Grizzlies Fight Back Twice, Fall In Ninth

COLORADO SPRINGS- The Fresno Grizzlies erased a pair of three-run deficits, but could never get over the hump, falling 8-7 to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox at Security Service Field Thursday afternoon.

Entering the ninth inning trailing 7-6, Ryan Rohlinger drew a one-out walk. Then Buster Posey doubled to center for his fourth hit of the day to plate Rohlinger and tie the game. Joe Borchard was intentionally walked in front of Brett Pill, who lined into an inning-ending double play, leaving the score tied.

That set the stage for a bizarre bottom of the frame. After Geno Espineli walked Jonathan Herrera on four pitches and Chris Frey sacrificed him to second, Espineli intentionally walked Matt Miller to put runners at first and second with one out. Waldis Joaquin came into the game and induced a ground ball to shortstop Ryan Rohlinger, who threw the ball away attempting a force as second base, as Herrera came around with the winning run.

Fresno trailed right from the start, as Colorado Springs scored three times in the first inning. Posey cut the lead to 3-1 with a solo home run in the third innings, his third blast of the year. It was the second of his career-high four hits on the day, as he also singled in the first and doubled in the fifth and ninth innings.

Pill and Brock Bond also had huge days, each contributing three hits. Pill finished 3-for-5 with three doubles and three RBI. Bond, meanwhile, went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored, extending his team-leading on-base streak to 13 games. The Grizzlies tallied a season-high eight two-baggers in all.

Fresno tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the fifth, only to give up a pair of runs in the bottom half and another in the sixth to fall behind by three runs again. The Grizzlies scored twice in the top of the seventh to get back within one.

Juan Rincon, who blew the save in the top of the ninth, picked up the win for Colorado Springs while Espineli took the loss.

The first-place Grizzlies (17-10) return home Friday night to take on the Salt Lake Bees in the first of a four-game set, starting at 7:05pm.

W: Rincon (1-1); L: Espineli (1-1); S: None; HR: Posey (3), Eldred (3), Iannetta (2)