Brooms kept in closet as Fresno falls 7-2 to Rancho Cucamonga

Fresno, CA (Sunday, August 6) – The Fresno Grizzlies (63-39, 27-9) stumbled to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (55-47, 16-20) 7-2 Sunday evening from Chukchansi Park. Fresno fell to a Minor League-best 27-9 in the second half, 30-10 in their last 40 games and 40-13 in their last 53 contests. The Grizzlies took five out of six from the Quakes and moved to 14-4 at home against them over the past three seasons. Fresno is now 26-13 against the California League South Division (18-6 at home) and hold a winning record against every team at Chukchansi Park.

The Quakes rumbled ahead 4-0 after two innings of play. Wilman Diaz opened the scoring with a first pitch homer to dead center. He went deep again in the second inning, his third consecutive contest crushing a clout. Diaz finished the series with 12 hits over his final four games and left the yard four times. Jesus Galiz and Luis Rodriguez picked up RBI singles in the first for Rancho Cucamonga. The final three Quakes’ runs came across in the seventh after a walk, RBI triple and two RBI doubles. Jake Gelof enjoyed the triple, his first professional RBI. Joe Vetrano and Rodriguez roped the RBI doubles.

The Grizzlies plated a run in the fifth and another run in the eighth. Andy Perez led off the fifth with a double and waltzed home on a Parker Kelly RBI groundout. In the eighth, Dyan Jorge swatted a double and scampered home on a Bryant Betancourt RBI double. Both Daniel Amaral (0 at-bats) and Jake Snider reached base twice in the defeat.

Fresno righty Jake Madden (2-7) suffered the loss in his Fresno debut, following his trade from the Angels last Sunday. Madden was ambushed for four runs on five hits in two innings of work. Grizzlies’ reliever Robinson Hernandez dazzled for a career-high four scoreless frames. Hernandez struck out a pair in a much-needed inning-eater effort. Carson Skipper and Carlos Torres worked shutout frames as well. Skipper has appeared in 30 games this season, spanning 36 innings. In that stretch, he has issued three walks while striking out 49. Skipper has gone 16 straight outings (17.2 frames) without recording a walk (June 7 vs. Lake Elsinore).

Rancho Cucamonga starter Chris Campos hurled four scoreless innings, striking out six. Campos allowed a walk in the third and a hit in the fourth. Five bullpen arms combined to punch out six batters to wrap up the win. Reynaldo Yean (1-1) was awarded the triumph after fanning the side in the seventh. The squads are off on Monday.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• 2B Andy Perez (2-4, 2B, R, SB)
• DH Bryant Betancourt (1-4, 2B, RBI)
• RHP Robinson Hernandez (4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K)

Top Performers: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Los Angeles Dodgers)

• 2B Wilman Diaz (3-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R)
• LF Luis Rodriguez (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB)
• RHP Chris Campos (4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)

On Deck:

Tuesday, August 8 @ San Jose Giants, Fresno LHP Michael Prosecky (9-5, 3.06) vs. San Jose LHP Nomar Medina (4-5, 5.06), 6:30 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTES:

Daniel Amaral (18), Jake Snider (21) and Andy Perez (18) all swiped a base in the loss. The trio are the top three base stealers for the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies dropped their third straight Sunday game after winning 11 in a row prior to the losing streak.