Giants curb Lowriders 5-4 in extras

Fresno, California (Saturday, May 22) – The Lowriders de Fresno (11-6) popped a tire in extras, stalling to the San Jose Giants (10-7) 5-4 in 10 innings Saturday evening from Chukchansi Park. 11 of the first 17 games for Fresno have been decided by two runs or less. The Lowriders are 6-5 in those contests with a 4-3 mark at home.

San Jose jumped on the board in the first inning when Abdiel Layer belted a leadoff homer. It was Layer’s fifth longball of the year. Fresno would quickly regain control when Isaac Collins smashed a double to the left-center wall, plating a pair. One of the runners was Bladimir Restituyo, who recorded four hits, a club-high in 2021. Ezequiel Tovar would then score Collins with a laser single to right.

Zac Veen made it 4-1 Lowriders in the sixth when he mashed a single, adding Tovar. The Giants knotted the game at four in the seventh after a Garrett Frechette RBI single and Luis Matos two-RBI single. After both squads threw up a couple zeros, the contest went to extras. In the 10th, a wild pitch by Finn Del Bonta-Smith (0-2, loss) allowed Jimmy Glowenke to waltz home. The run ended up being the difference maker as Justin Crump (save, 1) locked up the win in the bottom half of the frame.

Both starters took no-decisions after stellar performances. San Jose’s Carson Ragsdale hurled five innings, striking out nine while Fresno’s Mike Ruff went a career-high six frames. He fanned seven while walking one. Clay Helvey (1-1) earned the victory after he tossed three innings of scoreless ball.

Top Performers: Lowriders de Fresno (Colorado Rockies)

• CF Bladimir Restituyo (4-4, 2B, R)

• SS Ezequiel Tovar (2-5, 2B, RBI, R)

• LF Isaac Collins (1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB)

Top Performers: San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants)

• SS Abdiel Layer (1-4, HR, RBI, R, BB)

• 1B Garrett Frechette (2-4, RBI, R)

• 2B Jimmy Glowenke (1-4, 2B, 2 R)

On Deck:

Sunday, May 23 vs. San Jose Giants, San Jose RHP Ryan Murphy (1-1, 1.84) vs. Fresno RHP Mitchell Kilkenny (1-1, 1.13), 1:05 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTE:

For the weekend (Friday-Sunday) the Fresno Grizzlies will become the Lowriders de Fresno. Serving as mobile canvases onto which artists display tribute to Mexican culture, lowriders’ influence on art, music and fashion is deeply rooted into Fresno’s Hispanic community. The team’s “Lowriders” moniker pays tribute to the city of Fresno’s place in amplifying lowriding culture. The 2021 logo and jerseys features 2019 Lowrider Weekend People’s Choice Award winning car, Tequila Sunrise, owned by John Munoz of Antioch. “Copa de la Diversión,” or “Fun Cup,” is a season-long event series specifically designed to embrace the culture and values that resonate most with participating teams’ local U.S. Hispanic/Latino communities.