Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes Game 2 Northern Divisional Series 9/13/22 vs San Jose
September 15, 2022 – California League (CalL) – Fresno Grizzlies News Release
The Grizzlies and Giants play Game 2 of the Northern Divisional Series tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 6:50 pm PT from Chukchansi Park. Grizzlies RHP Brayan Castillo and Giants RHP Ryan Murphy are the probable starters. I have attached the roster/game notes.
PLAYOFFS?! YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT PLAYOFFS: Earlier this month, Fresno Grizzlies playoff tickets went on sale for the team’s 2022 Postseason home games. The Grizzlies will host Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) of the best-of-3 divisional series on September 15 and 16 at Chukchansi Park. The team will play against the San Jose Giants, having already clinched their playoff spot by winning the first half. If the Grizzlies win 2 out of the 3 games in the divisional series, they will once again host Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) of the best-of-3 championship series on September 20 and 21. The championship matchup will be against the winner of the South Division’s champion. Each playoff game at Chukchansi Park will include a variety of special promotions to celebrate the postseason. The first 1,000+ fans at each game will receive an exclusive 2022 Grizzlies Playoffs rally towel. All playoff games will feature a postgame fireworks show. All tickets for the four playoff games are available now at FresnoGrizzlies.com and cost only $10 (excluding Kodiak Club, Dugout Club, and Suites). Fans 17 years old and younger are eligible to receive free tickets to the playoff games, which can be claimed at the Chukchansi Park Ticket Office or by calling the team at 559-320-TIXS(8497). Fans who purchase tickets to games that do not end up getting played will have their purchase refunded.
#GROWLIFORNIA IS BACK IN THE POSTSEASON: For the second straight season, the Fresno Grizzlies are in the playoffs after a 4-2 win over the Modesto Nuts on June 22nd from Chukchansi Park. Over the past two years, Fresno has clinched both times against Modesto. The Grizzlies claimed the California League Northern Division and the best record in the California League after winning both the first and second half. This is the first time in Grizzlies history that the team has made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The last time Fresno baseball made it to the postseason in back-to-back years were the Fresno Cardinals in 1955-1956. Since the Grizzlies won both halves, the team with the second best divisional record (San Jose Giants) earned the second Northern Division playoff spot.
GIANT AMOUNT OF MATCHUPS: The Fresno Grizzlies and San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants Single-A affiliate) play Game 2 of the Northern Divisional Series tonight at Chukchansi Park. This year, the clubs played 30 times against one another in the regular season with Fresno winning 17 of those games. The squads are squaring off again in the playoffs after meeting last year in the Low-A West Championship series, where San Jose swept Fresno 3-0.
REVENGE RING SZN: In Game 1 of the California League Northern Divisional Series, the Fresno Grizzlies routed the San Jose Giants 12-3 Tuesday night from Excite Ballpark. Fresno improved to 18-3 on Tuesdays and 20-4 in the first game of a series this season. The Grizzlies moved to 18-13 overall against the Giants in 2022. Fresno’s offense scored 12 runs on 13 hits with every starter reaching base at least once. The Grizzlies recorded a season-high four triples among their 13 hits. Fresno tallied half of their runs in the first and plated two runs in three other frames. Braxton Fulford led the charge with a pair of triples and three RBI. Fulford tied the Grizzlies franchise record for triples in a single game. Juan Guerrero was the most recent player to complete the feat on August 2nd, 2022. Yanquiel Fernandez supplied a pair of hits with one landing for a two-RBI triple. Fernandez waltzed home once on a Jordan Beck single. Beck mashed a trio of singles up the middle, driving in three runs and scoring twice. The first professional triple of A.J. Lewis’ career was the final three-bagger of the night for Fresno. Besides the players mentioned above, the rest of the Grizzlies lineup roared to successful evenings. Sterlin Thompson whacked two hits, including a double. Thompson notched two RBI and a pair of runs. Guerrero reached base three times, mustering a run. Benny Montgomery extended his hit streak to 15 games after a first inning single. Adael Amador was beaned twice, drew two walks and scampered home three times. Juan Brito walked once in the win. Five Fresno pitchers were on cruise control thanks to the run support. Jaden Hill tossed two and one-third frames of three-run ball. He fanned three before departing for the night. Cullen Kafka (1-0) received the victory after three scoreless innings. Kafka also punched out three batters. Luis Amoroso, Tanner Propst and Sergio Sanchez combined for three and two-thirds shutout frames, striking out four.
