Fresno RHP Will Ethridge gave up a leadoff single in the first inning and then set down the next 18 Visalia Rawhide batters as the Grizzlies won the series opener 8-1 on Tuesday night. C Drew Romo went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI as the Grizzlies pounded out 11 hits.
With the win, Fresno (15-10) moved to within two games of first-place Modesto (17-8) in the North Division and stayed a game behind San Jose (16-9) for second place.
Visalia’s S.P. Chen singled to lead off the game and moved to second on an errant pickoff throw. A fly out to CF put Chen on third with one out but Ethridge struck out A.J. Vukovich and Neyfy Castillo to end the threat. Ethridge didn’t allow another baserunner.
The Grizzlies got on the board with Romo’s RBI double in the second inning, then added two more on Ezequiel Tovar‘s 2-RBI double in the third. Fresno scored in four straight innings to push the lead up to 8-0 before Visalia got on the board with an RBI single by Jorge Barrosa in the 8th inning to close out the scoring.
Ethridge (W, 2-1) threw 79 pitches, 56 for strikes, while allowing just one hit and no walks with 8 Ks.
SCOREBOARD
MODESTO – 3
SAN JOSE – 4
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INLAND EMPIRE – 2
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 4
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LAKE ELSINORE – 1
STOCKTON – 6
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