Grizzlies Report for Aug. 8: Fresno 12, Sacramento 2

Saturday recap: Back-to-back home runs — Robbie Grossman’s three-run homer down the right field line and Nolan Fontana’s solo shot to deep center — sparked a six-hit, seven-run rally in the bottom of the third as the Grizzlies throttled Sacramento 12-2 to take the series. Fresno starter Mike Hauschild had eight strikeouts and allowed six hits for two runs through six innings to improve to 6-3 with a 3.49 ERA. Joe Sclafani pinch-hit a double in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to a 16 games, the longest by a Grizzly this season. It was the eighth win a row for Fresno, who are 20 games above .500 (67-47). The 67 wins also are a new franchise record for most victories through 114 games, breaking the previous record of 66 in 1998.

Grizzlies on Sunday: Fresno RH Brady Rodgers is coming off an impressive start, fanning six batters and scattering seven hits through seven shutout innings against Albuquerque, retiring 10 of 11 at one point, to improve to 9-5 with a 4.59 ERA. He takes the mound at 6:05p.m. at Chukchansi Park against Sacramento in the teams’ final meeting this season. RH Clayton Blackburn (7-3, 3.51) will start for the River Cats. In three appearances (one start) against the Grizzlies, Blackburn has allowed 12 hits and four earned runs through 11.1 innings.

Stat of the day: Plus-37 — Fresno’s run differential through the first eight games of August, scoring 54 while allowing just 17. Since the monthly calendar page turned, the Grizzlies have reeled off a season-high winning streak and pushed their Pacific Coast League Pacific Northern Division lead from 7.5 games to 12. Smart and speedy base running is part of it, with 17 steals in 20 tries this month.

This story was originally published August 8, 2015 at 10:35 PM with the headline "Grizzlies Report for Aug. 8: Fresno 12, Sacramento 2."