Grand slam lifts Fresno past Sacramento
Brandon Belt hit his 11th double of the year in the first inning to score Justin Christian, who reached on a Adrian Cardenas error. Following Belt's RBI, left-handed pitcher Josh Outman struck out the next three batters.
After Carter's home run in the first, the score was 2-1 River Cats. With two outs in the third and Daric Barton on first, Carson hit his 18th home run of the year over the left-field wall. Carson's home run gave the Cats a 4-1 lead.
The Grizzlies didn't stay behind long, putting three runs on the board in the fourth. With runners on base, Christian doubled down the left-field line, scoring Max Ramirez and putting Tyler Graham on third. Edgar Gonzalez then hit the ball to Chris Carter and was thrown out at first, but Graham scored. Brett Pill's single to left field brought in Christian, the final run of the inning, to tie the game 4-4.
The Grizzlies weren't content with a tie, and with the bases loaded in the sixth Pill hit the ball to the clubhouse roof. The grand slam was Pill's 17th home run of the year and gave the Grizzlies an 8-4 lead.
The River Cats came back in the seventh to put one more run on the board. With Adrian Cardenas in scoring position, Carson hit a single to left field and brought Cardenas home. It was Carson's third RBI of the night and his 59th of the season.
"Their record doesn't show it, but they're a good team, or at least we don't play well against them," Carson said. "They are playing really confident baseball right now and they're stealing bases and they're playing good ball. We're kind of playing don't-make-a-mistake baseball, which you can't really win too many ball games doing."
Carson is hopeful though about Sunday's game against the Grizzlies.
"If we can get our confidence back against these guys and come out tomorrow and get a big win, we should be ok," he said.
Sunday is not only the final game in the homestand with the Grizzlies, it is also Dinger's Birthday Bash presented by Jelly Belly. The first 2,500 fans will receive a Dinger Bobblehead. Gates open at noon.