Freedom Stave off Grizzlies in Game Two
Published on June 10, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
SAUGET,Il - In a game that followed a similar script as the leader of the series, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions were able to stave off a ferocious comeback from the Gateway Grizzlies in an, 8-7, win on Saturday at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
Similar to Gateway (11-15) on Friday night, the Freedom (11-14) started game two fast, sending ten men to the plate in a seven run first frame. Southpaw Grizzlies starter, Trevor Lubking (0-1) walked the first three men he faced before Andre Mercurio put Florence in front, 1-0, with a sacrifice fly to left field. Xavier Turner followed with a towering three-run shot to left field, his second big fly in as many at-bats going back to game one, and his second of the season as the Florence lead ballooned to four. With the bases freshly cleared, Connor Crane and Jacob Wark connected for back-to-back base hit singles setting up runners on the corners. Ryan Rinsky then walked to load the bases again before Chandler Rodriguez was hit by pitch, plating Crane and pushing the Freedom advantage to 5-0. Austin Wobrock then delivered an RBI ground-out that was fielded by Lubking as Wark raced in to score. With Jimmy Heck at the dish, a wild pitch allowed Rodriguez to cross home plate as the Freedom emerged from their first at-bat with a, 7-0, lead over the Grizzlies. Lubking would not return to the mound in the second, giving way to right-handed long-relief man, Grant Black. The lefty finished with a final line of one inning pitched surrendering seven runs, six earned on three hits with four walks, a hit batter and no strikeouts in his first loss of the year.
Gateway got one back in the bottom of the first courtesy a Matt Gonzalez sacrifice fly after a pair of base hit singles from Artemis Kadkhodaian and Cody Livesay put runners at first and third. Justin Ellison trimmed the deficit again in the home half of the fourth, taking Freedom starter Cody Gray deep to right field, a solo shot, for his second home run of the series and the season as the score shifted to, 7-2.
After a Crane walk and Wark's second single of the game put runners on the corners in the top of the fifth, Rinsky delivered the eventual game winning run with a base knock to center off Ryan McSweeney as Florence again moved in front by six.
The Grizzlies would make it a one-run game in the bottom half, however sending eight men to the plate in the frame. After three walks and a pair of singles cut the Freedom lead to four with one out, Gray was pulled in favor of Tyler Gibson (2-2) who inherited a bases loaded situation. Terry McClure would keep the Gateway rally alive with an ensuing RBI-single, and Ellison plated two more on a fielder's choice that included a Rodriguez throwing error at second as the Grizzlies stormed back to make it an, 8-7 game.
Gray wound up with a final line of 4.1 innings allowing seven runs, six earned on seven hits with four walks and a trio of punch-outs.
Gateway would load the bases again in the home half of the sixth, but Gibson danced out of trouble with the score still intact.
Making his Freedom debut on the bump, right-hander Jake Haberer strung together two brilliant shutout innings of relief in the seventh and eighth, tallying three strikeouts and surrendering just one infield hit by Livesay. Jameson McGrane slammed the door in the ninth, fanning two en route to his second save of the season.
The Freedom will look to take the best of four series from Gateway on Sunday, sending right-hander Zach Kirby to the mound opposite lefty Max MacNabb of the Grizzlies with first pitch slated for 6:05 p.m. CT at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
These two teams will collide for game two of a four-game set at GCS Credit Union Ballpark tomorrow. Freedom righty Cody Gray will oppose southpaw Trevor Lubking of the Grizzlies with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. CT.
The Florence Freedom are members of the Independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Wayin Florence, KY. The Freedom can be found online at florencefreedom.com, or by phone at (859) 594-4487.
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