The host Fresno Grizzlies took an early lead and never looked back in a 7-4 win over the Salt Lake Bees in a Pacific Coast League game Saturday night in the first game of a four-game series.
Greg Belton was the emergency starting pitcher for the Bees, as scheduled starter Dylan Unsworth was scratched and put on the disabled list with back spasms. Belton, who was making just the second start of his three year career, was touched for three runs in the second inning to give Fresno a 3-0 lead.
The Bees closed the gap in the top of the fifth on a two-run double by Juan Graterol, but the Grizzlies got those runs back on a two-run homer by Kyle Tucker. The Bees scored one run in the seventh and one in the eighth to pull back to within one, but A.J. Reed belted a two-run shot for Fresno in the bottom of the eighth to close out the scoring.
Belton (0-1) went three innings and allowed three runs on four hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
Graterol led Salt Lake with three hits and two runs batted in. David Fletcher had two hits to extend his hitting streak to seven games and his on base streak to 26 games. Jose Fernandez added two hits to stretch his on base streak to 21 games.