Sosa Steps In, Guides Grizzlies To Win

TACOMA, WA- Fresno spot starter Henry Sosa pitched a season-high 5.0 innings en route to a 9-5 win over the Tacoma Rainiers on Thursday night at Cheney Stadium. It was the first meeting this year between the two squads. Combined with Sacramento's 3-2 win at Portland, Fresno (39-21) stays 11.5 games up in the Pacific Southern Division.

Sosa (4-1) replaced Joe Martinez in the starting role and allowed just one run on three hits, striking out four and hitting a batter. It was the right-hander's first start since last June 30th versus Harrisburg while with Double-A Connecticut.

Up 1-0, the Grizzlies opened things up with five runs in the second inning, all coming with two out. With runners at the corners, second baseman Brock Bond dropped a bunt-single toward third and that scored center Eugenio Velez to make it 2-0. Then right fielder Tyler Graham ripped a two-run triple down the left field line which scored catcher Steve Holm and Bond. After left fielder John Bowker was hit with a pitch, first baseman Brett Pill came through with an RBI single to right and, and designated hitter Joe Borchard chipped in with an RBI single to center, giving Fresno a 6-0 advantage.

Tacoma fell behind 7-1 before it started chipping away, with two runs in the sixth inning against Fresno reliever Osiris Matos. Matos allowed two more runs in the seventh, watching the lead shrink to 7-5. He has now allowed six runs in his last 1.1 innings. Geno Espineli came on and retired all six batters he faced, including two strikeouts over his 2.0 innings.

With the score 7-5 going to the ninth, the Grizzlies were able to add two insurance runs. Bond worked a bases loaded walk and Graham reached on an RBI-fielder's choice. Steve Edlefsen pitched a scoreless ninth for Fresno in a non-save situation.

Tacoma starter Chris Seddon gave up 12 hits in 4.1 innings. He allowed seven earned runs, walking two and striking out three.

Game two of this scheduled four-game series is on Friday night at Cheney Stadium with the first pitch at 7:00pm. Left-hander Matt Yourkin (3-1) will start for Fresno against Tacoma righty David Pauley (1-3).

GRIZZLIES PAWS:
Every Grizzly in the starting lineup had at least a hit by the fifth inning, and six finished with multi-hit games.

Graham had his first four-RBI game since June 7th of last season, while with High-A San Jose against Bakersfield (TEX). With two more hits on Thursday he maintains his .407 average. The triple was Graham's first at Triple-A. His last three-base hit was June 28th of last year also with San Jose at Modesto (COL).

Former Grizzly Steve Palazzolo pitched 2.2 scorless innings with three strikeouts for Tacoma.

Velez had a three hits, all singles. It was his third three-hit game for Fresno this year.