Rawhide Blast Past Grizzlies for Series Opening Win

Visalia, CA – The Visalia Rawhide (25-33) hit two home runs and amassed 13 hits to defeat the Fresno Grizzlies (30-28) 7-3 in the series opener on Tuesday night at Valley Strong Ballpark.

Carlos Virahonda led the Rawhide with three hits, two runs and two RBI. Eight of nine Visalia batters recorded a hit. The Rawhide win their third consecutive game.

Fresno plated the game’s first run in the second inning on a sacrifice bunt.

Jose Alpuria then gave Visalia the lead in the third frame with a two run line-drive home run to left field. Alpuria has nine home runs on the season with four long balls in his last eight games.

Virahonda followed in the third with a single, advanced to third base on an Enyervert Perez double and scored on a wild pitch.

Visalia extended the lead to four runs in the fifth. JD Dix and Alpuria led off the inning with singles. Virahonda then laced a two RBI double off the left field wall.

Fresno hit a two run home run in the sixth to cut the lead in half but Visalia responded immediately. Abdias De La Cruz crushed a solo home run down the right field line in the bottom of the frame- his fourth of the season.

In the seventh Virahonda singled and came around to score on a throwing error for the game’s final run.

Jesus Escobar tossed a 4.1 innings start with three strikeouts and just four hits plus one run allowed.

Ricardo Yan was dominant in relief to earn the win. The right-hander in his first appearance in Visalia since 2023 pitched 3.1 shutout innings with eight strikeouts. He allowed just one baserunner.

Dix, Alpuria and Ivan Luciano all had two hit days. Dix extended his team best on-base streak to 24 games. Virahonda has batted in 54 runs on the season- second in the California League.

Fresno now leads the Battle for the 99 Highway Rivalry Series six games to four as the series continues on Wednesday night at Valley Strong Ballpark.

Wednesday is 70’s Disco Night as part of the Rawhide’s annual Belle of the Ballpark presented by American Quality Life Hospice. Contestants 65 and older will compete in a variety of events including “Yo Mama” jokes and a runway walk to decide the 2026 Belle of the Ballpark with fan votes included in the competition.

Plus this week the first 100 Rawhide Rustler members’ will receive a jar opener thanks to Extra Care Homecare. Fans 55 and older can join the Rawhide Rustlers senior club to receive a ticket to every Wednesday game plus giveaways throughout the season.

Great8 Wednesdays also offer $8 tickets to the Kaweah Health Grandstands. Plus fans 21 and older can enjoy $8 cocktails. And all fans can play ballpark bingo on Wednesdays.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM with gates opening for season ticket holders at 5:15 PM and the general public at 5:30 PM.

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The Visalia Rawhide are the Single-A Affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks playing professional baseball in the Central Valley since 1946. The Rawhide's 2026 theme is "Savor the Season" as the team transforms into the Central Valley Sir Loins on Saturday gamedays.   

Stay up to date with the Rawhide on the team’s website and by following the Rawhide on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and X. The Rawhide play all home games at Valley Strong Ballpark located at 300 N Giddings Street Visalia, CA 93291.

Fans can purchase season ticket packages, group ticket plans, single game tickets and team merchandise through the Rawhide website and at the stadium ticket office sponsored by Kaweah Health. All Rawhide games can be watched on MLB.TV and the Bally Sports Live App with a free radio broadcast also available online. Select home games will be aired on KNXT MyTV53. For more information, visit milb.com/visalia, email [email protected] or call (559) 732-4433.