The Fresno Grizzlies (66-46) fell 5-4 to the Iowa Cubs (51-58) on Friday night at Principal Park. It's only Fresno's fourth loss in their last 19 road games and they are 19-5 in their last 24 games. The Grizzlies continue to lead all of Minor League Baseball with 174 home
The Fresno Grizzlies (66-46) fell 5-4 to the Iowa Cubs (51-58) on Friday night at Principal Park. It's only Fresno's fourth loss in their last 19 road games and they are 19-5 in their last 24 games. The Grizzlies continue to lead all of Minor League Baseball with 174 home runs in 2017. Despite the loss, Fresno is 43-15 overall when scoring first this season and is 15-8 in one-run games.
The Grizzlies took the early 1-0 lead in the first when J.D. Davis (2-for-4) drove home Preston Tucker (double) with a single. Iowa tied the contest 1-1 in the second on a Victor Caratini (2-for-4) solo home run to right center, his ninth of the season.
Davis notched his second RBI of the game with a solo homer to right to put Fresno ahead 2-1 in the fourth. It was his fifth home run in 16 Triple-A games and 26th long ball of the season overall combined with Double-A Corpus Christi.
Fresno's lead increased in the fifth when Drew Ferguson led off the frame with a double and scored on an error after Juan Centeno reached on a bunt single. Shortly after, Centeno scored when Jon Kemmer grounded out to give the Grizzlies a 4-1 lead.
Iowa came back to score four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead to the end. A bases loaded walk to Tommy La Stella scored Chesny Young who started the inning with a base hit. Jemile Weeks (2-for-4) then knocked a RBI single to bring home Bijan Rademacher (single) before Elliot Soto (single) scored when Mark Zagunis reached on a fielder's choice. The final run of the game was La Stella, who scored on a Taylor Davis sacrifice fly.
Grizzlies starter Mike Hauschild (5-2) suffered the loss through six innings. He allowed all five runs on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts. It's only Fresno's third loss with Hauschild on the mound this season, as they are now 11-3 overall in his starts.
For Iowa, starter Aaron Brooks (6-9) also went six innings. He allowed the four runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in the win. Reliever Dillon Maples picked up his second save of the season with two strikeouts through the final two frames.
The Grizzlies and the Cubs will play the third of a four-game series on Saturday at 5:08 p.m. PT. RHP Rogelio Armenteros (5-0, 2.86) will be on the mound for Fresno to face Iowa LHP Rob Zastryzny (1-1, 6.67). Armenteros will be looking for his sixth win in his sixth Triple-A start of the season.
