Bumps and bruises for Fresno in 7-2 loss at San Jose

San Jose, CA (Tuesday, June 25) – The Fresno Grizzlies (2-2, 40-29) stumbled to the San Jose Giants (3-1, 40-29) 7-2 Tuesday night from Excite Ballpark. The Grizzlies suffered their first loss on a road Tuesday (4-1) and the first away game of a series (6-1). Fresno fell to 32-12 when scoring first (18-7 on the road), 20-11 when crushing a clout (14-6 away) and 28-18 against the California League North Division (20-8 on the road). The Grizzlies and Giants have split their first 16 meetings this season with San Jose winning the last three contests. Two of those three games have ended in 7-2 Giants wins.

For the second straight contest, Braylen Wimmer highlighted the Fresno offense, reaching base three times. Wimmer drew two walks and supplied the only Grizzlies hit, a solo shot in the top of the fourth. One of the two walks to Wimmer resulted in a passed ball, allowing Caleb Hobson to score. The Wimmer wallop was his third time going deep in the last two games and the first off a lefty. Wimmer leads the team with nine longballs with a trio of them coming at Excite Ballpark. The South Carolina product extended his hit streak to eight games (June 15-25), where he is 16-for-32 (.500) with three homers, a trio of doubles, 10 RBI, nine runs, four walks, one hit-by-pitch and three stolen bases. In the month of June, Wimmer is 29-for-71 (.408 AVG/.481 OBP/.718 SLG/1.199 OPS) with five big flies, seven doubles, 16 RBI, 17 runs, eight walks and five stolen bases.

Unfortunately, Wimmer could not compete with the Giants lineup, who plated seven runs on 10 hits, two walks and a pair of wild pitches. San Jose brought 10 batters to the dish in the fifth, notching five runs. Those were the most runs allowed by Fresno in a single inning this season. Cole Foster led the charge with three hits, four RBI and a run. Foster swatted a pair of doubles, one in the third and another in the sixth. Luke Shliger laced two singles, driving in a pair of RBI. Shliger’s two runs scored on a ball that took a late and wicked hop on Grizzlies’ second baseman Nick Gile. Estanlin Cassiani waltzed home three times thanks a pair of singles and a fielder’s choice.

Grizzlies’ southpaw Albert Pacheco (3-3) lasted four and two-thirds innings, agonizing the defeat. Pacheco was tagged for six runs (five earned), on seven hits, one walk and a pair of hit-by-pitches, while striking out two. Kannon Handy chucked two and one-third frames of one-run ball. Tyler Hoffman fanned a batter in a clean bottom of the eighth. Giants’ lefty Dylan Carmouche (5-1) celebrated the triumph after six sensational innings. Carmouche permitted two runs (one earned), on one hit and three walks while punching out five. He gave way to Brayan Palencia, who was dominant in his first San Jose save of 2024. Palencia struck out seven of the nine outs he recorded, issuing just two walks. He did not yield a hit or run to his line. The squads continue their six-game set tomorrow afternoon from Excite Ballpark.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• SS Braylen Wimmer (1-2, HR, RBI, R, 2 BB)
• RHP Tyler Hoffman (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K)
• LHP Kannon Handy (2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K)

Top Performers: San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants)

• SS Cole Foster (3-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI, R)
• CF Estanlin Cassiani (2-4, 3 R)
• Giants Pitching (9.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 12 K)

On Deck:

Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 1:00 pm PT Fresno Grizzlies at San Jose Giants

Fresno RHP Bryan Perez (3-2, 4.38) vs. San Jose LHP Esmerlin Vinicio (3-0, 4.15)

On That Fres-Note**:**

The Grizzlies pitching staff struck out a season-low three batters.