grabbed a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to a pair of hits. Lazaro Montes roped a single to right, adding Brock Rodden. Then, Gabe Moncada hammered a three-run homer to right, his 12th longball of the year. Fresno cut the deficit to 4-2 in the third after Bryant Betancourt launched a two-run wallop. It was his second clout of the season. Modesto extended their advantage to 6-2 after a Freuddy Batista RBI double in the third and Bill Knight RBI single in the fourth. Finally, the Nuts scored their final run on a Montes big fly in the seventh. It was his fourth rocket of the series and sixth bomb of the season.

The Grizzlies offense mustered seven total hits with four of them landing for extra-bases. The top four batters in the lineup picked up six of the seven hits with Betancourt reaching base three times. Skyler Messinger lengthened his hit streak to eight games after a double and single. Jake Snider and Jesus Bugarin swatted doubles while Cole Carrigg pushed his hit streak to five games. Carrigg batted .522 with a 1.413 OPS in his first series with Fresno. Righty Jake Madden (2-8) suffered the setback after two and two-thirds innings of work. Madden allowed five runs (earned), on five hits and two walks while fanning two. Robinson Hernandez followed Madden with five and one-third frames of two-run ball, the most innings by a Grizzlies reliever in 2023. Hernandez permitted six hits and no walks while punching out five.

The Nuts offense recorded 11 hits with five ending in extra-bases. Seven of the nine Modesto batters notched at least one hit while six of the starters tallied a run. Eight-hole hitter Jared Sundstrom provided a triple and nine-spot batter Milkar Perez whacked a double. Nuts’ starter Riley Davis (7-0) relished the triumph after hurling five and one-third innings. Davis gave up two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out three. Modesto’s bullpen trio of Blake Townsend (6-up, 6-down), Juan Burgos and Natanael Garabitos locked up the victory with three and two-thirds frames of scoreless baseball. They allowed one hit and walk while whiffing three Fresno batters. Both teams are off on Monday.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• DH Bryant Betancourt (2-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB)
• RHP Robinson Hernandez (5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
• 1B Skyler Messinger (2-4, 2B)

Top Performers: Modesto Nuts (Seattle Mariners)

• RF Lazaro Montes (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R)
• 1B Gabe Moncada (1-3, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB)
• Nuts Bullpen (3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)

On Deck:

Tuesday, August 22 vs. Stockton Ports, Stockton TBD vs. Fresno RHP Gabriel Barbosa (7-4, 5.13), 6:50 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTE:

Batters 5-9 in the Grizzlies lineup went 1-for-18 with a double and walk.