Grizzlies Report for May 2: Fresno 5, Reno 2
Rally caps – Danny Worth drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI double in the eighth inning and late-game replacement Andrew Aplin followed with a bases loaded double that brought in another pair of runs as the Fresno Grizzlies rallied for a 5-2 victory against the Reno Aces on Monday. Closer James Hoyt applied the finishing touches with a 1-2-3 ninth, including two strikeouts, en route to his Pacific Coast League-best seventh save before the announced crowd of 3,012 at Chukchansi Park. Grizzlies starting pitcher Brad Peacock fired off nine strikeouts over seven innings. He allowed two runs on four hits and three walks.
Gustave good – Grizzlies reliever Jandel Gustave logged the win, getting the final two outs of the eighth inning to lower his ERA to 2.38. Monday also was the 10th straight time out of 10 appearances that Gustave retired the first batter he faced. The 23-year-old righty from the Dominican Republic is holding batters to a .189 average over 11.1 innings.
More on Escobar– Escobar, a left-handed pitcher from Venezuela, once was a top prospect with the San Francisco Giants and played for the Grizzlies in 2014. He went 3-8 with a 5.11 ERA and had 96 strikeouts to 37 walks in 111 innings. Escobar was part of a trade in the middle of the 2014 season to the Boston Red Sox in a deal that sent starting pitcher Jake Peavy in San Francisco. Escobar made two appearances with the Red Sox in 2014 then spent the bulk of last season with Triple-A Pawtucket. He was designated for assignment April 20 and claimed by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. Escobar pitched just three innings Monday, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out five.
Up next – Coming off his best start of the season, Fresno Grizzlies RH Asher Wojciechowski (2-1, 6.16 ERA) takes the mound Tuesday against Reno Aces RH Archie Bradley (2-1, 2.41). First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at Chukchansi Park. Wojciechowski, who made three spot starts for the Houston Astros last season, struck out nine and scattered four hits and a walk for two runs over seven innings in his last outing while picking up his second win. Bradley, once considered a top pitching prospect, had his start moved back a day after Edwin Escobar joined the Aces and immediately joined the rotation.
Strikeout Aces – Reno ranked second in the 16-team Pacific Coast League with 199 strikeouts by its hitters, behind only Oklahoma City at 217. Fresno was fourth with 190 strikeouts.
The Fresno Bee
This story was originally published May 2, 2016 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Grizzlies Report for May 2: Fresno 5, Reno 2."