BRINGING THE HEAT WITH CASTILLO: The Grizzlies hand the ball tonight to righty Brayan Castillo for the 23rd time this year. Over his first two starts of the season, Castillo did not allow an earned run while fanning eight over 9.2 innings. In his outing on June 10th vs. Visalia, Castillo was nearly untouchable over six shutout innings, earning his first win of 2022. Castillo permitted one hit and walk while fanning six. He issued a one-out walk in the third and gave up an infield single in the sixth, both courtesy of GJ Hill. Castillo finished his evening after 69 pitches (51 strikes) while facing one batter over the minimum. The 22-year old Dominican native enters his fifth professional season with the Colorado Rockies organization. At instructional ball, Castillo showed a 93-97 MPH fastball, a slider that showed more depth than tilt and a changeup in the high-80s. Read more about the righty on Page 2.
DON’T POKE THE BEAR: The Grizzlies finished first in all of Minor League Baseball with a +208 run differential (Charleston, +174) and first with 911 runs (Rancho Cucamonga, 906). Fresno also won 83 games, the second most in the minors (Charleston, 88). The 2022 Grizzlies 83 regular season wins are the second most in franchise history, just behind the 2015 Grizzlies, who won 84 games. That 2015 squad would go on to win the PCL Championship. Fresno also finished second in all of Minor League Baseball with 127 hit-by-pitches (Modesto, 140). The 127 hit-by-pitches are the most in Grizzlies franchise history for a single-season (87, 2005). They also concluded the regular season second with 280 doubles (El Paso, 303), second with a .372 OBP (Rancho Cucamonga, .379), tied for second with a .276 batting average, third with an .831 OPS, third with a .459 slugging percentage, fourth with 2,098 total bases, fourth with 1,264 hits, fourth with 799 RBI and fourth with 55 sacrifice flies. Fresno ended with the fourth fewest amount of strikeouts (1,064) in all of Minor League Baseball and led the California League in homers (162, +13, San Jose).
AMADOR’S AMAZING ACHIEVEMENTS: Grizzlies shortstop and Rockies #3 overall prospect Adael Amador finished the regular season tied as the all-time leader in Grizzlies franchise single-season walks. Amador drew 87 walks, tying him with Damon Minor (2000) for the all-time mark. Amador also concluded the regular season ranked in the Top 10 in franchise single-season runs. Amador recorded 100 runs, putting him second all-time in Grizzlies single-season runs. The only other Grizzlies player to record 100+ runs was Calvin Murray, who notched 122 runs in 1999.
BRITO IS BRILLIANT: Grizzlies second baseman Juan Brito ended the regular season ranked in the Top 10 in franchise single-season runs with 91. That would place Brito seventh all-time with those 91 runs. Finally, Brito finished the regular season ranked in the Top 10 in franchise single-season walks with 78. That put Brito in a tie with Felipe Crespo (1999), Michael Byas (2000) and Justin Leone (2007) for third all-time.
FERNANDEZ FLEXED HIS WAY INTO THE RECORD BOOKS: Grizzlies outfielder and Rockies #12 overall prospect Yanquiel Fernandez finished the regular season as the all-time leader in Grizzlies franchise single-season RBI. On September 8th at San Jose, Fernandez crushed a clout, giving him 109 RBI on the season. He passed Scott McClain (2008) and A.J. Reed (2018) with this honor. Fernandez ended the regular season ranked in the Top 10 in franchise single-season doubles. On September 1st versus Modesto, Fernandez powered his 33rd double of the year, putting him in a tie for sixth with Matt Downs (2009) for that feat. Finally, Fernandez concluded the regular season ranked in the Top 10 in franchise single-season total bases. Fernandez is now 10th with 241 total bases.
