Fresno drops series finale 9-5, takes three of four from Tacoma

The Fresno Grizzlies (26-31) fell 9-5 in the series finale against the Tacoma Rainiers (32-23) Sunday afternoon at Chukchansi Park, but took three of the four-game set against the club. The loss halted a six-game win streak for the Grizzlies, their longest of the season.
The Rainiers got off to a quick start by taking a 5-0 lead. In the first, Zach Shank (2-for-5) hit a sacrifice fly that scored Leonys Martin (triple, 3-for-6), followed by a solo home run to right by Daniel Vogelbach (4-for-5). It was his seventh of the season. In the second, RBI singles by Ryan Jackson (3-for-5), Shank and Vogelbach did the damage.
The Grizzlies got three back in the bottom of the second to cut Tacoma's lead to 5-3. Jon Kemmer knocked a bases loaded single that scored Teoscar Hernández (single), and Colin Moran (single) and Tyler White (walk) both scored when Max Stassi reached on an error.
Tacoma increased their lead to 7-3 in the third. Danny Muno (3-for-6) started the inning with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly, while another Jackson RBI single scored Tyler O'Neill (2-for-4).
In the fifth, the Grizzlies once again cut the Rainier's lead to two runs. On a walk to Derek Fisher, Tony Kemp scored on a wild pitch after he singled to get on and advanced to third. Preston Tucker (single) advanced to second on the same wild pitch and scored when Hernandez reached on an error to make the score 7-5.
The Rainiers added a run in the seventh to make the core 8-5. Shank recorded his third RBI of the game when he reached on an error and Steve Baron scored after walking to get on. Vogelbach notched his third RBI in the ninth to score Shank to make the final score 9-5.
Tacoma's Ryne Harper (3-1) earned the win with three strikeouts in a scoreless inning of relief. Starter Andrew Moore allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts through four innings, while reliever Jean Machi picked up his seventh save of the season in an inning and two thirds to end the game.
Dean Deetz (0-1) suffered the loss for Fresno in his Triple-A debut. He allowed seven runs on nine hits and two walks with one strikeout through two and a third.
The Grizzlies next hit the road to begin an eleven-game road trip that starts with a four-game series in Sacramento on Monday at 7:05 p.m. Probable starters are RHP Trent Thornton (2-2, 4.88) for Fresno, against LHP Michael Roth (4-4, 4.44) for the River Cats at Raley Field.