Tigers roar back from early hole, walk-off on the Quakes 6-5 Saturday

Fresno, CA (Saturday, June 15) – The Fresno Tigers (36-25) found their stripes late against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (28-32) 6-5 Saturday night from Chukchansi Park. Fresno celebrated their fifth walk-off win of the season with their fourth coming in the bottom of the ninth. Jason Hinchman once again played hero, relishing his second walk-off hit this year (homer on May 26 vs. Visalia). Fresno improved to 8-9 in one-run affairs (6-3 at home) and enjoyed their largest comeback claws victory of the season (four-run deficit). The Tigers moved to 17-6 all-time at home against the Quakes and can win the series tomorrow evening. Fresno still sits 3.5 games back of Modesto with four contests left to play in the first half. The Nuts shelled the Visalia Rawhide for the second consecutive night.

The Tigers clawed ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first when Nick Gile smacked a solo shot to right field, his first homer in a Fresno uniform. The Quakes rumbled back with five runs over the next two frames. In the top of the second, Logan Wagner mashed a two-run tater to dead center. It was his second longball of the series and fourth bomb of the 2024 campaign. Josue De Paula crushed a three-run clout to right field, tacking Rancho Cucamonga to a 5-1 lead in the top of the third. It was De Paula’s sixth wallop of the year. The Tigers slashed the deficit to two after a three-hit fifth inning. GJ Hill laced a double to the right field corner, adding Caleb Hobson. Andy Perez then scampered home on a Braylen Wimmer RBI groundout.

The clubs traded zeroes over the next three innings with Tigers’ relievers dominating down the stretch. Trailing 5-3 in the bottom of the ninth, the Tigers’ comeback claws glistened for the first time in the series. Gile started the ensuing frenzy with a walk, bringing Perez to the dish. The Cuban native worked a seven-pitch at-bat, fouling off five straight before lining a double to right-center field. A throwing error by Rancho Cucamonga allowed Gile to waltz home, moving Perez to third and drawing the Tigers to within one. After a strikeout, Wimmer provided Fresno with a game-tying double that escaped the clutches of center fielder Kendall George. Luis Mendez was intentionally walked, which brought in a new arm for the Quakes. On the first pitch, Felix Cabrera balked, sending Wimmer and Mendez 90 feet closer to a triumph. That triumph came on the second pitch to pinch-hit hero Hinchman, who slapped a game-winning single to left field. Growlifornia let out a huge roar as the Tigers stormed the field.

Fresno starter McCade Brown was tagged for five runs on two homers in his second start with the team this season. Brown fanned three batters as he works back from injury. Stu Flesland III finished the third inning for Brown with a double play. Isaiah Coupet piggy-backed with five unbelievable innings of relief, facing one over the minimum. Coupet did not permit a hit or run, striking out eight. He beaned one batter and issued a walk. Coupet narrowly missed an immaculate first inning out of the bullpen, tossing two extra pitches to Sean McLain, punching out the side. Fellow lefty Welinton Herrera (8-2) secured his California League-leading eighth victory after three big strikeouts in the top of the ninth.

Rancho Cucamonga righty Sean Paul Linan saw his temperatures rise in his debut, chucking four and two-thirds frames of two-run ball. Linan did not walk a batter and whiffed six in a no-decision effort. A quartet of arms followed Linan, keeping the damage low until the ninth. Callum Wallace (0-2) blew the save after yielding all three runs in the final inning. The squads conclude their six-game series tomorrow evening from Chukchansi Park.

Top Performers: Fresno Tigers (Colorado Rockies)

• LHP Isaiah Coupet (5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
• PH Jason Hinchman (1-1, RBI; walk-off hero)
• 1B Nick Gile (2-4, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB)

Top Performers: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Los Angeles Dodgers)

• 1B Logan Wagner (2-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, R)
• RF Josue De Paula (1-4, HR, 3 RBI, R)
• LF Samuel Munoz (2-4, 2B, R)

On Deck:

Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 5:05 pm PT Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at Fresno Grizzlies

Rancho Cucamonga RHP Cam Day (1-3, 4.93) vs. Fresno RHP Jace Kaminska (3-2, 2.08)

On That Fres-Note:

The Grizzlies offense supplied 13 hits, four walks and two hit-by-pitches in the win. Five batters recorded multi-hit evenings.