Round Rock blasts Fresno Grizzlies to brink of elimination

Fresno Grizzlies starter Brett Oberholtzer didn’t have it from the very start.

The lineup couldn’t provide much of a punch, either.

An all-around lackluster outing pushed the Grizzlies to the edge of elimination, as they fell to Round Rock 6-2 in Game 3 of the Pacific Coast League Finals before a boisterous but visibly disappointed announced crowd of 10,014 at Chukchansi Park.

Round Rock leadoff hitter Lewis Brinson crushed two of the three home runs surrendered by Oberholtzer, as the Express teed off on the Grizzlies lefty for six runs and 10 hits while taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

For the first time this postseason, the Grizzlies will play an elimination game – relying on right-hander Asher Wojciechowski for Saturday’s must-win scenario against Express righty Francisco Mendoza. A fifth and deciding game would be Sunday, also at Chukchansi Park, if necessary.

“All I know is you’ve got to win three,” Grizzlies manager Tony DeFrancesco said. “We’re not out of it. Tomorrow’s a big day. You’ve got to fight another day.”

Oberholtzer, 26, had been the Grizzlies’ top starter at home during the regular season, going 5-1 with a 1.87 ERA.

But about once every four to five starts, Oberholtzer’s pattern has been to mix in a messy showing. On Friday, he started and ended in a mess.

Brinson homered over the 400-foot mark in center to start the game. The Express would go on to get leadoff hits in four of the five innings that Oberholtzer was on the mound.

“Balls hit were up in the zone,” Grizzlies catcher Tyler Heineman said. “We’re doing our best to work down. But I don’t think he had complete feel of where he wanted to throw the ball.”

Express starter Phil Klein fired off six scoreless innings, striking out nine. Klein, 26, had spent the majority of his career as a reliever before he was converted into a starter late this season. He’s turned it up during the postseason, not allowing a run in 13 playoff innings.

The Grizzlies were held scoreless until Heineman’s two-out, bases-loaded single brought in two in the eighth.

Fresno, on its way to stranding 11, was 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Wojciechowski will make his first start since Sept. 10, a 5-4 win against El Paso in a first-round series. Mendoza pitched in relief in Game 1 of the series on Tuesday, allowing three runs on five hits in two innings, though Round Rock won 9-8 in 12 innings.

“It’s a big game for us,” Wojciechowski said. “I’m looking forward to going out there and getting the ‘W’ for us.”

This story was originally published September 18, 2015 at 11:56 PM with the headline "Round Rock blasts Fresno Grizzlies to brink of elimination."