Highway 99 Rivalry series finale TONIGHT
Fans interested in sitting in the Growlifornia Fan Section for any of the three games against Sacramento can do so by purchasing the ticket(s) online (under Growlifornia Section) or in person at the Chukchansi Park Box Office. You'll receive a game ticket to section 107, as well as a Growlifornia Bear Flag. High-energy fans are recommended!
FRESNO, Calif. - The best rivalry in Minor League Baseball wraps a three-game series at Chukchansi Park on Thursday night when Matt Cain and the Sacramento River Cats take on Brady Rodgers and the Fresno Grizzlies.
The tension between the two teams has escalated in recent years, with the two front offices even drawing national media attention for their back-and-forth chatter on social media in the last 18 months. The showcasing of brand personalities has roused a division among the fan bases. The Grizzlies have promoted an unapologetically Fresno stance that has grounded the team in the deep-rooted pride of their area, while the River Cats have since aligned their brand strongly to their new major league affiliate.
Last Monday, a bus full of Fresnans made their way up to Raley Field in Sacramento to root on the Grizzlies to a 6-3 victory over the River Cats. Come the eighth inning, they overtook the stadium with chants of "Let's Go Grizzlies" and "Wack-ra-mento!" The energy carried over to the rest of the series, propelling the Grizzlies to earn their first series victory in the California capital since 2011.
"It's always fun," stated Fresno manager Tony DeFrancesco when asked about when the two teams meet. "We had some great fan support when we played up there and hopefully we're able to pack Chukchansi Park full of Fresno supporters so that we can take another series from them."
Some familiar faces will be wearing the colors of the enemy. Former Grizzlies pitchers Brett Bochy, Erik Cordier, Jake Dunning, Austin Fleet and Jean Machi, as well as position players Trevor Brown, Guillermo Quiroz, Hector Sanchez, Ehire Adrianza, Juan Ciriaco, Adam Duvall, Kevin Frandsen, Travis Ishikawa, Darren Ford, Ryan Lollis, Jarrett Parker, and Juan Perez are all now on the active roster of the Sacramento River Cats. The 2014 Fresno Grizzlies field staff consisting of manager Bob Mariano, hitting coach Andy Skeels, pitching coach Dwight Bernard, athletic trainer L.J. Petra, and strength coach Brad Lawson all returned to the Giants Triple-A affiliate for the initial season in Sacramento.
Series Information:
All games at Chukchansi Park in Downtown Fresno
Thursday, June 25th - 7:05 PM first pitch (Purchase tickets here)
Sacramento RHP Matt Cain vs. Fresno RHP Brady Rodgers
The series will conclude on Thursday, June 25th when former Fresno Grizzlies pitcher Matt Cain makes a rehab start for the River Cats and opposes Fresno righty Brady Rodgers. The start by Cain will be his first at Chukchansi Park since the 2005 season that saw him set the Grizzlies franchise record for strikeouts in a season (176). He'll face stiff competition in Rodgers, who is 5-2 with a 2.94 ERA (17 ER/52.0 IP) over his last nine starts.
Additional promotions for Thursday night include a Burger Throwdown between Colorado Grill and Meltdown Bistro. The two will be selling two sliders for $7 out of concession stands along the third-base concourse near the Tecate Cantina. Colorado Grill's classic burger, which has won them the title of Best Burger in Fresno, will go up against Meltdown Bistro's "Juicy Lucy Slider," which is a grass fed beef slider stuffed with your choice of either blue cheese and bacon, or cheddar, bacon and mushroom. From there, it's smothered in melted cheese on a mini brioche bun from Max's Artisan Breads.
Moreover, the traditional Tecate Thursday will be in full force, which offers $2 24-ounce Tecate and Tecate Light through the end of the fifth inning, and $1 12-ounce sodas all game.
For ticket information on the series, contact the Chukchansi Park Box Office at 559.320.TIXS.
ABOUT THE FRESNO GRIZZLIES
The Fresno Grizzlies, Triple-A affiliate of the first place Houston Astros, began play in 1998 and have been a Central Valley staple for 18 seasons. The team originally played their home games at Pete Beiden Field, but moved to Downtown Fresno in 2002 and opened Grizzlies Stadium (renamed Chukchansi Park in late 2006). An unapologetically Fresno marketing campaign created for the 2015 season has reenergized locals and has also caught the attention of national media outlets. The Grizzlies remain committed to making a Triple-A Baseball game affordable, as well as a full entertainment experience for fans of all ages.