FRESNO, Calif. – After battling back from multiple deficits and forcing extra innings, the Fresno Grizzlies watched a chance at a series victory slip away Sunday evening as the Lake Elsinore Storm scored twice in the 11th inning to claim a 7-5 win at Chukchansi Park.
The loss left Fresno with a split of the six-game series after the clubs traded wins throughout the week.
The Grizzlies entered the finale looking for their fourth victory in the last six games and appeared poised to secure the series before Lake Elsinore delivered the decisive blows in the final extra frame.
Lake Elsinore struck first in the second inning against Angel Jimenez. Truitt Madonna doubled and moved to third on a balk before Jorge Quintana brought him home on a fielder's choice to give the Storm a 1-0 lead.
Fresno answered immediately in the bottom half.
Luis Mendez lined a double into right field and moved to third on Jeremy Ciriaco's sacrifice bunt. Ashly Andujar followed with an RBI single to left, tying the game at one.
The Storm regained the lead in the fifth when Ryan Wideman launched a solo homer to left-center field.
Fresno countered again in the bottom of the inning as Andujar doubled and later scored on a two-out RBI single by Jesus Freitez, evening the score at 2-2.
Lake Elsinore capitalized on a pair of Fresno miscues in the sixth inning. Bradley Frye reached on an error and eventually scored on Quintana's RBI single to make it 3-2.
The Storm added another run in the seventh when Wideman reached, stole second and scored on Kerrington Cross' RBI single for a 4-2 advantage.
The Grizzlies produced their biggest rally in the bottom of the seventh.
Kyle Fossum drew a walk and Freitez ripped a double to center before Yeiker Reyes delivered a sacrifice fly. Roldy Brito followed with a game-tying RBI single to left, scoring Freitez and knotting the contest at 4-4.
Both bullpens took over from there.
Dylan Crooks stranded a runner at third in the eighth and worked two scoreless innings while Fresno threatened in the ninth.
Reyes singled, stole second and advanced to third after Brito walked and Tanner Thach was hit by a pitch, but the Grizzlies left the bases loaded when Will Koger escaped with three consecutive outs.
The Storm grabbed the lead in the 10th inning when placed runner Jose Verdugo advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Luke Cantwell's RBI single.
Fresno answered in its half of the inning as placed runner Jeremy Ciriaco came home on Fossum's RBI single to send the game to an 11th.
Lake Elsinore finally broke through in the 11th.
The automatic runner scored on a wild pitch before Verdugo added an RBI single to extend the lead to 7-5. Fresno put the tying run aboard in the bottom of the inning, but Brandon Langley retired the final three hitters to earn the save.
Freitez paced the Grizzlies offense by going 3-for-5 with a double and RBI. Andujar finished 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and stolen base, while Brito, Fossum and Reyes each drove in a run. Jimenez struck out eight over 4.2 innings, and Crooks allowed just two hits across two scoreless innings of relief.
The Grizzlies finished with 11 hits but stranded 15 runners on base in the defeat.
Fresno will look to rebound on the road as they open up a six-game series against Visalia on Tuesday night. The Grizzlies are two back of San Jose with 9 games left in the first half.
ABOUT THE FRESNO GRIZZLIES
The Fresno Grizzlies are a proud affiliate of the Colorado Rockies organization. The club advanced to the California League playoffs in 2025 and continues to post some of Minor League Baseball’s highest attended games. The 2026 season marks the Grizzlies’ 25th year in Downtown Fresno.