A crowd of 7,046 witnessed Cy Sneed and the Fresno Grizzlies (45-27, best record in Triple-A) blank the Albuquerque Isotopes (36-36) 8-0 Thursday night from Chukchansi Park. Sneed (7-3, win) faced three over the minimum in a career-high nine innings. He gave up two hits (no-hitter through six), two walks
A crowd of 7,046 witnessed Cy Sneed and the Fresno Grizzlies (45-27, best record in Triple-A) blank the Albuquerque Isotopes (36-36) 8-0 Thursday night from Chukchansi Park. Sneed (7-3, win) faced three over the minimum in a career-high nine innings. He gave up two hits (no-hitter through six), two walks and struck out 11 (career-high). It was Sneed's second complete game and his first in the Astros' system. He went seven innings on July 21, 2015 at Tampa when he pitched for Brevard County (High-A of the Brewers). Sneed punched out 10 in two different instances, one for both the Astros and Brewers' organizations. The last game was June 23, 2016 at Frisco (Double-A Corpus Christi).
The outing continues Sneed's sensational season. It is his sixth start in which he has not allowed a run and his third when opponent's muster two hits or less. In his past seven starts, Sneed has given up eight earned runs in 47 and one-third frames (1.52 ERA). He has a strikeout per inning while yielding eight free passes.
Kyle Tucker (3-for-5) gave Fresno a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when he uncorked his 10th homer of the season to right field. The bomb expanded his team-high hit streak to 10 games, becoming the seventh different Grizzly to reach that threshold. In the streak, Tucker is 22-for-45 (.489) with seven extra-base knocks, 10 RBI and 11 runs.
In the bottom of the third, the Grizzlies sent nine batters to the plate, stretching the advantage to 4-0. Myles Straw started the rally after he beat out a chopper to the pitcher. Then a single, double steal and a walk loaded the bags for AJ Reed (2-for-4). With the count full, Reed ripped a pitch to the right-center gap, unloading the bases. The double extended his RBI total to 65 (Triple-A high).
Former Fresno lefty Brett Oberholtzer (3-5) suffered the loss for the Isotopes. He allowed four runs (earned), on five hits, while walking four and fanning five in three-plus frames.
Tim Federowicz (2-for-4) pushed the lead to 6-0 in the home half of the fifth when he hit a towering drive to left field. The two-run shot was his sixth longball of the season. Derek Fisher followed with a double and scored on a grounder to short, making it 7-0. Tucker added an eighth run in the bottom of the sixth when he lined a single into center, plating Straw (walk). Straw stole two bases on the night, giving him six in five games since his promotion to Fresno.
Sneed finished the complete game with a whiff of Mike Tauchman. With the triumph, the Grizzlies moved their win streak to six games and improved to 16-3 in the first game of a set. Isotopes center fielder Raimel Tapia secured both hits and walked once in the loss.
The squads continue the series with game two tomorrow night from Chukchansi Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PT. Fresno gives the ball to RHP Mike Hauschild (5-5, 4.35) while Albuquerque has yet to name a starter.
