The Fresno Grizzlies (27-17) defeated the El Paso Chihuahuas (21-23) 7-2 Sunday night from Southwest University Park. With the victory, Fresno earned their seventh series win in 11 chances. They also improved to 5-2 on Sunday games, 4-5 in the fourth game of the set and 14-10 on the road.
The Fresno Grizzlies (27-17) defeated the El Paso Chihuahuas (21-23) 7-2 Sunday night from Southwest University Park. With the victory, Fresno earned their seventh series win in 11 chances. They also improved to 5-2 on Sunday games, 4-5 in the fourth game of the set and 14-10 on the road. The win gave the Grizzlies their season-high in games over .500 (10).
Kyle Tucker (3-for-4) and AJ Reed quickly gave Fresno a 3-0 advantage with two home runs in the top of the first. Tucker (two-run) blasted his fourth homer of the year to left-center and Reed (solo) crushed his eighth (tied for the team-high) to left field.
Javy Guerra cut the deficit to 3-1 in the home half of the second when he lasered a single to center, scoring Allen Craig (2-for-4). Shane Peterson (2-for-4) trimmed the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third when he smacked a RBI single to left.
Jon Kemmer pushed the advantage to 4-2 in the top of the seventh when he mashed a solo shot to center. It was his seventh bomb of the season. Tyler White (2-for-5) extended the lead to 5-2 in the top of the eighth when he doubled home Tucker. With the hit, White expanded his on-base streak to 41 games.
In the top of the ninth, a soft ground ball to third allowed the sixth Grizzlies' run to cross the plate. Then, a bases-loaded balk made it 7-2.
A five-run advantage was enough for closer James Hoyt, who secured the win with two strikeouts.
Fresno starter Cy Sneed (4-2) enjoyed the support, going six innings. He allowed eight hits, two runs (earned), on two walks and three punchouts. Reliever Kent Emanuel fanned four in two innings of work. El Paso starter Walker Lockett (2-4) mustered six and two-thirds frames despite taking the loss. He scattered five hits, four runs (earned), walking one and striking out three.
Jake Marisnick added two hits and Cody Bohanek singled to center in the seventh for his first Triple-A hit.
The Grizzlies head back to the friendly confines of Chukchansi Park Monday night for game one of a four-game set versus the Reno Aces. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PT with pre-game starting at 6:05 on milb.streamguys1.com/fresnogrizzlies. Fresno RHP Mike Hauschild (2-3, 5.22) and Reno RHP Jake Buchanan (2-3, 3.86) are the probable starters.
