Dominic Smith drives in 4 in 51s’ win over Grizzlies

After combining to score 61 runs in the first two games of the series, the 51s and Grizzlies engaged in a pitchers’ duel Wednesday.

Tyler Pill did his part for the 51s, throwing seven scoreless innings.

And though the lead he left with was wiped out, the 51s came back in the bottom of the frame with three runs on a Dominic Smith double to beat Fresno 4-2 on Wednesday night at Cashman Field.

Shortly after Pill’s exit, reliever Kevin McGowan gave up a two-run home run to Fresno (55-42) center fielder Teoscar Hernandez in the eighth inning, giving the Grizzlies their first lead of the night.

It was short lived, though, as Smith hit a double off the wall in left field off Jordan Jankowski to clear the bases and give the 51s (37-60) the lead back.

In his previous at-bat, Smith hit into a double play and he figured Grizzlies would pitch him the same way.

“Especially with runners in scoring position, they don’t want to give me too much to hit,” Smith said. “They want me to chase and expand my zone. I saw the first one up and I saw the next one for a strike and just told myself ‘See it up and if it’s up, put a good swing on it,’ and I was able to do that.”

Smith had given the 51s their early lead, too, with his 13th home run of the season in the first inning off starter Trent Thornton.

Thornton gave up just four hits in his seven-inning outing.

“His curveball was his best pitch tonight,” Smith said. “He got a bunch of chases on it and stuff like that and that’s why he was able to … keep us in check for his seven innings.”

Pill matched Thornton, giving up just six hits in his seven scoreless frames.

It was a return to form for Pill, who has been the 51s’ ace this season. In his last start, he gave up a season-high seven runs and in the start before that, he had given up five runs.

The outing before that, Pill exited after just three innings with what manager Pedro Lopez had described then as “tightness in his bicep.”

“The following game it still was a little tight,” Lopez said. “I think that was the difference. The previous two outings, I don’t think he was healthy and this one he was.”

Pill cruised and even though the Grizzlies had multiple runners on in a couple of innings, none reached third.

“He kept that Fresno team off balance,” Smith said. “That’s a tough team. From one to nine, a bunch of those guys have played or can play in the big leagues right now and their numbers show it. They’re very smart, patient and mature hitters. It’s tough to go through that lineup multiple times and he was able to give us seven strong.”

“It was just a great pitchers’ duel,” Smith said. “To be able to come on top of that is always a great feeling.”

Up next

Who: Fresno Grizzlies at 51s

When: 7:05 p.m. today

Where: Cashman Field

Starters: Kent Emanuel (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Donovan Hand (2-3, 6.39 ERA)

Next five

Friday: at Memphis, 5:05 p.m.

Saturday: at Memphis, 4:35 p.m.

Sunday: at Memphis, 12:05 p.m.

Monday: at Memphis, 5:05 p.m.

Tuesday: at Nashville, 5:05 p.m.

Update

The 51s hope to get reliever Logan Taylor back early next month, pitching coach Frank Viola said Tuesday.

Taylor was concussed after a homeless man with a tire iron hit him on the back of the head during an attempted robbery in Salt Lake City in early July.

“He hasn’t even thrown off the mound yet. … We’ve got to get him on the mound. We’ve got to get him to live BP,” Viola said Tuesday. “But also it’s a gradual thing. Throwing’s one thing, but then he has to do all the physical stuff to see if the headaches come back.”

Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.