By Al Scott
Former Fresno State Bulldog Tommy Hopfe came up huge for the Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies Single-A affiliate) multiple times on Friday night. In front of 8,972 fans on Opening Night, the Grizzlies defeated the Stockton Ports (Athletics affiliate) 4-3 in 11 innings from Chukchansi Park to begin the season at 1-0 in walk-off fashion.
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What Happened?
Center fielder Yeiker Reyes led off the bottom of the first with a walk and immediately stole second. He would reach third on a fly out from right fielder Robert Calaz (Rockies #4 prospect). Reyes would be left stranded though. The following inning, Grizzlies starter Jackson Cox escaped a bases loaded jam with a punchout of Ports outfielder Joseph Rodriguez. Cox struck out three in a pair of scoreless frames in his 2025 debut.
Fast forward to the fifth inning, the Ports led off the frame with back-to-back singles. Catcher Davis Diaz grounded out the next play bringing in the first run of the game for Stockton.
With two on and two out in the bottom half of the inning, the Grizzlies tied the game at one apiece with an RBI single from Roynier Hernandez. Nathan Dettmer struck out four in five innings for Stockton, allowing just one run on three hits. The Ports reclaimed the lead in the sixth. A walk, a wild pitch and a single chased Grizzlies reliever Yanzel Correa from the game.
Correa was replaced by Fisher Jameson, who immediately traded a run for double play from Ports third baseman Myles Naylor (Athletics #25 prospect). Kevin Fitzer led off the bottom half of the inning with a grounder through the left side of the infield.
Two batters later, former Fresno State star and Grizzlies designated hitter lasered a ball to left center, just over the wall for the Grizzlies first home run of 2025. The two-run blast gave the Grizzlies its first lead of the game at 3-2. “Got a good swing on it. Quality pitch, didn’t miss it. Ended up getting the walk-off win. Pretty good night,” Hopfe said.
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In the top of the seventh, Diaz reached on a misplay from Calaz in right, then advanced to second. Second baseman Jared Sprague-Lott tied the game with a hard hit ground ball up the middle of the diamond. Cameron Leary flew out to right, where Calaz then caught Sprague-Lott napping at first base for a double play to end the inning. Fidel Ulloa replaced Jameson and threw a scoreless eighth inning with a pair of punchouts.
With two outs in the bottom of the inning, third baseman Blake Wright found the 5.5 hole for a base hit but was left stranded. Neither team scored in the ninth innings, leading to extra innings.
The Ports led off with Diaz (ghost runner) on second base. Sprague-Lott singled to right but a quick throw from Felix Tena kept Diaz at third base. Grizzlies reliever Luke Taggert was able to strike out Leary for the first out.
Taggert then induced an ending inning double play. Francisco Garcia walked to lead off the bottom of the tenth. It would be all they got going though. The Grizzlies turned the ball over to Nathan Blasick in the eleventh who stranded a Ports runner at third base in a crucial scoreless frame.
Hopfe led off the bottom half of the inning with Wright starting at second base. The Grizzlies designated hitter attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt but fouled it off. On the second try, he got it down, moving Wright over to third.
“Just get it down,” Hopfe said. “I never actually got a sac bunt down, and somehow I got it down and ended up winning the game.”
After a walk to Alan Espinal, Tena took an away pitch out to right, deep enough for Wright to scamper home for the game winning run.
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“It’s just good to get the first one out of the way,” Hopfe said.
Blasick got the win out of relief, following his 1-2-3, scoreless inning in the eleventh. Alejandro Manzano, despite not allowing an earned run in 2.2 innings, was handed the loss for Stockton.
What’s next?
The Grizzlies wrap up the weekend with two more games against the Ports. Fresno will start Ismael Luciano on Saturday against Aiden Layton for the Ports. First pitch from Chukchansi Park is set for 6:50 p.m. Brody Brecht (Rockies #5 prospect) will start for Fresno on Sunday. The Grizzlies next week will head to Inland Empire for a six game set with the 66ers (Los Angeles Angels affiliate).
Cover photo provided by the Fresno Grizzlies.