Fresno falls 3-2 to Sacramento Saturday night

West Sacramento, Calif. (Saturday, July 13) - The Sacramento River Cats (48-44) topped the Fresno Grizzlies (47-46) 3-2 from Raley Field. Sacramento starter Conner Menez (2-0) earned the win after five and two-thirds innings of one-run ball. He allowed seven hits and struck out seven without walking a batter. Fresno lefty Ben Braymer (0-2) suffered the hard-luck loss in the pitcher's duel. Braymer punched out five, a Triple-A best for him.
Zach Green opened the scoring for the River Cats in the first. A single to center notched Abiatal Avelino. Green and Avelino would record a similar result in the fifth, the eventual go-ahead run. Chris Shaw mustered a solo shot as well for Sacramento, his 10^th of the year. Wilmer Difo highlighted the Grizzlies offense with three hits, a run and RBI. Difo plated Andrew Stevenson in the ninth. Carter Kieboom tallied the other Grizzly RBI.
Fresno dropped to 29-10 in Sacramento since the beginning of the 2015 season (4-3 in 2019). The Grizzlies are now a game and a half back of the River Cats for first place in the Pacific Northern Division Standings.
Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Washington Nationals)
• 3B Wilmer Difo (3-4, 2B, RBI, R)
• LHP Ben Braymer (5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
• RHP Ronald Peña and RHP Dakota Bacus (3.0 IP, 0 R, 4 K)
Top Performers: Sacramento River Cats (San Francisco Giants)
• 1B Zach Green (2-3, 2 RBI, BB)
• SS Abiatal Avelino (2-4, 2B, 2 R, SB)
• LHP Conner Menez (5.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
ON THAT FRES-NOTE: Jake Noll extended his club-high hit streak to eight games Saturday night in Sacramento. Noll doubled in the top of the second, his fourth extra-base hit in the current streak.