The Fresno Grizzlies (13-4) improved to 6-0 in day games on late Saturday afternoon at Greater Nevada Field, dispatching the Reno Aces (4-13) to their ninth consecutive defeat. For Fresno, it was their 10th win in 11 games, and their 13th victory in 15, after beginning the 2018 season 0-2
The Fresno Grizzlies (13-4) improved to 6-0 in day games on late Saturday afternoon at Greater Nevada Field, dispatching the Reno Aces (4-13) to their ninth consecutive defeat. For Fresno, it was their 10th win in 11 games, and their 13th victory in 15, after beginning the 2018 season 0-2 in Reno. The Grizzlies also improved to 7-3 in road games.
Tony Kemp (3-for-5, 3 RBI) collected hits in each of his first two plate appearances, including a RBI double to right with two out in the top of the second, staking Fresno to a 1-0 lead. Kemp has hit safely in 13 of 14 games.
Fresno extended their lead to 3-0 with a pair of RBI singles to right in the third. AJ Reed scored Kyle Tucker after a single and a stolen base, before Garrett Stubbs (2-for-4) followed suit, driving in Tyler White after a walk.
Fighting back in the fifth, Reno scored twice on a Yasmany Tomás (2-for-4) solo homer off the left field foul pole, his second of the season. Ildemaro Vargas (3-for-4) added a RBI triple to make it a 3-2 game.
In the sixth, the Grizzlies enjoyed a leadoff triple to the centerfield wall from Jon Kemmer, his second three-base hit in three days. Kemmer later scored on Kemp's RBI fielder's choice for a two-run lead.
Grizz starter Mike Hauschild (2-1) worked a quality start, scattering six hits in six innings, allowing two (earned) runs. He did not walk a batter and struck out seven, which took him to 304 career strikeouts in a Grizzlies uniform dating back to 2015, which trails Matt Palmer (305) by a strikeout for third in Fresno's Triple-A history.
The winning decision was also Hauschild's 24th win for Fresno, placing him alone in fourth on the franchise list, breaking a tie at 23 with Brady Rodgers and Palmer. Eric Hacker (28 wins) is next in Hauschild's record book sights.
Aces starter Taylor Clarke (1-3) absorbed the loss (5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K).
Still leading 4-2 in the eighth, the Grizzlies sent eight more batters to the plate, scoring thrice on four hits. A one-out double from Stubbs eventually scored on Kemp's third RBI of the day (single), and Drew Ferguson (2-for-5), who like Kemp has now hit safely in 13 of 14 games, added a RBI single as well. Tucker chipped in a sac fly to make it 7-2, which would hold up as the final.
The middle contest of the three-game set is Sunday, at 1:05 p.m. PT. The probable pitching matchup is RHP Francis Martes (0-0, 4.66) for Fresno against RHP Troy Scribner (0-1, 5.00) for Reno. The Grizzlies are 4-1 on the road trip thus far, and are in pursuit of their fifth consecutive series win to open the season on Sunday.
