CornBelters Drop Series Opener at Gateway
Published on June 1, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Normal CornBelters News Release
SAUGET, Ill - The Belters bats struggled up at the plate as the Gateway pitching combined for 13 strikeouts in a 7-3 loss on Friday night.
Coming into tonight's series opener the Normal battery mirrored the heat of the St. Louis summer weather. In 17 games, the CornBelters lead the Frontier League in hits (157), AVG (.282), SLG (.430), and OPS (.774).
Jack Landwehr cruised through the first inning and limited Gateway to just a walk. He retired the leadoff man in the second, but an error by Justin Fletcher led to a four-run bottom half for the Grizzlies. The former Illinois State product surrendered a two-out solo shot in the third and Normal trailed 4-0.
Ever since Fletcher has been reactivated, he has continued to rake up at the plate. He singled to right-center and was followed by a Chirino single for hit number 616 to put runners on the corners to begin the fourth. With Normal threating for the first time, Nick Cain left with an injury in the midst of his at-bat. Derek Bauer inherited a 1-2 count and worked a walk to load the bases. Leading the league in RBIs, Tanner Lubach walked to pick up his 19th (RBI) on the season. Derrick Loveless, known as Pop's, got the second Belter run of the game from his team-leading second sacrifice fly.
Gateway scored in the next two bottom halves again, in the fourth a runner barely crossed the plate right before Bauer threw out a Grizzly trying to reach third for this second outfield assist.
Making his first start on the season, Landwehr completed five and was only charged for two of Gateway's runs while picking up three strikeouts.
The Belters cut the Grizzlies lead in half in the sixth. Loveless continued his on-base streak (18) and doubled off the short porch in right to bring in Chirino.Â
First-year manager Billy Horn turned to the bullpen and it to the Mark Hendricks (6th) and Nick Bozman (7th) who both maintained their 0.00 ERA along with picking up a strikeout.
Kuhel McEachern looked to follow his fellow relievers after striking out the first two batters, but Gateway scored their sixth run on two-outs with their third solo home run of the game to lead 7-3.
Normal was unable to rally in the ninth and Kevin Mathews looks to even the series tomorrow with first pitch at 7:05.
Frontier League Stories from June 1, 2018
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- Walks Doom Beach Bums in Loss to Joliet - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Three Homers Pace Gateway to 7-3 Win - Gateway Grizzlies
- CornBelters Drop Series Opener at Gateway - Normal CornBelters
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- Washington's Comeback Attempt Comes up Just Short - Washington Wild Things
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