Grizzlies Slug Way to Win in Rancho

BOX SCORE

The Fresno Grizzlies (66-61, 37-24) used late-inning slugging to surge past the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (69-58), 7-5, Tuesday night at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga.

The win snapped a brief skid and gave Fresno a boost as they opened their final series of the regular season.

Fresno wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first. Ethan Holliday walked and came around to score on Tanner Thach’s RBI single to right.

Robert Calaz, who also walked, advanced to third on the play, and moments later, scored on a sacrifice fly from Wilder Dalis that allowed Calaz to cross the plate, giving the Grizzlies a quick 2-0 lead.

The Quakes answered with a run in the bottom half, capitalizing on a wild pitch, but Grizzlies starter Brody Brecht escaped further damage.

Brecht got into trouble again in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with a pair of walks around a double but preserved the lead by striking out the side.

The extra-work forced Brecht to exit after three complete innings but his team added another run in the top of the fourth.

Fresno added a run in the fourth, capitalizing on a pair of errors and an infield single before a balk allowed Dalis to score.

But Rancho Cucamonga responded with three runs in their half against the Grizzlies bullpen, stringing together a pair of doubles and a single to grab a 4-3 lead.

Rancho Cucamonga extended their advantage in the sixth, as Niko Perez singled home Oswaldo Osorio to make it 5-3. Otherwise, the newest Grizzly, Zach Harris looked good in his professional debut while also tallying his first strikeout.

The Grizzlies’ bullpen kept the Quakes from doing further damage, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

In the seventh, Fresno caught fire. Jacob Humphrey reached and swiped second before Ethan Holliday delivered the big blow—a two-run homer to right, the first of his pro career—to even the score at 5-5. The Grizzlies’ dugout erupted as momentum swung back in their favor.

Fresno sealed the win in the top of the ninth. Humphrey walked and advanced to third on a single by Kelvin Hidalgo, who then stole second. With one out, Calaz ripped a two-run double to the base of the wall in center, plating both runners and giving the Grizzlies a 7-5 edge.

Seth Clausen picked up the win in relief, tossing a scoreless eighth, while Tyler Hampu earned his tenth save with a clean ninth.

The Grizzlies finished with six hits, highlighted by Calaz’s clutch double and Holliday’s game-tying homer.

Thach and Hidalgo chipped in with key singles, and Fresno made the most of their chances, overcoming Rancho Cucamonga’s eight-hit effort.

The Grizzlies look to build on the momentum as the series continues Wednesday night at LoanMart Field. First pitch is slated for 6:30pm when Fresno will send Marcos Herrera to the hill against Rancho’s lefty, Jakob Wright.

All broadcasts will be available streamed through Bally Sports Live, the MiLB App, and the Grizzlies broadcast with Tim Slack can be accessed on fresnogrizzlies.com/listen.

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The Fresno Grizzlies are a proud affiliate of the Colorado Rockies organization. During the 2024 season, the Grizzlies held several California League season records, including most attended game and highest overall attendance. The team plays at Chukchansi Park, a year-round venue that hosts numerous special events.