Grizzlies Stun Nuts with Ninth-Inning Rally to Take Series Opener

Final Score: Fresno Grizzlies 9, Modesto Nuts 8

By: Mario Ramos

MODESTO, Calif. — The Modesto Nuts let a key divisional win slip away Tuesday night, falling 9-8 to the Fresno
Grizzlies in the opener of a crucial California League North Division series at John Thurman Field. Modesto held
an 8-6 lead entering the top of the ninth, but Fresno stormed back with three runs off reliever Aneury Lora to
steal the win and stretch their lead in the standings.

The Nuts had battled to take an early 4-1 lead, plating three runs in the third and four more in the seventh to
take control. RBI hits from Gabriel Moncada, Dervy Ventura, and Cesar Quintas powered the Nuts attack.
Modesto racked up 10 hits in the game, but left 10 runners on base and struck out 13 times in a frustrating
offensive effort.

Fresno, meanwhile, capitalized on Modesto’s defensive miscues—five errors in total—and made the most of
their 12 hits. Derek Bernard, Robert Calaz, and Kevin Fitzer all had productive nights at the plate for the Grizzlies,
but it was a combination of patient at-bats and timely hits, including a bases loaded double from Jimmy Obertop
in the ninth that turned the tide. Brady Hill earned the win in relief, and Nathan Blasick picked up his league
leading 15th save with a scoreless ninth.

The loss drops Modesto to 51-40 on the season, 13-12 in the second half, and gives Fresno, now 44-47 and 15-10
in the second half, a boost in their late-season playoff push. With the series just beginning, the Nuts will need to
regroup quickly to avoid losing ground in the tightly packed North Division standings.