Chihuahuas Lose in Shootout
The El Paso Chihuahuas’ ninth-inning rally fell one run short in the Fresno Grizzlies’ 10-9 winThursdayat Chukchansi Park. The wild game saw multiple strong El Paso comeback attempts and a Fresno inside-the-park home run.
Alex Dickerson’s bases loaded walk and Jake Goebbert’s RBI groundout gave the Chihuahuas a 2-0 lead in the first inning. It was the second time this month the Chihuahuas scored multiple first-inning runs against Fresno’s Asher Wojciechowski.
After Fresno combined to score seven runs in the second and third innings, the Chihuahuas started their comeback attempt in the fourth when Benji Gonzalez lined a two-run double over right fielder Domingo Santana. It was Gonzalez’s seventh double in 13 Triple-A games.
Goebbert’s two-run single and Rymer Liriano’s sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth got the Chihuahuas within one, but Fresno built a three-run lead on back-to-back home runs by Matt Duffy and Santana to start the bottom of the fifth. Duffy’s home run was a fly ball that landed just inside the right field line and eluded Liriano’s charging attempt. As Liriano’s momentum took him into foul territory, the ball rolled behind him while Duffy rounded the bases.
The Chihuahuas scored twice in the top of the ninth inning on a hit and two Fresno errors, but Kevin Chapman struck out Mike McCoy with Liriano at first base to complete his eighth save.
