Jack Mahoney tosses first MiLB 9-Inning Complete Game Shutout in 2024 as Grizzlies blank Ports 8-0

Fresno, CA (Friday, June 21) – The Fresno Grizzlies (39-27, 1-0) started the second half of their 2024 schedule on the right paw, blanking the Stockton Ports (26-39, 0-1) 8-0 Friday night from Chukchansi Park. The Grizzlies tied their shortest time of game this season (1 hour and 51 minutes; June 2 at San Jose), earning their first Friday home victory in 2024 (1-5). The Grizzlies third consecutive triumph in the series moved them to 74-26 all-time against the Ports with a 13-3 mark this year.

Grizzlies’ righty Jack Mahoney (4-4, win) was almost unhittable in his 12th start of the season, giving Fresno their seventh shutout victory of the year. Mahoney went the distance with catcher Ben McCabe, firing a nine-inning complete game shutout, the first in Minor League Baseball this season. The only other Minor League pitcher to toss a nine-inning complete game in 2024 was fellow Rockies’ and former Grizzlies lefty Sean Sullivan with High-A Spokane. Mahoney faced two over the minimum, retiring the first 16 batters in the contest. He allowed a one-out single to Carlos Franco in the sixth and a two-out double to Nelson Beltran in the eighth. Mahoney did not issue a walk and fanned four batters. He struck out half of those batters in the first inning and finished the complete game shutout with another punchout, this time of Dereck Salom. Mahoney ended his unbelievable feat with 95 pitches (69 strikes), yielding 18 groundouts. He received a lot of defensive support as Caleb Hobson made an unreal catch in center to end the fourth and his infielders recorded multiple tough outs. Mahoney has not allowed a run in 15 straight innings, spanning two starts.

The Rockies #19 prospect became the 19th pitcher in Grizzlies history to notch a complete game shutout (Mahoney wears #19 on his jersey as well) and the first since the club entered Single-A in 2021. Mahoney joins Chris Heston (two complete game shutouts), Chris Begg, Jason Berken, Darin Blood, Madison Bumgarner, Austin Fleet, Ryan Jensen, Sun-Woo Kim, Andrew Kown, Shane Loux, Noah Lowery, Ramon Ortiz, Brad Peacock, Brady Rodgers, Cy Sneed, Steve Soderstrom, Cesar Valdez and Barry Zito as Grizzlies’ pitchers to accomplish the feat (done 20 times overall). The most recent complete game shutout in Fresno history was thrown by Cy Sneed (Houston Astros), who did it on June 21, 2018 versus Albuquerque (Rockies affiliate) at Chukchansi Park, exactly six years ago to the date (also an 8-0 final). There have been 58 total complete games in Grizzlies history, with the last three involving a Rockies affiliate. This was the first complete game comprising of the Grizzlies and Rockies since joining ties in 2021.

The Grizzlies offense supported Mahoney with eight runs on 10 hits, three walks and one hit-by-pitch. This was the second straight evening where Fresno’s lineup supplied 10 or more hits. The Grizzlies plated one run in the first, two runs in the third, four runs in the fifth (nine batters came to the dish) and one final run in the eighth. Similar to the last complete game shutout on June 21, 2018, both Fresno teams scored in the first, third and fifth frames, while adding one run late. Andy Perez and Braylen Wimmer drove in seven of the eight RBI with Tevin Tucker providing the other knock. Perez and Wimmer mirrored their hits in the third and fifth innings. First, the duo laced back-to-back RBI singles and would follow with two-RBI singles in the latter of those frames listed above. Tucker reached base three times with a double, walk and hit-by-pitch. He waltzed home twice and mustered a late sacrifice fly. Perez, Wimmer and Tucker each swiped a base in the victory. Hobson roped a leadoff double among his two hits, skedaddling home twice at the top of the order.

Ports’ righty Jackson Finley (0-5) suffered the setback after four innings of work. He was tagged for seven runs (six earned), on eight hits and one walk while whiffing four. T.J. Czyz walked a pair of batters in a clean inning, mopping up Finley’s start. Alejandro Manzano wrapped up the Stockton bullpen with three frames of one-run ball. The squads continue their six-game set tomorrow evening from Chukchansi Park.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• RHP Jack Mahoney (9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K; CG shutout)
• 3B Andy Perez (2-3, 4 RBI, 2 R, SB)
• DH Tevin Tucker (1-1, 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB, HBP, SB)
• SS Braylen Wimmer (2-4, 3 RBI, SB)

Top Performers: Stockton Ports (Oakland Athletics)

• DH Nelson Beltran (1-3, 2B)
• C Carlos Franco (1-3)
• RHP T.J. Czyz (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K)

On Deck:

Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 6:50 pm PT Stockton Ports at Fresno Grizzlies

Stockton RHP Jose Dicochea (1-4, 6.21) vs. Fresno LHP Isaiah Coupet (4-2, 4.18)

On That Fres-Note**:**

It was Halfway to Grizzmas at Chukchansi Park, where Parker Claus took pictures and watched Mahoney gift Growlifornia a win.