Fresno defeats Albuquerque 7-6 in a 10 inning series opener

The Fresno Grizzlies (39-38) opened a four-game series against the Albuquerque Isotopes (38-38) Monday night at Chukchansi Park, the tail end of a 12-game homestand. The Grizzlies took the opener 7-6 in the 10^th inning. It's the fifth game of extras played by Fresno this season, all resolved in the 10^th frame. The Grizzlies are now over .500 for the first time since they were 5-4 on April 14.
Grizzlies starter David Martinez and Isotopes lefty Ryan Carpenter faced off through four scoreless innings before allowing runs in the fifth. Albuquerque took a 1-0 lead on a Ryan Hanigan sacrifice fly that scored Derrik Gibson who walked to get on. For Fresno, Max Stassi (3-for-4) crushed a two-run homer to left. A.J. Reed scored on Stassi's eighth home run of the season to give the Grizzlies a 2-1 lead.
Right-hander Martinez allowed one run on six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. He has thrown five consecutive quality starts at home, and six in his last seven games. He has a 2.00 ERA through his last seven starts, allowing 11 runs (10 earned) on 36 hits through 45.0 IP. Martinez has walked 13 and struck out 32 in that span.
The clubs traded runs once again in the seventh frame. The Isotopes tied the game 2-2 prior to the stretch when Ryan McMahon (2-for-4) walked with the bases loaded for Cristhian Adames to score. The Grizzlies then took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the inning. Tyler White (3-for-5) knocked a base hit that scored Stassi who singled, and Tony Kemp (single) scored when Preston Tucker reached on an error.
Fresno added two runs in the eighth to make the score 6-2. Colin Moran (3-for-5) led off the inning with a bomb to right, his team-leading 17^th home run of the season. Stassi scored his third run of the night on a Kemp sacrifice fly. It was Stassi's first three-run game of 2017.
The Isotopes tied the contest 6-6 in the top of the ninth. Daniel Castro (3-for-4) scored on a Mike Tauchman sacrifice fly before Rosell Herrera (2-for-3) scored on a wild pitch. Jordan Patterson knocked a two-run single to bring home the tying runs.
Stassi scored his fourth run of the game in the 10^th on a White walk-off walk for a 7-6 Fresno victory. It's the most runs he has scored in a game this season, tied for a club-high with Jon Kemmer (6/16 at Albuquerque). Shane Carle (1-4) took the loss for the Isotopes allowing the final run in the 10^th. Grizzlies reliever Brian Holmes (2-2) tossed a perfect 10^th with a strikeout for the win.
The Grizzlies and the Isotopes will play the second of their four-game set on Taco Tuesday at Chukchansi park with the first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. RHP Matt Flemer (2-5, 7.03) will be on the mound for Albuquerque to face Fresno RHP Charlie Morton (0-1, 4.50).