Castillo, Thomas Lead Grizzlies to Series Win in Joliet
Published on July 23, 2025 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
JOLIET, ILL. - The Gateway Grizzlies earned their 39th win of the season and improved to 7-0 against the Joliet Slammers in 2025 with a 7-2 victory at Slammers Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, the club's ninth win in their last 10 games overall.
It began in the first inning against Jordan Powell (0-5) when Abdiel Diaz singled with one out. Mark Shallenberger was plunked, and D.J. Stewart walked to load the bases for Victor Castillo, who put the Grizzlies ahead 1-0 on an RBI single. Dale Thomas came up to the plate, and made it a five-run frame with a grand slam out over the left field wall, with his 10th home run of the season and second with the bases juiced making the score 5-0 Grizzlies.
Brady Fuller turned in two shutout frames to begin his pro debut on the mound, and the Grizzlies added an insurance run in the top of the third inning on an RBI groundout by Edwin Mateo for a 6-0 lead before the Slammers got on the board in the bottom half on an RBI groundout from Liam McArthur.
Fuller then ran into a bit of trouble in the fourth inning when Joliet drew a hit batter and two walks following a one-out single by Jose Contreras that forced home a run and made the score 6-2. With the tying run at the plate, however, Fuller bore down and got a strikeout and a ground ball to get out of the inning and finish off his first outing as a Grizzlie.
Gateway would add their final run to the scoreboard against Powell in the top of the fifth when Castillo smacked his 10th homer of the season over the right field fence, making the score 7-2. The Grizzlies' bullpen did the rest, with Claudio Galva (6-1) and Xander Lovin both tossing two scoreless frames around a single clean inning by Matt Hickey to nail down the road series win.
Castillo finished a triple away from the cycle, with his 3-for-4, two-RBI day giving him 50 runs batted in on the year, while Thomas' early homer was part of a 2-for-3 showing at the plate as Gateway out-hit the home side eight to three in the contest.
The Grizzlies will next look to sweep the Slammers on the road in the series finale on Thursday, July 24, sending Lukas Veinbergs to the mound against Joliet rookie right-hander Ryan Daly. First pitch at Slammers Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CT.
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