Grizzlies Unable to Shake Off Fourth Inning

BOX SCORE

FRESNO, Calif. – A seven-run fourth inning sent the Fresno Grizzlies to a 7-2 loss against the Visalia Rawhide on Friday night at Chukchansi Park, a frustrating turn for a night that began with plenty of drama on the mound.

Starter Sandy Ozuna was called for five illegal pitches over his first two innings, forcing him to work exclusively out of the stretch the rest of his outing.

The friction boiled over in the second inning, when a dispute over the calls got Grizzlies manager Cesar Galvez ejected by the first-base umpire.

Ozuna didn't let the distraction rattle him in the early innings. Pitching from the stretch the rest of the way, he worked three dominant, scoreless innings before losing the strike zone in the fourth, walking the bases loaded and getting pulled from the game.

Reliever Ethan Cole appeared to have limited the damage to a single run when he struck out the first batter he faced, but the Grizzlies couldn't turn a potential inning-ending double play — a throwing error on the relay opened the door, and Visalia piled up seven runs before the frame finally ended.

Fresno answered as best it could in the fifth. Cristian Arguelles doubled and Wilder Dalis tripled him home along with another run to cut the deficit to 7-2, but the Grizzlies couldn't find another run the rest of the way.

Both bullpens settled in from there. Fresno's best look came in the ninth, when Ugarte singled and Jesus Freitez walked to put two runners aboard, but Juan Martinez struck out to end it.

Dalis's two-run triple accounted for both Fresno RBIs on the night, while Arguelles and Ronny Ugarte each had multi-hit games.

Ozuna took the loss despite allowing no hits, charged with five walks and three runs in three innings of work.

The loss dropped the Grizzlies to 59-47 and 23-17 but they remain in first place in the North.

The series continues with Pro Wrestling Night on Saturday, a special guest appearance by Legend Kevin Nash, and a home debut for lefty Luichi Casilla.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:50pm with the game being broadcast on CBS 47 beginning with the Chukchansi Gold Pregame Show at 6:45pm.

ABOUT THE FRESNO GRIZZLIES

The Fresno Grizzlies are a proud affiliate of the Colorado Rockies organization. The club advanced to the California League playoffs in 2025 and continues to post some of Minor League Baseball's highest attended games. The 2026 season marks the Grizzlies' 25th year in Downtown Fresno.