Smooth sailing for Grizzlies in 16-4 triumph over Ports

Fresno, CA (Saturday, April 9) – The Fresno Grizzlies (2-0) blasted five homers en route to a 16-4 victory over the Stockton Ports (0-2) Saturday night from Chukchansi Park. Every Grizzlies starter scored at least one time with six separate players picking up multi-runs. Six different batters had two or more hits and four starters enjoyed multi-RBI games.

Fresno enjoyed a clout in four straight innings with a quartet of starters picking up their first longball in a Grizzlies uniform. Hunter Goodman smacked the first of five Fresno bombs in the fifth, a two-run shot to left-center. In the sixth, Warming Bernabel joined the party with a solo round-tripper to left-center field. Juan Brito added a few more runs in the seventh thanks to a two-run tater to right-center. Finally, Goodman pummeled his second dinger of the contest in the eighth and Zach Kokoska smoked his first wallop two batters later.

The Grizzlies plated all 16 runs over their last five frames with nine of them coming in the eighth inning. Goodman finished with a pair of big flies and five RBI. Brito notched two hits and raced home three times. Yanquiel Fernandez, Braxton Fulford and Adael Amador combined for seven hits and two RBI.

On the other side, Athletics’ 2021 first round draft pick Max Muncy drove in all four Stockton runs with three of them coming off of a homer. Danny Bautista had a double among his three hits and Robert Puason scored a run for the Ports.

The juggernaut of runs provided Grizzlies reliever Joel Condreay (1-0) the decision and Aaron Cohn (0-1) was tagged the defeat. Both starting pitchers lasted four and two-thirds frames and each allowed three earned runs. Fresno righty Victor Juarez did not issue a walk and fanned five. With the victory, the Grizzlies will look for the sweep tomorrow afternoon from downtown Fresno.

Top Performers: Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies)

• 1B Hunter Goodman (3-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R)

• 2B Juan Brito (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, SB)

• LF Zach Kokoska (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, HBP, CS)

• 3B Warming Bernabel (1-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, HBP)

Top Performers: Stockton Ports (Oakland Athletics)

• SS Max Muncy (2-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, R)

• LF Danny Bautista (3-4, 2B)

• 2B Robert Puason (1-3, R)

On Deck:

Sunday, April 10 vs Stockton Ports, Stockton RHP Blake Beers (0-0, 0.00) vs. Fresno LHP Mason Green (0-0, 0.00), 1:05 pm PT

ON THAT FRES-NOTES:

The Grizzlies move to 19-7 against the Ports since the two teams joined the California League in 2021.

Fresno starting pitcher Victor Juarez played for Team Mexico in the 2016 Little League World Series.