The Fresno Grizzlies (46-38) completed their second consecutive four-game series sweep with a 4-1 win over the Sacramento River Cats (32-50) Monday night at Raley Field. Fresno has tied a franchise record with their 11th straight victory, last accomplished by the 2015 Pacific Coast League and Triple-A Champion Grizzlies. Fresno
The Fresno Grizzlies (46-38) completed their second consecutive four-game series sweep with a 4-1 win over the Sacramento River Cats (32-50) Monday night at Raley Field. Fresno has tied a franchise record with their 11th straight victory, last accomplished by the 2015 Pacific Coast League and Triple-A Champion Grizzlies. Fresno has also won five straight on the road, their longest such streak of the season.
Max Stassi (2-for-3) homered twice to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead over the River Cats. His ninth home run of the season was a solo-shot to left in the third and his 10th of 2017 was a two-out bomb to right center in the fifth. Stassi has homered in five of seven series he has played in Sacramento, four times with Fresno and once with Oklahoma City in 2014.
The Grizzlies extended their lead to 4-0 with one run each in the sixth and seventh frames. Tyler White knocked a RBI single in the sixth to score Tony Kemp. Kemp is on a personal season-high and current club-high 11-game hit streak. In the seventh, Preston Tucker singled to get on and scored on a Reid Brignac RBI single.
Right-hander Rogelio Armenteros (1-0) tossed six scoreless innings for a quality start in his Triple-A debut with the Grizzlies after being promoted from Double-A Corpus Christi on Sunday. He allowed just two hits while walking three and striking out eight in the win. He had a season-high 10 strikeouts with Corpus Christi on April 9.
With righty Kyle Smith on the mound for Fresno in the seventh, the River Cats scored their first and only run of the game to make the final score 4-1. Mac Williamson doubled to get on and scored on a Justin Ruggiano sacrifice fly. Smith earned his first save of the season through the final three innings in his second relief appearance of 2017 after making two starts for the Grizzlies.
Sacramento starter Andrew Suárez (2-2) suffered the loss through seven innings. He allowed all four Fresno runs on six hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. The eight punch-outs were one shy of the season-high against the Grizzlies by an individual pitcher this season.
The Grizzlies return home to Chukchansi Park on Tuesday July 4th to open a three-game series with the Salt Lake Bees, part of a six-game homestand. RHP Trent Thornton (5-2, 5.65) will be on the mound for Fresno. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
