Grizzlies End Season On High Note
Mitch Lively records 2 RBI and 6 IP in 4-3 win
Fresno, Ca.---The Fresno Grizzlies (68-75) went into hibernation on a good note with 4-3 come-from-behind win on Monday afternoon at Chukchansi Park over the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (67-76).
The Grizzlies scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning which gave them the lead for good. Left fielder Kensuke Tanaka led off with a single. Following him, it was shortstop Ehire Adrianza who doubled to right center which scored Tanaka, and that tied the game. Right fielder Francisco Peguero then singled to left which moved Adrianza to third. Then it was first baseman Johnny Monell who with runners at the corners delivered a sacrifice fly to left field which scored Adrianza with what turned out to be the game-deciding run.
Fresno plated runs in the second, and the fifth courtesy of Fresno right-handed pitcher Mitch Lively who in each of those innings had RBI singles to left field. At the plate this year, Lively hit .368 with two doubles, and five RBI's. On the hill on Monday he worked six innings, three hits, two runs (both earned), he walked one, and struck out five. He figured a no-decision.
The winning pitcher for Fresno was right-hander Steve Edlefsen (2-2) by vertue of a scorless eighth inning.
Colorado Springs right-hander Cory Riordan (4-6) gave up two runs (both earned) in the eighth. Sky Sox right-handed starter Armando Galarraga gave up four hits in six innings. He gave up two runs (one earned), no walks, and one strikeout.
One of the Sky Sox runs came courtesy of a solo homer to center field by second baseman Hernan Iribarren (2) which put Colorado Springs up briefly in the top of the seventh.
The Grizzlies will break for seven months, and then begin the 2014 season on April 3rd at Las Vegas. Pitchers for that game have not been announced.
GRIZZLIES PAWS:
Fresno has won its last game of the season four straight years.
Colorado Springs won the season series 8-7 over Fresno. The teams played 15 games because a July 29th rainout at Colorado Springs was not made up. It was the only cancelled game in the 2013 season in the Pacific Coast League.
Edlefsen's appearance on Monday was the 185th for him with Fresno. He falls one game shy of Geno Espineli's Grizzlies all-time record for most games appeared by a pitcher.
Tanaka finished third in the Pacific Coast League in batting average at .329. Dean Anna of Tucson was first at .331, and Chris Owings of Reno was second at .330.
Center fielder Gary Brown led the Pacific Coast League in games appeared with 137, and official at-bats with 558. Catcher-first baseman Johnny Monell finished tied for fourth in the league with 20 homers.
Fresno was 40-32 at home.