The Fresno Tacos (35-37) fell 11-7 to the El Paso Chihuahuas (36-36) in a 10-inning series finale at Chukchansi Park to settle for a split of the four-game set. Each club traded three home runs in the second consecutive contest. It was Fresno's first extra inning game of the season
The Fresno Tacos (35-37) fell 11-7 to the El Paso Chihuahuas (36-36) in a 10-inning series finale at Chukchansi Park to settle for a split of the four-game set. Each club traded three home runs in the second consecutive contest. It was Fresno's first extra inning game of the season at home. They are 1-2 in extras on the road, none of which have progressed past the 10th inning.
The Chihuahuas got off to a fast start when Héctor Sánchez (4-for-6) hit a home run in the first. With El Paso on a MLB rehab assignment, it was his first homer of the season with the club. Carlos Asuaje (2-for-5) scored on the two-run shot. In the second, the Chihuahuas increased their lead to 4-0 on a Dusty Coleman RBI double that scored Diego Goris (3-for-5) who singled to get on. Coleman then scored on a Nick Schulz sacrifice fly.
The Tacos got on the board in the bottom of the second with the club's 100th home run of the season. The 100 long balls are the most by any Triple-A team and lead all of Minor League Baseball. The two-run bomb was hit to right field by Jon Kemmer (2-for-4). It was his ninth of the season and scored Teoscar Hernández (single, 3-for-5) to make the score 4-2.
El Paso increased their lead to 6-2 in the fourth with a two-run single from Manual Margot (2-for-4) that scored Goris and Schulz. Max Stassi put the Tacos within one in the bottom of the frame with a home run of his own, his seventh of the season. The three-run shot was hit off the batter's eye in center field and was his second homer is just as many games. A.J. Reed and Kemmer scored to give Stassi his first three-RBI game of 2017, making the score 6-5.
In the fifth, Sanchez knocked his second long ball of the game to give the Chihuahuas a 7-5 lead. The solo shot to right field led off the inning for El Paso. Fresno tied the contest 7-7 in the eighth on Colin Moran's 16th home run of the season and second in consecutive games. Preston Tucker (single, 2-for-5) scored on the two-run bomb to right field.
The Chihuahuas took an 11-7 lead in the top of the 10th to win the game. Christian Villanueva hit a three-run homer to left followed by a Sanchez RBI double. Rafael Ortega pinch-ran for Tony Cruz (single, 4-for-5) and scored on the home run along with Goris (double). Asuaje scored on Sanchez's double after he singled to get on.
Tacos starter Kyle Smith allowed six runs on seven hits in his second Triple-A start of the season. He did not allow a walk and struck out five through four innings. Reliever Reymin Guduan (4-4) suffered the loss in 1.1 IP, allowing two runs on three hits. He did not allow a walk and struck out one.
El Paso starter Adam Cimber tossed three innings and allowed two runs on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Logan Bawcom (1-3) earned his first win of the season in two innings of relief. He allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
Fresno continues their 12-game homestand on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. with the first of four games against the Sacramento River Cats. The probable starter for Sacramento is RHP Roberto Gomez (1-2, 5.55). For Fresno, right-hander Charlie Morton is likely to start on a MLB rehab assignment with righty Trent Thornton to follow.
