Grizzlies Blast off Late to Take Series from Slammers
July 14, 2024 - Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
Sauget, Ill. - The Gateway Grizzlies and Joliet Slammers were tied at 1-1 going to the bottom of the eighth inning, and on the first pitch of the frame, D.J. Stewart hit a go-ahead home run as part of a two-run inning that stood as the difference in a 3-1 victory at Grizzlies Ballpark for the home team.
In a game where both teams used "spot starters," both Alvery De Los Santos and Zach Grace kept things low-scoring. De Los Santos would surrender the game's first run in the top of the fourth inning after a pair of Gateway errors began the frame, leading eventually to an RBI groundout by Cal Hejza for a 1-0 Slammers lead.
But the right-hander would allow just the single unearned run while pitching into the sixth inning, walking one and striking out six to keep the Grizzlies in the game. After his counterpart Grace departed following four innings of work, Gateway would then tie the score with two outs in the bottom of the fifth on a clutch single down the third base line by Gabe Holt, making the score 1-1 against Frank Plesac.
The Gateway bullpen would hold the line there. Alec Whaley finished off the sixth inning for De Los Santos, with Joel Condreay and Matt Hickey (2-2) tossing scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth, respectively. In the bottom of the eighth, after Ian Delleman (0-3) had previously tossed a scoreless seventh, Stewart led off and cracked Delleman's first pitch over the double wall in left field for a go-ahead home run, putting the Grizzlies in front for the first time in the game at 2-1.
Gateway would also add another run of insurance later in the inning against David Harrison, with Edwin Mateo doubling with one out, going to third on a wild pitch, and scoring on a two-out RBI single by Cole Brannen to center field. Now leading 3-1, the Grizzlies turned the ball over to Leoni De La Cruz, and the flamethrowing left-hander worked around a pair of walks in the top of the ninth to record his third save of the season, clinching the series victory and bringing an end to Gateway's five-game losing skid on Sundays.
Now at 32-24, having once again tied their season-high water mark of eight games over .500, the Grizzlies will rest up this week during the Frontier League All-Star break before returning to action on Friday, July 19, on the road against the Schaumburg Boomers, with first pitch of the series opener scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
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