The Fresno Grizzlies scored eight runs in the last two innings to come all the way back from a 9-2 deficit and stun the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes with a walk-off 10-9 win Saturday night. The Grizzlies launched four home runs over those final two innings, capped off by 1B Grant Lavigne‘s game-winner, a 2-run shot to RF.
The celebratory crowd of 9,197 was effectively treated to two different baseball games. The first one saw the visiting Quakes post six runs over the first three innings off of Fresno RHP Anderson Amarista while RHP Robbie Peto set down the Grizzlies with relative ease. Peto allowed a solo home run to Julio Carreras in the fifth and then left the game with two on and two out in the sixth. Reliever Nelfri Contreras allowed one of the inherited runners to score and Rancho Cucamonga held a 6-2 lead after six innings.
The Quakes rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh on an RBI groundout by Alex De Jesus and a 2-RBI single by Imanol Vargas to make the lead comfortable again at 9-2.
Comfortable, maybe. Insurmountable? No.
A huge eighth inning turned the tide and got the home crowd engaged as the Grizzlies scratched their way to within 9-7. Homers from DH Ezequiel Tovar (8), 3B Mateo Gil (4) and C Colin Simpson (1) brought in five runs and changed the vibe in the stands.
RHP Blake Goldsberry (W, 1-0) put the Quakes down in the top of the 9th with two strikeouts and a walk and the Grizzlies were back up to bat. 2B Eddy Diaz drew a leadoff walk from reliever Carlos Alejo (L, 2-1) and came home on a double by Tovar. Lavigne followed with his 2-run shot to put the Grizzlies on top for the win.
The Grizzlies have won four straight in this series after dropping the opener on Tuesday.
At 34-19 the Grizzlies remained two games behind San Jose in the North division while Rancho Cucamonga (25-27) dropped to second place in the South division, 1/2 game behind Lake Elsinore.
The buzz at this game was quite different than the games I’ve attended at Chukchansi Park so far this season, with over 9,000 fans in attendance. It was a night-and-day difference from my last visit here on Tuesday when there were 1,946 on hand. After a cancelled season and a cautious opening to 2021, this was some strong medicine. Big attendance numbers in the Low-A West parks Saturday night. The brilliant result on the field should go a long way to getting this holiday weekend crowd in Fresno to tell everybody it’s time to go back to the ballpark.
SCOREBOARD
MODESTO – 9
VISALIA – 5
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SAN JOSE – 9
STOCKTON – 0
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INLAND EMPIRE – 5
LAKE ELSINORE – 8
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