Comeback claws glisten for Fresno in 6-5 win over Modesto

Modesto, CA (Friday, August 18) – The Fresno Grizzlies (67-45, 31-15) stunned the Modesto Nuts (60-52, 26-20) 6-5 Friday night from John Thurman Field. The Grizzlies enjoyed their 17th comeback claws victory in the seventh inning or later and their third at Modesto. Fresno improved to 31-15 (.674) in the second half, 34-16 (.680) in their last 50 games and 44-19 (.698) in their last 63 contests. The Grizzlies hold a five-game lead over the Nuts in the second half standings with 20 contests to go (eight versus one another).

The Grizzlies clawed ahead 1-0 in the top of the second when Luis Mendez reached on an infield single, scoring Skyler Messinger. That was the only Fresno hit through the first five innings. The Nuts took a 5-1 lead after two runs in the fourth and another three runs in the fifth. Lazaro Montes hammered a two-run homer to right, his third straight game going deep (grand slam, solo). It was Montes’ fifth longball of the season. In the fifth, Luis Suisbel ripped a single that ricocheted off the knee of Grizzlies reliever Braxton Hyde, plating Tatem Levins. Then, Montes picked up RBI three and four with a hustle double to center. In the series, Montes is 9-for-16 with three clouts, two doubles, 11 RBI, five runs, three walks and one hit-by-pitch. The last two and three of the last five California League Player of the Week’s have faced Fresno during their winning week.

Despite the deficit, the Grizzlies comeback claws started to glisten. In the sixth, Messinger swatted a double to right, etching Jake Snider. An inning later, Kyle Karros laced a double and waltzed home after two wild pitches (both were on strikeouts). Karros has scored four runs since joining Fresno and three of them have come on wild pitches or passed balls. In the eighth, Cole Carrigg smashed a solo bomb to left field, his first Grizzlies big fly. Carrigg was born in Modesto and went to Turlock High School. The San Diego State product went 3-for-5 with a stolen base. Messinger tied the game at five when he notched Snider with a sacrifice fly. Finally, Fresno grabbed control when Andy Perez pushed a go-ahead bunt single that somehow stayed fair down the first base line, yielding Dyan Jorge.

The Grizzlies offense was matched by an outstanding performance from the pitching staff. Southpaw Caleb Franzen knotted his career-high with nine punchouts over four and one-third innings of work. Franzen allowed three hits and a professional-worst four walks. Hyde followed Franzen, tossing two pitches and leaving the game with a knee injury. Davis Palermo entered after that, chucking one and two-thirds of scoreless and much-needed ball. Palermo fanned three batters before handing the rock to Zach Agnos (3-3, win). The Grizzlies righty dazzled for a career-high two shutout frames, striking out a pair of Nuts batters. In the ninth, Carson Skipper secured his first professional save after a walk, strikeout and double play of Montes. It was his fourth walk of the season and first since June 7 versus Lake Elsinore (18 outings, 20.1 IP). Overall, the Grizzlies five arms combined for 15 strikeouts. Modesto’s Darren Bowen was fantastic in a no-decision effort. Bowen hurled six frames of two-run ball (one earned), on three hits and two walks while punching out six. Lefty Brandyn Garcia (0-1) suffered the setback in his Nuts’ debut. The series continues tomorrow evening for game five of six.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• C Cole Carrigg (3-5, HR, RBI, R, SB)
• 1B Skyler Messinger (1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB)
• Grizzlies Bullpen (4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
• 3B Kyle Karros (1-4, 2B, R)

Top Performers: Modesto Nuts (Seattle Mariners)

• RF Lazaro Montes (2-4, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, R, BB)
• RHP Darren Bowen (6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
• 1B Luis Suisbel (1-5, RBI, 2 R)
• C Tatem Levins (2-4, 2B, R)

On Deck:

Saturday, August 19 @ Modesto Nuts, Fresno LHP Albert Pacheco (5-2, 4.37) vs. Modesto RHP Shaddon Peavyhouse (7-4, 5.11), 6:05 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTES:

The squads have split the first four games of the current series.

This season, 52 of the Grizzlies 112 games have ended in one or two-run affairs (46%). Fresno is 22-13 (16-6 at home) in one-run games and 11-6 (6-2 at home) in two-run contests. Overall, the Grizzlies are 33-19 in those games with a 22-8 record at home.

The Grizzlies are 22-10 this season when a game lasts longer than 2 hours and 40 minutes. Fresno is also 17-4 when a game lasts longer than 2 hours and 46 minutes. The Grizzlies are 7-0 this season when a game lasts longer than 3 hours. What’s funny, Fresno has the second fastest average home, 9-inning, time of game in all of baseball at 2 hours and 24 minutes (Down East Wood Ducks, Single-A, Texas Rangers, 2 hours and 20 minutes).

This season, the Grizzlies have scored 36% of their runs in innings 7-9 (226 runs of 632 total runs). This has culminated into 17 comeback claws wins in the seventh inning or later for Fresno.