Grizzlies Drop Opener to Tower Buzzers

BOX SCORE
FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Grizzlies erased an early deficit and carried a lead into the middle innings, but the Ontario Tower Buzzers scored five unanswered runs over the final five frames to hand the Grizzlies a 7-4 loss Tuesday night at Chukchansi Park.

Ontario struck first with a pair of two-out runs in the opening inning, using a double from Ching-Hsien Ko and an RBI single by Easton Shelton to move in front 2-0.

The Grizzlies answered immediately in the bottom half. Cam Nelson walked to begin the inning, stole second and eventually scored on a balk to cut the deficit in half.

Fresno surged ahead an inning later. Carlos Renzullo worked a leadoff walk before Jesus Freitez lined a single into right field.

After Freitez stole second and Yeiker Reyes tied the game with a sacrifice fly, the Grizzlies took advantage of an Ontario miscue. K

yle Fossum and Wilder Dalis both reached on walks before Kendall George's throwing error in center kept the inning alive, allowing Freitez to lace a two-run single into left and give Fresno a 4-2 lead.

Riley Kelly settled in after the first inning, retiring 11 of the next 13 hitters before Ontario flipped the game in the fifth.

Jaron Elkins doubled home a run before Mairos Martinus launched a two-run homer to right-center, turning a two-run Fresno advantage into a 5-4 Ontario lead.

The Tower Buzzers added an insurance run in the sixth when Elkins delivered another RBI single after a pair of two-out baserunners.

Bryson Van Sickle stranded inherited runners to keep the deficit at two and combined with Manuel Olivares to hold Ontario to one run over the final 4.1 innings.

Fresno had chances to answer but could not find the big hit. The Grizzlies left 13 runners on base and finished just 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position. They loaded the bases in the seventh before Yeiker Reyes struck out to end the threat and put another runner at third in the eighth before the inning ended without a run.

Freitez paced the offense with three hits and two RBI, recording his first three-hit game of the season while adding a stolen base and throwing out Kendall George trying to steal.

Nelson reached base three times with two walks, a double and two stolen bases, while Dalis doubled and walked twice. Kelly struck out five over 4.2 innings before Van Sickle fanned six over three strong relief innings.

The Grizzlies and Tower Buzzers continue the six-game series Wednesday night at Chukchansi Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. with the Chukchansi Gold Pregame Show beginning at 6:35 p.m. on FresnoGrizzlies.com/Listen.

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.