Series Preview: Sky Sox vs. Fresno Grizzlies

Last Time Out:

Fresno (5/2): The Grizzlies defeated the Sacramento River Cats, 11-5, last night to move into a tie with Sacramento for first place in the Pacific Southern division.  Catcher Jackson Williams led the way with two home runs and two RBIs.

Sky Sox (5/2): Last night the Sky Sox fell to the Salt Lake Bees, 2-1, on a walk-off sacrifice fly.  Aaron Cook pitched six innings, struck out five and only allowed one run.  In the loss catcher Matt McBride hit his first home run of the season.

 2012 Season Series (5-11): The Sky Sox struggled against the Grizzlies in 2012, losing all four series the two teams played.  Charlie Blackmon played in nine games against Fresno last year and hit .308 with one home run and five RBIs.

Scouting Fresno: The Fresno Grizzlies enter this series with the Sky Sox tied for first place in the Pacific Southern Division. Fresno features closer Heath Hembree who is tied for second in the league in saves with seven.  Last season against Colorado Springs Hembree had four saves in the teams’ first two series.

Joining Hembree on the pitching staff is Yusmeiro Petit.  Petit has a 6.48 ERA, but leads the league in strikeouts with 43.  The Grizzlies also boasts the league leader in RBIs, Brett Pill, who has 30.  Pill is also tied for third in the league in home runs with six, and is batting .367 on the year.

Sky Sox Notes:

TRIPLE THREAT: On 5/1 Corey Dickerson hit his league leading fifth triple of the season.  The Sky Sox now lead the league in triples at 18, with five of their players having hit two or more triples.

HEY MR. DJ: Sox infielder DJ LeMahieu is currently riding an eleven-game hitting streak. During the streak he’s raised his average from .286 to .389, scored 12 runs and plated nine more.  On 4/30, LeMahieu had two triples and became the first Sky Sox player since Eric Young Jr. to accomplish the same feat on April 20, 2011.

PAINT IT BLACK: Sky Sox centerfielder Charlie Blackmon is on a tear. So far this season he has picked up where he left off last year for the Sky Sox (hit .303 in 59 games) hitting safely in 16 of his 19 starts. He is currently batting .354 (26-for-77) with three homers, two triples, six doubles, 16 RBIs and four stolen bases. He is tied for first in the league in runs scored with 27.

Series Schedule:

5/3 @ FRE      CSP     RH Chris Volstad (0-0, 7.71)

7:05 PM PT     FRE     LH Michael Kickham (0-3, 7.94)

5/4 @ FRE      CSP     RH Jeff Manship (1-1, 8.27)

7:05 PM PT     FRE     RH Boof Bonser (1-1, 3.55)

5/5 @ FRE      CSP     LH Drew Pomeranz (4-0, 2.54)

3:05 PM PT     FRE     RH Yusmerio Petit (2-3, 6.48)

5/6 @ FRE      CSP     RH Justin Berg (1-0, 2.19)

1:05 PM PT     FRE     RH Chris Heston (2-2, 6.06)

PCL PACIFIC NORTH STANDINGS

Team                W        L          PCT     GB       Vs.

Tacoma           18        10        .643       -           0-0

SKY SOX        14        11        .560      -2.5         -

Salt Lake         14        14        .500     -4.0      2-2

Reno                9           19        .321       -9.0      4-4