A trio of homers muscle Grizzlies past 66ers 9-2 Tuesday

San Bernardino, CA (Tuesday, April 30) – The Fresno Grizzlies (13-7) ended April on a high note, stifling the Inland Empire 66ers (4-16) 9-2 Tuesday night from San Manuel Stadium. Fresno stopped their four-game losing skid, improving to 3-2 against Inland Empire. The Grizzlies moved to 9-1 on the road (five-game winning streak), 12-1 when scoring first and 5-0 in the opening game of a series. Fresno also improved to 6-0 when allowing three runs or less on the road and 4-0 when notching 10 or more hits away from home.

The Grizzlies lineup supplied nine runs on 10 hits and seven walks. Four different starters recorded multi-hit and multi-run games with two batters mustering two or more RBI. Fadriel Cruz (3-run), Aidan Longwell (2-run) and Tevin Tucker (solo) all powered their first clouts of the season to lead the way. Cruz launched his homer with two outs in the third, Longwell crushed his wallop with two strikes in the sixth and Tucker mashed his longball as an insurance run in the ninth. Tucker reached base four times, also adding his first triple of 2024 to his line. Ben McCabe and GJ Hill were also RBI single recipients with McCabe picking up two hits on the evening. McCabe allowed Tucker to race home and score after getting into a planned rundown in the fifth.

Fresno southpaw Albert Pacheco worked four and one-third innings of two-run ball. Pacheco permitted six hits and two walks while fanning six. Collin Baumgartner (2-0, win) finished off the fifth with two big strikeouts. He has not given up a run over 11.2 innings, spanning eight outings. Jake Madden went six up and six down in two spotless frames in his return to San Bernardino (traded from Angels to Rockies last year). Tyler Hoffman and Braden Carmichael tossed the final two innings to conclude the contest.

The 66ers offense tallied two runs on eight hits and three free passes. Joe Redfield whacked a two-RBI single in the fifth, the lone run producing knock. Juan Flores reached base three times (two singles) and Dario Laverde logged two hits with a run. Inland Empire righty Keythel Key (1-2) took the loss after three tough innings. His fielding error cost the club three runs in the third frame. Cam Tullar ate up four and two-thirds innings to help the bullpen. The squads will play a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon from San Manuel Stadium.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• SS Tevin Tucker (2-3, HR, 3B, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, CS)
• RF Fadriel Cruz (2-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
• 1B Aidan Longwell (2-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R)

Top Performers: Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels)

• CF Joe Redfield (1-4, 2 RBI, BB)
• C Juan Flores (2-3, BB)
• DH Dario Laverde (2-4, R)

On Deck:

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 4:15 pm PT Fresno Grizzlies at Inland Empire 66ers (Doubleheader)

Fresno RHP Bryan Perez (1-0, 1.32) vs. Inland Empire RHP Logan Britt (1-0, 5.03) (Game 1)

Fresno LHP Stu Flesland III (1-0, 1.74) vs. Inland Empire TBD (Game 2)

On That Fres-Note:

Both of Inland Empire’s errors were from the pitcher (fielding and kicking the baseball).