Grizzlies Drop Slugfest in Series Finale
BOX SCORE FRESNO, Calif. — The Fresno Grizzlies nearly erased a late five-run deficit Sunday afternoon, but fell in a wild 15-14 contest to the Visalia Rawhide at Chukchansi Park. Fresno dropped the series finale despite erasing an early deficit and rallying late, though the Grizzlies still claimed four of
FRESNO, Calif. — The Fresno Grizzlies nearly erased a late five-run deficit Sunday afternoon, but fell in a wild 15-14 contest to the Visalia Rawhide at Chukchansi Park.
Fresno dropped the series finale despite erasing an early deficit and rallying late, though the Grizzlies still claimed four of six games in the Highway 99 rivalry series.
Visalia struck first with two runs in the opening inning before Tanner Thach answered immediately with a two-run homer to right field in the bottom of the first, tying the game at 2-2.
The Grizzlies seized control in the third.
Clayton Gray and Roldy Brito opened the inning with singles before Ethan Holliday walked to load the bases. Thach was hit by a pitch to force home the go-ahead run and Derek Bernard reached on a Visalia error that brought in another before Jack O’Dowd crushed a grand slam to center field, giving Fresno an 8-2 advantage.
But the Rawhide got closer as Taylor Montiel quieted the Grizzlies bats in the middle innings.
After Jose Alpuria homered in the fourth to trim the deficit, Visalia erupted for eight runs in the sixth inning on six hits, spurred by Ivan Luciano’s two-run triple, Enyervert Perez’s two-run homer and JD Dix’s two-run blast as the Rawhide flipped the Grizzlies 8-3 advantage into an 11-8 Rawhide lead..
Fresno answered with two runs in the seventh when Kyle Fossum reached on a force play that scored both Derek Bernard and O’Dowd following a throwing error, cutting the deficit to 11-10.
Visalia added insurance in both the eighth and ninth innings. Jakey Josepha delivered an RBI single in the eighth before Jose Alpuria doubled home a run and Kayson Cunningham added a two-run single in the ninth to stretch the lead to 15-10.
The Grizzlies mounted one final push in the bottom of the ninth.
Gray doubled home a run before Brito lined a two-run single to center. Holliday followed with an RBI single to right to cut the deficit to one and bring the tying run aboard before Visalia escaped with the final out.
Gray finished with three hits and three runs scored while Brito added three hits and three RBI. O’Dowd drove in four with the grand slam while Thach homered and Holliday reached base three times.
Visalia needed seven pitchers, including three in the ninth to salvage the series finale.
The loss dropped Fresno to 23-16, though the Grizzlies remained in first place with a two game lead in the California League North Division after taking four of six from Visalia during the week-long series.
The Grizzlies head to Rancho Cucamonga for the week, getting a break from North Division opponents, to begin a six-game series with the Quakes beginning on Tuesday night.
All broadcasts can be heard on FresnoGrizzlies.com/listen with the Chukchansi Gold Pregame Show starting at 6:15pm Tuesday night.
Wednesday and Thursday’s broadcast will be on 1430 ESPN Fresno.
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.