The Fresno Grizzlies (16-8) beat the Tacoma Rainiers (12-11) 11-5 Sunday afternoon from Chukchansi Park. Fresno grabbed the series win and improved to 7-2 in day games. Andrew Thome earned his third win of the season after one and two-thirds innings of relief. Five starters picked up multiple hits and
The Fresno Grizzlies (16-8) beat the Tacoma Rainiers (12-11) 11-5 Sunday afternoon from Chukchansi Park. Fresno grabbed the series win and improved to 7-2 in day games. Andrew Thome earned his third win of the season after one and two-thirds innings of relief. Five starters picked up multiple hits and four grabbed multi-RBI in the victory.
Fresno took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Tyler White (2-for-5) cranked a double to center, scoring Kyle Tucker (3-for-5). Jack Mayfield added a second run in the bottom of the second with a sacrifice fly to center.
Tacoma regained the advantage 5-2 with two homers in the top of the fifth. Daniel Vogelbach (3-for-5) crushed a solo dinger to right, his second straight game with that feat. Then, Zach Vincej (3-for-5) bashed a grand slam to left. That would finish the line for Grizzly starter Francis Martes (no-decision). He lasted four and one-third innings, scattering four hits, allowing three runs (earned), walking eight (franchise-record), and striking out a pair.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Tacoma lead vanished with four Fresno runs. A ground-rule double by Tucker knocked in Tony Kemp. Then, White sliced a RBI single to right, adding Drew Ferguson (2-for-4). Tucker would then race home on a fielder's choice by AJ Reed. Finally, Mayfield made it 6-5 with a laser RBI single to left. The frame would signal the end for Tacoma starter Rob Whalen (loss, 3-1). He tossed five innings, allowing 10 hits, six runs (earned), walking two and ringing up four.
Tim Federowicz (3-for-4) extended the Fresno advantage to 9-5 in the bottom of the seventh when he pounced on a pitch and sailed it over the center field wall. The three-run jack was his third of the season. Tucker expanded the lead to 11-5 in the bottom of the eighth when he blasted a two-run home run to the right field scoreboard. It was his second homer of the season.
The six-run deficit was enough for Brendan McCurry, who closed the door on a series win for the Grizzlies.
Fresno leaves Chukchansi Park for a four-game series at Salt Lake starting Monday night. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 PT from Smith's Ballpark with Grizzlies' RHP Trent Thornton (1-1, 3.93) and Bees' RHP Osmer Morales (1-1, 8.00) as the probable starters. This will be Thornton's first start since he tied the PCL-record for consecutive strikeouts with eight versus Reno.
