Grizzlies fall behind big early, lose 8-3

Fresno, Calif. - A five-run fourth inning by the Colorado Springs Sky Sox created an insurmountable lead for the Fresno Grizzlies to overcome as the Grizzlies fell to the Sky Sox 8-3 on Saturday at Chukchansi Park.

Colorado Springs sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth inning, with five reaching on singles. DJ LeMahieu drove in two runs with a bloop single into short right field, making it 4-0. Ben Paulsen later chased Grizzlies starting pitcher Boof Bonser from the game with a line drive single to right that drove in LeMahieu. Colorado Springs added one more run later in the inning on a throwing error by Kensuke Tanaka.

Bonser suffered the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings. The seven runs allowed were the most surrendered by Bonser this season. Bonser entered the game leading the Grizzlies starting pitchers in ERA.

Bonser allowed the leadoff hitter to reach in his first three innings pitched. While it did not hurt him in the first, a leadoff walk to Tyler Colvin in the second inning eventually led to the game's first run. Hernan Iribarren drove in Colvin with a line drive single up the middle to make it 1-0 Sky Sox.

LeMahieu scored Tim Wheeler with a single to center field in the third inning that made it 2-0 Colorado Springs. Wheeler led off the inning with a triple.

The Grizzlies showed some life in the bottom of the eighth inning when they scored all three of their runs with two outs. Gary Brown ignited the Fresno offense for the night with a single to left field. Carter Jurica then drove a triple into the right-center field gap, scoring Brown and making it 7-1. Back-to-back singles by Roger Kieschnick and Brett Pill each drove in a run as well.

Jurica finished the game 2-for-4 with a double and triple. Juan Perez and Chris Dominguez matched Jurica's team-high two hits by each going 2-for-4.

Brown's hit in his final at-bat of the night gave him a hit in each of his last three games.

Paulsen had a game-high four hits. He hit a solo home run off the batter's eye in the top of the ninth inning off Sandy Rosario.

The Grizzlies bullpen surrendered only one run in 5 1/3 innings. Carlos Teller led the way by throwing three shutout innings.

The Grizzlies will go for their first win of the four-game series on Sunday at Chukchansi Park. PCL strikeout leader Yusmeiro Petit will start for Fresno and face southpaw Drew Pomeranz of Colorado Springs.