The Salt Lake Bees (71-67) blanked the Fresno Grizzlies (81-57) 7-0 Sunday evening from Smith's Ballpark. Behind tying a franchise-record with 16 strikeouts, the Bees staff stymied the Grizzlies bats all night. Starter Griffin Canning (3-3, win) worked five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks while punching out
The Salt Lake Bees (71-67) blanked the Fresno Grizzlies (81-57) 7-0 Sunday evening from Smith's Ballpark. Behind tying a franchise-record with 16 strikeouts, the Bees staff stymied the Grizzlies bats all night. Starter Griffin Canning (3-3, win) worked five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks while punching out a career-high nine.
A pair of errors in the home half of the first by Fresno gave Salt Lake a 1-0 advantage. That lead would grow to 4-0 in the bottom of the third. Jabari Blash's (2-for-3) infield nubber netted Luis Rengifo. Then, Matt Thaiss and Blash sprinted home on a rocket single to center by Bo Way (3-for-4).
In the bottom of the fourth, the Bees extended the advantage to 6-0. Rengifo whacked a single to right, plating Sherman Johnson, who doubled. Then, Thaiss lined a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Rengifo for the third time. Blash expanded the lead to 7-0 in the home half of the seventh. He crushed a solo shot to left-center field. It was his 28th of the season, knotting AJ Reed for the most in Triple-A.
Up 7-0 in the ninth, Deck McGuire secured the shutout for the Bees with a perfect frame. Lefty Kent Emanuel (5-4) suffered the loss for the Grizzlies. He hurled four innings, scattering seven hits, six runs (five earned), while walking three and fanning three.
Kyle Tucker lengthened his current team-high hit streak to 11 games with a single in the eighth while four bullpen pitchers for Fresno mustered four frames of one-run ball. Reymin Guduan whiffed the side, Riley Ferrell enjoyed a 1-2-3 inning and Matt Ramsey walked one in the eighth.
Both squads conclude the series Monday afternoon from Smith's Ballpark with first pitch scheduled for 11:05 a.m. PT. Grizzlies RHP Akeem Bostick (0-0, 0.00) and Bees LHP Jose Suarez (1-4, 5.11) are the probable matchup in the last game of the regular season.