Extra-base hits by San Jose bites Fresno 12-4 Friday

San Jose, CA (Friday, September 9) – The Fresno Grizzlies (81-49, 40-24) fell to the San Jose Giants (74-56, 34-30) 12-4 Friday night from Excite Ballpark. The Grizzlies have won 18 of their last 22 contests despite splitting the first four games of this set. Fresno and San Jose will meet on Tuesday for Game 1 of the best-of-three Northern Divisional series.

The Grizzlies offense plated a quartet of runs on four hits and 10 walks. A.J. Lewis headlined the lineup with a perfect evening at the dish. Lewis reached base three times and picked up a sacrifice fly. He ripped a double and drew two walks, while driving in a pair of runs. Lewis scored a run in the ninth on an EJ Andrews Jr. sacrifice fly. Juan Guerrero whacked a single, stole a base and scampered home on the Lewis double. Thanks to the double, Guerrero joined the Grizzlies Top 10 in single-season runs (87). Benny Montgomery extended his hit streak to 13 contests after a single and two walks. Montgomery’s 13-game hit streak is the longest by a Fresno batter in 2022. Jordan Beck raced home once after a single and walk. Braxton Fulford tallied two walks and a run.

On the other side, the Giants offense supplied 12 runs on 13 hits with eight of them landing for extra-bases. Alexander Suarez highlighted the San Jose lineup with a homer, triple, five RBI and two runs. Suarez swatted his longball in the second and notched the triple in the sixth. Fresno State alum Andrew Kachel cleared the bases on a double in the seventh. He walked once and scored twice. Wade Meckler led off the affair with a solo shot. It was his first clout with the Giants. In the fifth, Aeverson Arteaga tattooed his 13th tater of the season, a solo dinger to center. Garrett Frechette roped two hits and yielded one run in the win.

Fresno starter Jarrod Cande (4-6) took the decision after four innings of work. Cande fanned eight batters despite allowing two key wallops. Tanner Propst hurled a clean frame in his return from the injured list. Five Grizzlies pitchers combined to punch out 14 batters. San Jose righty Liam Simon recorded as many walks as outs (four). He gave way to Manuel Mercedes (4-6), who relished the triumph. Mercedes permitted two unearned runs over five and one-third innings, fanning four. Julio Rodriguez concluded the night with two, strong frames. The squads are back in action tomorrow evening from Excite Ballpark.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• 1B A.J. Lewis (1-1, 2B, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB)

• LF Jordan Beck (1-3, R, BB)

• CF Benny Montgomery (1-2, 2 BB)

• DH Juan Guerrero (1-3, R, SB)

Top Performers: San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants)

• CF Alexander Suarez (2-4, HR, 3B, 5 RBI, 2 R)

• DH Andrew Kachel (1-3, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB)

• LF Wade Meckler (2-5, HR, 2B, RBI, R)

• SS Aeverson Arteaga (2-5, HR, RBI, 2 R)

On Deck:

Saturday, September 10 @ San Jose Giants, Fresno RHP Gabriel Hughes (0-0, 0.00) vs. San Jose LHP Joe Kemlage (2-2, 5.01), 6:00 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTES:

Benny Montgomery celebrated his 20th birthday on Friday.

Adael Amador is two walks shy of tying the Grizzlies single-season walks record, which was set by Damon Minor in 2000 (87).