Peacock, bullpen, big 8th inning lift Grizz over Aces
After dropping three of four games last week in Reno, the Fresno Grizzlies welcomed the Aces to their home turf for the first time in 2016 on Monday night. Thanks to a superb start from Brad Peacock and another shutdown night from the bullpen, the Grizz rode a three-run eighth inning to a 5-2 series-opening win.
The Grizzlies bit first in the second, on a Tyler Heineman RBI single. Heineman, who eventually moved to third on a wild pitch, scored when Eury Perez pushed a two-out bunt along the first base side and beat it for a base hit and a 2-0 Fresno lead.
Reno tied it with a big fly in the fourth; Socrates Brito ripped his first homer of the season down the right field line, scoring he and Kyle Jensen after a leadoff double.
The score remained 2-2 into the eighth, before the Grizzlies smacked a season-high three doubles in one inning. Jake Marisnick led off with a two-base hit to the wall in center, and moved over on a Colin Moran groundout. A.J. Reed was then intentionally walked to get to Danny Worth, who promptly ripped his second double of the night on a line drive into the left field corner, scoring Marisnick for the lead.
Another intentional walk to Jon Singleton loaded the bases, and again Fresno made sure the Reno strategy backfired, as Andrew Aplin crushed a ball into straightaway center off the wall, good for a two-run double and a 5-2 Grizzlies lead heading to the ninth.
Jandel Gustave picked up the win for Fresno, with a strikeout in a scoreless eighth. James Hoyt retired the Aces in order in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts, his PCL-leading 11th game finished, and his league-best seventh save.
Brad Peacock enjoyed a solid outing in a no decision: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K.
Game two of this four game series is set for Tuesday evening in Downtown Fresno at Chukchansi Park. Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Archie Bradley (2-1, 2.41) will get the start for Reno, against fellow right-hander and Houston Astros 40-man player Asher Wojciechowski (2-1, 6.16). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.