Grizzlies fight and survive, force deciding game in PCL Finals

Facing the prospect of elimination, the Fresno Grizzlies needed the big power swing of Jon Singleton to return and extend their season one more day.

The lefty slugger crushed a towering solo homer in the sixth inning that put the Grizzlies ahead and Fresno beat the Round Rock Express 2-1 Saturday night in Game 4 of the Pacific Coast League Finals before a vibrant announced crowd of 8,223 at Chukchansi Park.

The Grizzlies and Express will play a fifth and deciding game at 1:05 p.m. Sunday at Chukchansi Park to close out the final game of the year at Fresno’s downtown stadium.

The winner advances to the single-game Triple-A Championship against the International League champion Columbus Clippers on Tuesday in El Paso, Texas.

“I just did everything in my power to go up and have good at-bats and help our team win,” said Singleton, who drove in both of Fresno’s runs and finished 2 for 4. “It just shows that we’re not going to go without a fight.”

A day earlier, Singleton looked lost at the plate.

He went 0 for 5 with four strikeouts with his swing looking long and loopy and filled with holes.

But by taking a little off his swing Saturday, Singleton appeared to fix his timing – and it began in the middle of his first at-bat.

With runners on first and second and two outs in the third, Singleton pulled a pitch that sailed far toward right field but ended up foul. Now with two strikes in the count, Singleton went back to just looking to put the ball in play and delivered an opposite-field single that brought home Alex Presley from second base and tied the score 1-1.

On his next at-bat, Singleton wasted no time squaring up a pitch against Express left-handed reliever Edwar Cabrera and connected for a home run on the first pitch.

“Singy is going to swing hard,” Grizzlies manager Tony DeFrancesco said. “It’s going to take a big hit by any one of our guys.”

Added Singleton: “Every day is a new day, a chance to do something different. Kind of clean the slate and hope for the best.”

Grizzlies starting pitcher Asher Wojciechowski flirted with danger throughout the night in his first start in nine days.

He had at least one runner reach scoring position during the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings – but escaped each time.

When it was over, Wojciechowski had gone six innings and scattered five hits and three walks for one run (unearned). He also had seven strikeouts.

The Express finished 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base.

“Just went out and made big pitches when I needed to,” Wojciechowski said. “Definitely a couple of those innings were some nail-biters. But I was able to make a good pitch and get out of it.”

“When guys get on, you’ve really got to focus even more and try to make a big pitch. I was fortunate enough to do that.”

Round Rock manager Jason Wood, a Fresno native and former Fresno State standout, was ejected going into the bottom of the sixth after getting into a heated argument with plate umpire Jordan Ferrell.

The exchange stemmed from earlier in the sixth when Express No. 6 hitter Alex Burg was called out on strikes attempting to bunt with a runner on second and no outs. With two strikes, Wojciechowski delivered a pitch inside and Burg dodged to avoid the ball but also kept his bat in a bunting position for a strikeout.

Shortly after Wood exited the field, Singleton hit his home run for the go-ahead score. It was Singleton’s second home run of the postseason.

The Grizzlies will now turn to top pitching prospect Mark Appel for Game 5, which will mark his first appearance this series and first since Sept. 11.

Round Rock’s scheduled starter is Anthony Ranaudo, who got the start in Game 1.

Ranaudo allowed one run (unearned) on three hits and four walks over five innings in his previous outing against the Grizzlies.

“To get to the championship in Triple-A is hard enough,” DeFrancesco said. “It’s very an exciting time for all of us. We’ve worked so hard. It comes to the last game.

This story was originally published September 19, 2015 at 10:44 PM with the headline "Grizzlies fight and survive, force deciding game in PCL Finals."