Grizzlies' Bats Go Quiet in One-Run Loss to 'Bolts
Published on June 27, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
CRESTWOOD, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies fell 3-2 on Saturday night against the Windy City Thunderbolts at Ozinga Field, as errors and missed opportunities squandered a great start by Gage Vailes (3-1) on the mound.
The scoring started in the top of the second thanks to the new guy on the block when Brennan Orf singled to right field. It was Orf's first hit and RBI in his Grizzlies career and gave Gateway a 1-0 lead against Tyler Biddinger (1-0), who was making his first professional start.
But when a bases-loaded chance went by the wayside in the top of the third inning on a Victor Castillo batted ball that hit Sawyer Smith on the basepaths in the top of the third, Windy City took advantage of the misfortune. The ThunderBolts tied the game at 1-1 against Vailes on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third before adding two more runs in the fifth thanks to a pair of errors by Davie Morgan and Jose Alvarez.
Trailing 3-1 entering the sixth inning, Gateway was able to chase Biddinger from the game with a leadoff walk and single, ultimately cashing in the free pass with a sacrifice fly from Gavin Baldwin to cut the deficit to 3-2. But their offense could not come through when it mattered most, as they stranded the tying run at third base in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings en route to the third straight loss in a game decided by a single run.
The defeat tagged Vailes with the loss despite the right-hander firing seven innings and allowing just one earned run with four strikeouts while tossing 58 of his 83 pitches for strikes.
The Grizzlies will go for the series win in the rubber game on Sunday afternoon, June 28, at 1:05 p.m. CT. Ace right-hander Ben Harris will make the start for Gateway against Windy City southpaw Francis Ferguson at Ozinga Field.
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