Colin Moran's homer in extras gives Grizz crucial series-opening win in El Paso
Once the Tacoma Rainiers lost at home 10-2 to Sacramento Sunday evening, the Fresno Grizzlies needed a win in the series opener at El Paso in order to reduce Tacoma's division lead back to three games with 28 to play. After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of ninth after El Paso tied it, Colin Moran provided the heroics in extra innings with a game-winning home run in a 3-1 victory.
Lowering his ERA to 2.96, third-lowest in the PCL, Fresno starter Mike Hauschild (fourth in the league with 109 strikeouts) held the league's best offense to just four hits over 6.2 shutout innings. Hauschild walked three with five strikeouts, against an El Paso offense that entered Sunday batting .307 as a club; a remarkable 19 points better than second place Las Vegas (.288).
The Grizzlies scored their lone run in regulation in the fourth; after Derek Fisher struck out, Jon Kemmer scored on a steal of home after a throw to second base in an attempt to catch Danny Worth, also stealing, for the third out. Still leading 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth, El Paso shortstop Diego Goris blooped his first base hit into right field with runners on the corners, tying the game.
Jordan Jankowski (win, 2-2), had converted both of his save chances since assuming Grizzlies closer duties from James Hoyt after his call-up to the Astros, chances by one and two runs. Despite blowing the save, Jankowski rebounded to strand the bases loaded in the ninth to earn the victory, and is allowing the third-lowest reliever average (.191) in the PCL.
In the bottom of the 10th, an Andrew Aplin leadoff walk set the table for Moran, who smacked his eight homer of the season to right field for a 3-1 lead. The Grizzlies then turned it over to Jandel Gustave, who worked around a two-out walk and three fly balls to secure his third save of the season.
With offense at a premium, all six Fresno hits came from two players prior to Moran's homer. Kemmer and Worth each collected three hits; continuing similar hot streaks. Kemmer, who has hit safely in 17 of his last 18 games and 18 of his last 20, raised his average to .377 (26-for-69) in that span. Worth is now 13-for-34 (.382) since returning to the Grizzlies' lineup from the Astros on August 1.
El Paso starter Bryan Rodriguez went six innings, allowing five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. The run against him was earned. Reliever Derek Eitel (4-1) was saddled with the loss, serving up Moran's homer in the 10th.
Now 7-3 on this season-long 13-game road trip, Sunday's win was the second in extra innings on this trip as well for the Grizzlies (5-3 over Las Vegas in 11 on 8/3). The rally also kept Fresno perfect this season when leading after eight innings; they're 50-0 in such games.
While chasing Tacoma in an attempt to reach the postseason in consecutive years for the first time in franchise history, the Grizzlies are 39-16 in their last 55 games since being a season-worst 10 games under .500 on June 11. Fresno is a season-best 13 games over .500 for a third separate time on this road trip (64-51-1).
Game two of the series commences Monday night at 6:05 Pacific Time at El Paso's Southwest University Park. RHP Brad Peacock (5-5, 4.13) will start for the Grizzlies, against LHP Frank Garces for the Chihuahuas (4-6, 5.04).