Grizzlies shook by Quakes 12-3 heading into the All-Star Break 

Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Sunday, July 17) – The Fresno Grizzlies (52-35, 11-10) were overwhelmed by the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (47-40, 11-10) 12-3 Sunday evening from LoanMart Field. Fresno dropped their fourth straight game to Rancho Cucamonga and fell to 10-8 against the Quakes over the past two seasons. The Grizzlies split the 12 meetings with the Quakes this year as the home team went 5-1 in both series.

Fresno mustered only three runs on six hits with one of them landing for extra-bases. In the seventh, Zach Kokoska plated Juan Guerrero with a screaming double to right. Guerrero would add the second run in the eighth on a single to left, notching Juan Brito. The second baseman finished the series 13-for-25 (.520), hitting safely in all six affairs. Brito had one homer, a triple, three doubles, seven RBI, 10 runs, five walks and three steals over the six games. Bryant Quijada finalized the Grizzlies scoring with a bases-loaded walk.

On the other side, the Rancho Cucamonga offense spanked 18 hits, the most allowed by Fresno pitching this season. The Quakes scored 12 runs with five of them coming in the seventh. Jake Vogel (double) and Damon Keith (single) pushed Rancho Cucamonga ahead 2-0 in the third. The Quakes lead expanded to 5-0 after an Austin Gauthier RBI double and a Yunior Garcia two-run homer to left-center field. It was Garcia’s eighth longball of the year. In the seventh, Rancho Cucamonga lengthened their advantage to 10-1 after a pair of two-run RBI singles by Marco Hernandez and Luis Rodriguez. A stolen base and error provided the other Quakes’ run. In the eighth, Hernandez concluded the offensive outpouring with a two-run moonshot to left-center.

Fresno starter Cullen Kafka (3-2) suffered the defeat after permitting five runs and seven hits over four innings of work. Luis Amoroso only allowed one earned run (five runs total) over two and two-thirds frames. Rancho Cucamonga lefty Maddux Bruns tossed two scoreless innings. Reliever Adolfo Ramirez (5-0) fanned five over four shutout frames, earning the victory. The squads will enjoy four days off for the All-Star Break before returning to play on Friday.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• 2B Juan Brito (1-3, R, 2 BB, SB)

• DH Zach Kokoska (1-3, 2B, RBI, BB)

• CF Juan Guerrero (2-4, RBI, R)

• C Braxton Fulford (1-4, R, BB)

Top Performers: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Los Angeles Dodgers)

• C Marco Hernandez (3-4, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB)

• DH Yunior Garcia (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB)

• RF Damon Keith (3-5, RBI, 2 R, BB)

• RHP Adolfo Ramirez (4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)

On Deck:

All-Star Break July 18-21

Friday, July 22 vs. Stockton Ports, Stockton TBA vs. Fresno RHP Case Williams (8-2, 4.50), 6:50 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTE:

Grizzlies third baseman Aiverson Rodriguez made 13 total outs over the final two games of the series.