RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. —The Fresno Grizzlies pounded out 14 hits and broke open the game with a five-run fifth inning, evening the series with a 10-5 victory over the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes Wednesday night at Morongo Field.
After dropping a high scoring contest Tuesday, Fresno responded with one of its more complete offensive efforts of the season, getting multi-hit nights from Roldy Brito, Tanner Thach, Derek Bernard and Jeremy Ciriaco while Riley Kelly and a steady bullpen combination limited a dangerous Quakes lineup long enough for the offense to pull away.
The Grizzlies struck immediately in the first when Brito launched a solo home run to right-center field, just under the scoreboard for his sixth of the season, to give Fresno an early 1-0 edge.
Brito finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, continuing his torrid stretch atop the lineup.
Kelly worked around scattered traffic through the opening frames, stranding runners in the third and retiring Rancho in order in the fourth as Fresno protected the slim lead.
The SoCal native punched out four over 4.1 innings before the Quakes mounted their biggest threat in the fifth, pushing him out with two runners on.
Fresno’s offense answered before Rancho could fully settle in.
Kyle Fossum worked a leadoff walk in the fifth and came around to score on a Jeremy Ciriaco double into left field. Brito followed with an RBI single before Ethan Holliday ripped a double to right, setting the stage for Tanner Thach’s two-run triple and Derek Bernard’s RBI single to cap a five-run inning that stretched the Grizzlies lead to 6-0.
Rancho finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth after a pair of baserunners and an outfield miscue helped create traffic.
Bryson Van Sickle entered with runners aboard and limited the damage, though the Quakes trimmed the deficit to 6-2 on a two-run single from Anyelo Marquez.
The Grizzlies immediately answered again in the sixth.
Fossum doubled, Nelson walked and Brito singled to load the bases before Holliday drew a bases-loaded walk.
Bernard followed with another RBI single to push Fresno ahead 8-2 and quiet a Rancho lineup that had erupted for 11 runs a night earlier.
Van Sickle settled the middle innings and earned his first victory of the season, recording eight consecutive outs at one point and striking out three across 3.2 innings in relief.
The left-hander navigated through six hits while keeping the Quakes from delivering the knockout swing and allowed the Grizzlies offense to continue piling on.
Fresno added insurance in the seventh when a Rancho error brought home Carlos Renzullo before Thach crushed a solo homer to center in the eighth, his eighth of the year, pushing the advantage to 10-2.
Thach finished 3-for-5 with a double, triple, homer and three RBI, falling a single shy of the cycle.
Rancho mounted one final push in the eighth with three runs.
Dylan Crooks shut the door in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts to secure the victory.
Bernard finished 3-for-5 with two RBI, Ciriaco added two hits and an RBI and Holliday scored once while driving in another as Fresno improved to 24-17 and remained atop the California League North standings with a one game lead.
The Grizzlies and Quakes continue their six-game series Thursday night at Morongo Field as Angel Jimenez will take the ball for another 6:30pm start.
The Grizzlies broadcast is on 1430 ESPN Fresno beginning with the Chukchansi Gold Pregame Show at 6:15pm.
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.