Grizzlies Upended by Rawhide in the 9th

BOX SCORE
FRESNO, Calif. — The Fresno Grizzlies (19-15) carried a three-run lead into the ninth inning but the Visalia Rawhide (13-21) stormed back for four runs and handed Fresno an 8-7 loss in the series opener Tuesday afternoon at Chukchansi Park.

Visalia grabbed an immediate lead when JD Dix opened the game with a leadoff homer to right field against Austin Newton.

Fresno answered quickly in the second as Tanner Thach crushed a solo homer to center, his sixth of the season, before Jeremy Ciriaco lifted a sacrifice fly to put the Grizzlies ahead 2-1.

The Grizzlies added another run in the third when Cameron Nelson singled and later scored on Derek Bernard’s sacrifice fly after Nelson and Roldy Brito executed a double steal.

Fresno stretched the lead further in the fourth after Matt Klein singled and Nelson delivered a two-run single into center to make it 5-2.

Brito tripled and scored on Bernard’s RBI double in the fifth while Fresno’s defense backed Newton throughout the afternoon with two double plays.

Newton worked five innings, allowing two runs while inducing eight groundouts in his third professional start.

Jeremy Ciriaco continued one of his best offensive stretches of the season, collecting three hits including a pair of doubles and two RBIs.

Nelson also finished with three hits and two RBIs while Bernard drove in two more runs. Fresno piled up 11 hits and carried a 6-2 lead into the eighth inning.

Visalia began its comeback when Pedro Blanco launched a two-run homer off Easton Marks in the eighth inning to cut the deficit to 6-4.

Fresno answered in the bottom half after Kyle Fossum singled and Luis Mendez drove in an insurance run with a two-out RBI single to restore a three-run cushion entering the ninth.

The Rawhide rally came quickly in the ninth after an error opened the inning. JD Dix doubled home a run before Jakey Josepha and Carlos Virahonda walked to load the bases.

José Mejía tied the game with a two-run single into left before Abdias De La Cruz lifted a go-ahead sacrifice fly to give Visalia its first lead since the opening inning.

Seth Clausen was charged with the loss after the Rawhide scored four runs in the ninth, though only one was earned following Fresno’s defensive miscues.

Luke Dotson struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win for Visalia.

The series continues Wednesday night at Chukchansi Park with first pitch scheduled for 6:50pm.

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.