Tower Buzzers Out-Slug Grizzlies 12-10 to Take Series Lead

FRESNO, Calif. — The Ontario Tower Buzzers shook off an early three-run hole and held off a late Fresno push to snag a 12-10 win over the Grizzlies on Thursday night at Chukchansi Park.

This victory bumps Ontario up to 41-37 for the season and gives them a 2-1 edge in this six-game series.

Fresno came out swinging, putting up three runs in the first inning. Aidan Redahan knocked in the evening’s first run with a single, Carlos Renzullo dropped down an RBI bunt, and Wilder Dalis chipped in a sacrifice fly.

But Ontario didn’t waste any time fighting back. Easton Shelton kicked things off by smashing his league-best 23rd homer in the second. He followed that up in the third, ripping a two-run double to even it up at 3-3.

Things really started rolling after that. Landyn Vidourek launched a solo homer in the fourth to give Ontario its first lead, then Jaron Elkins went deep in the fifth to make it 5-3.

The game turned in the sixth. The Tower Buzzers sent 10 guys to the plate, racking up five runs. Hits stacked up: Tunink, Vidourek, Gonzalez, Martinus, and George all chipped in, turning the heat up on Fresno’s pitching. Kellon Lindsey hit a sac fly, and then Shelton capped the big inning when a Fresno error turned his grounder into two more runs. Suddenly, Ontario had a 10-3 cushion.

Shelton had himself a night—3-for-5, a homer, two doubles, and five RBIs. He leads the California League now with 75 RBIs. Vidourek got hot with two hits, including his sixth home run, and scored three times. Elkins finished with two hits, a homer, a walk, and two runs, while Gonzalez Garcia added two more hits, including an RBI double in the ninth that ended up being the difference.

On the mound, Hyun-Seok Jang notched his third win of the year. Even though he stumbled in the first inning, he came back strong. He gave up four runs (three earned) in 5.1 innings and racked up five strikeouts. After that rough start, Jang retired 10 of 11 batters and blanked Fresno through the fifth, giving Ontario’s lineup room to work.

Fresno didn’t just roll over, though. Redahan had a monster performance, 3-for-4, his first pro homer, a double, and five RBIs. Fresno put up a four-run rally in the seventh, added one in the eighth, and had the tying run up in the ninth.

Ontario’s bullpen bent, but never broke. Jose Cabrera came in to get the last two outs in the sixth. Jholbran Herder escaped trouble in the eighth, then Jecsua Liborius worked out of a bases-loaded jam and finished off the final 1.1 innings for his sixth save.

The Tower Buzzers racked up 13 hits and took advantage of four Fresno errors, keeping up the offensive spark that’s got them ahead in this series. Game four is set for Friday night in Fresno.