Bowker Has 7 RBIs In Sunday's Win
With the Grizzlies down 3-1 in the top of third inning with one out, Bowker went the opposite way to left field off Sounds starter Tim Dillard (10-6). That made it 4-3 Fresno.
It was 4-3 most of the game then in the seventh inning, Fresno added a little cushion with the bases loaded and two out it was Bowker again. He had a 3-2 count and coaxed a walk from reliever David Johnson to force home second baseman Matt Downs, and that made it 5-3 visitors.
With Fresno up 5-3 in the ninth inning Bowker came up with two on and one out and ripped a line drive home run to right field off John Axford. That hiked Fresno's lead to 8-3. It was Bowker's second two-homer game this year, he also had one against Colorado Springs at home on June 20th. It's the sixth time this year a Grizzlie has had a two-homer contest.
Nashville made things interesting in the ninth scoring twice to make it 8-5 and twice Fresno reliever Geno Espineli had to fight off the tying run at the plate to preserve the win.
Grizzlies starter Ryan Sadowski (6-2) earned his first win with Fresno since his demotion from San Francisco. The righty went 5 1/3 innings, gave up three hits, three runs (all earned), he walked three and struck out three. The three runs given up by Sadowski came on swing of the bat by Nashville third baseman Matt Gamel (9) who belted a three-run homer in the second inning. Ironically it was Gamel who was the first batter Sadowski faced in the big leagues, a Sadowski strike out back on June 28th at Milwaukee in a win.
Dillard in defeat went 6 1/3 innings, gave up eight hits, five runs (all earned), he walked three and struck out a personal season-high seven.
The final game of this four-game series is on Monday night at Greer Stadium with the first pitch at four o'clock Fresno time. Grizzlies right-hander Matt Kinney (7-11) will face Sounds lefty Chase Wright (7-6).