Casilla, Newton Stifle San Jose, Inching Grizzlies Closer to Postseason
BOX SCORE FRESNO, Calif. – Luichi Casilla was dominant on the mound and the offense broke out for five runs in the second inning, as the Fresno Grizzlies bounced back with a 6-2 win over the San Jose Giants on Wednesday night at Chukchansi Park. Casilla set the tone early,
FRESNO, Calif. – Luichi Casilla was dominant on the mound and the offense broke out for five runs in the second inning, as the Fresno Grizzlies bounced back with a 6-2 win over the San Jose Giants on Wednesday night at Chukchansi Park.
Casilla set the tone early, working four scoreless innings and striking out seven while allowing just one hit before turning things over to the bullpen.
The Grizzlies made it count in the second.
Daniel Jackson and Ronny Ugarte both singled and Jack Natili walked to load the bases, and Cort MacDonald cleared them with a three-run triple to right.
Juan Martinez followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0, and Landyn Vidourek capped the outburst with a rocket for a solo homer to center, giving Fresno a commanding 5-0 lead before the Giants had managed a hit off Casilla.
San Jose got on the board in the fifth, stringing together a couple of singles to plate a run, but the Grizzlies' lead held comfortably at 5-1.
Fresno tacked on an insurance run in the eighth when Natili doubled, advanced to third on a Kyle Fossum sacrifice bunt and came around to score on a wild pitch, pushing the lead to 6-1 before San Jose scratched across a run of its own in the ninth to make the final 6-2.
Austin Newton picked up the win with four innings of one-run relief, and Ben Davis closed things out in the ninth.
Eight of the starters tallied at least one hit with Ugarte registering the only multi-hit game of the night for Fresno.
MacDonald's three-run triple and Vidourek's solo shot were the offensive headliners in a 10-hit night for the Grizzlies.
The win coupled with Stockton’s Wednesday night loss at Visalia cuts Fresno’s magic number down to two with just four games remaining in the regular season.
Fresno will have its first chance to clinch Thursday night behind Izeah Muniz on Fresno State Night at Chukchansi Park.
First pitch is 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.