Grizzlies report for April 8: Fresno 15, Las Vegas 10
Hits all around: Every Fresno starter registered a hit as the Grizzlies finished with 18 and picked up their first win of the season with a 15-10 thumping of the Las Vegas 51s on Friday night at Cashman Field. Seven of nine Grizzlies starters had multiple hits, led by designated hitter Jon Singleton’s 3-for-4 night with four RBIs. Singleton also smacked his first home run of the season with a solo shot in the sixth, a year after leading the Grizzlies with 22 homers.
Shortstop Nolan Fontana, who went 2 for 3, scored four times. The Grizzlies’ lead grew to as much as 14-8 after a four-run seventh inning that began with No. 9 hitter Andrew Aplin drawing a walk, then stealing second. Las Vegas pitching coach Frank Viola, the former Minnesota Twins ace who was the 1987 World Series MVP, was ejected amid the Grizzlies’ scoring barrage. Grizzlies prospect A.J. Reed finished 2 for 5 with two doubles, three runs and two RBIs. Cleanup hitter Danny Worth, who hit a homer and a triple in Thursday’s season opener, followed going 2 for 5 with two runs.
The 51s finished with 14 hits.
Saturday’s matchup: Fresno RH Brady Rodgers is scheduled to make his season debut against Las Vegas RH Gabriel Ynoa, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. Rodgers will be trying to get off to a better beginning after he sported an 8.22 ERA over three starts in April 2015 as opposing batters hit .366. He did allow only three walks in 15 1/3 innings that month. Rodgers is the leading Grizzlies returner in innings pitched last season after logging 115 2/3 while going 9-7 with a 4.51 ERA. Ynoa was 9-9 with a 3.90 ERA with Double-A Binghamton.
Splitting with Vegas: The Grizzlies and 51s have gone 8-8 against each other in each of the past two seasons. In the two seasons prior, the Grizzlies went 4-12 and 6-10 against Las Vegas, which has served as a New York Mets affiliate since 2012.
This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 10:50 PM with the headline "Grizzlies report for April 8: Fresno 15, Las Vegas 10."