Three Fresno homers aren't enough in a 5-3 loss to El Paso

The Fresno Grizzlies (66-51) dropped their sixth straight game, a 5-3 loss to the El Paso Chihuahuas (57-60) on Wednesday night. It's the longest losing streak of the season for the Grizzlies. It was also their third consecutive loss at home, which ties the longest such streak for the third time in 2017. Fresno is 31-13 since June 23 when they were 11 games back from the Reno Aces for first place in the PCL's Pacific North Division. The Grizzlies are now two games back for the first time since July 16.
The Chihuahuas jumped out in front with a 4-0 lead through the first two frames. In the first, a Christian Villanueva (2-for-5) two-run double drove home Rafael Ortega (3-for-5) who also doubled and Chase d'Arnaud who walked. In the second, d'Arnaud knocked his own two-RBI double to score Ortega (single) and Diego Goris who walked to get on.
The Grizzlies cut El Paso's lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the second when Jack Mayfield led off the frame with his fifth Triple-A home run of the season. The solo shot to center extended his season-long hit streak to seven games. It was Mayfield's 19^th homer of the season overall when combined with Double-A Corpus Christi.
Fresno got on the board again in the sixth to make the score 4-2. Tony Kemp led off the inning and crushed the ball to the left field gap for an inside the park home run. It was his 10^th homer of the season, extending his career-high. El Paso got the run back quickly in the top of the seventh when another Villanueva RBI double scored d'Arnaud to increase their lead to 5-2.
The Grizzlies tacked on one last run in the final frame when A.J. Reed (2-for-4) crushed his team-leading 24^th home run of the season to right to make the final score 5-3. Fresno starter Dean Deetz (3-4) suffered the loss in just two innings for the home team. He allowed four runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
El Paso lefty Dillon Overton (3-3) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts through six innings for a quality start in the win. Reliever Cory Mazzoni picked up his first save of the season with the final out in the ninth inning.
The two clubs will close out the four-game series at Chukchansi Park on Thursday night as Fresno will look to avoid getting swept. Probable starters are RHP Chris Huffman (0-0, 9.00) for the Chihuahuas and RHP Mike Hauschild (5-2, 4.85) for the Grizzlies. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.