GUERRERO IS GREAT: Grizzlies outfielder Juan Guerrero finished the regular season ranked in the Top 10 in franchise single-season runs with 89. That would place Guerrero in a tie for ninth with Gary Brown (2014) and A.J. Reed (2017).
WEAR THE BEAR: Red (20-16), Beige (14-5), Black & Gold (12-2), Gray (28-22), Specialty Promo (2-3), Fresno Tacos (3-0), Lowriders de Fresno (Copa de la Diversion, 4-0), Fresno Growers (1-0), Fresno Tigers (0-1), Red Pants (2-2).
FROM FRIEND TO FOE: The San Jose Giants coaching staff have a few names that the Central Valley may recognize. Giants pitching coach Dan Runzler was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 9th round of the 2007 MLB June Amateur Draft. He would play for the Grizzlies from 2009-2014, appearing in 144 games. Runzler would then end up pitching in the major leagues for parts of five seasons (Giants 2009-2012, Pirates 2017) before playing overseas and in independent ball. Over 97 big league games, he had a 4-2 record with a 3.89 ERA, 82 strikeouts. 46 walks and 72 hits allowed in 76.1 innings pitched. The other coach and former Grizzlies player fans may remember is Giants hitting coach Travis Ishikawa. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 21st round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Federal Way HS in Washington. Ishikawa would play eight Major League seasons starting in 2006 and ending in 2015 with time spent in San Francisco (2006, 2008-2010, 2014-2015), Milwaukee (2012), Baltimore (2013), New York AL (2013) and Pittsburgh (2014-15). Ishikawa would also don a Grizzlies uniform in 2008, 2011 and 2014, playing in 175 games. In 2008, Ishikawa would bat .310 with a 1.107 OPS over 48 games, one of the best stretches by any Fresno hitter.
CONGRATS RODNEY LINARES: Former Fresno Grizzlies manager and current Tampa Bay Rays third base coach Rodney Linares will manage the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Linares was at the helm for the Grizzlies in 2018, leading the squad to an 82-57 record and earning a playoff berth. That mark is the second best winning percentage in Grizzlies franchise history, behind last year’s team (74-41).
NEW RULES IN 2022: Major League Baseball announced in March that experimental rules will expand in the California League for the 2022 season. The following rules include the return of the pitch clock and pickoff limits. Pitchers must deliver a pitch within 14 seconds with the bases empty and 18 seconds with runners on base. Hitters must be in the batter’s box and be alert to the pitcher with nine seconds left. Pitchers will also be limited to two pickoff attempts or step-offs per plate appearance; any more without retiring the baserunner will effectively function as a balk. The league also added larger bases, increasing the size from 15 to 18 inches, a rule in place at Triple-A during the 2021 season. The increase is aimed to provide more room for players to operate around the bases, while modestly shrinking the distance between bases themselves. Additionally, the larger bases are composed of material that is expected to perform better in wetter conditions. Finally, teams must have a minimum of four defensive players on the infield when a pitch is delivered, with at least two infielders on either side of second base. The penalty for violation is an automatic ball, but if the hitter swings and gets a better outcome, the offensive team can take that. Goal is to increase batting average on balls in play.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2022 VS. SAN JOSE GIANTS (SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 6:50 PM PT
(if necessary) Game 3 of Northern Divisional Series: TBA vs. RHP Victor Juarez (6-5, 4.98)
SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 – @ TBD
Game 1 of California League Championship Series: TBA vs. TBA
SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 – VS. TBD
Game 2 of California League Championship Series: TBA vs. TBA
SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 – VS. TBD
Game 3 of California League Championship Series: TBA vs. TBA
Recent Transactions:
9/9: LHP Tanner Propst: Activated off IL
9/9: RHP Gabriel Hughes: Assigned to Fresno from ACL Rockies
9/9: RHP Gabriel Barbosa: Assigned to Fresno from ACL Rockies
9/9: RHP Bryce McGowan: Assigned to A+ Spokane from Fresno
9/6: RHP McCade Brown: Placed on IL
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