Grizzlies' Comeback Falls Short in Loss to Slammers
Published on August 14, 2015 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
SAUGET, Ill. -- The Gateway Grizzlies fall to the Joliet Slammers 6-5 Thursday night in a back-and-forth battle at GCS Ballpark.
The Grizzlies (28-46) ended up on the short-end of a game that saw four lead changes and three ties. Nate Roberts delivered the game-winning single for Joliet (31-44) in the ninth inning off Gateway RHP Jordan Wellander.
The back-and-forth game started with Gateway jumping out in front early on. Craig Massoni crushed his third home run as a Grizzly to put Gateway up 1-0 after the first inning. Joliet quickly answered back in the second inning when Joe Staley doubled home Mike Garza to tie the game 1-1.
The rookie Ryan Johns gave the Grizzlies the lead back in the third. He tripled to score Richard Seigel who singled to start the inning. Cody Livesay added another run on an RBI groundout to plate Johns later in the inning and give Gateway a 3-1 lead.
A wild pitch and a walk cost Gateway starter Trevor Richards in the fourth inning. Richards walked Alfredo Rodriguez to start and he later scored on a wild pitch. Mike Garza followed the walk with a single and later tied the game 3-3 when Marc Flores grounded out with nobody out.
Joliet then took the lead in the next two innings when Mason Snyder homered off Richards to make it 4-3 Slammers. They added their fifth run in the sixth inning when Rodriguez doubled and later scored on a wild pitch.
Gateway tied the game 5-5 in the seventh inning, but would eventually fall after Roberts delivered the game-winning hit in the ninth. Ryan Johns RBI single cut the Gateway deficit to one and Livesay tied the game after he hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Garrett Vail.
Kevin McNorton (1-0) earned the victory after recording the final two outs in the eighth inning. Wellander (2-3) allowed the game-winning run to score and took the loss. Navery Moore picked up his 15th save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game for Joliet.
The Grizzlies head to Florence, KY to take on the Freedom for a weekend series beginning Friday night. First pitch from UC Health Stadium is set for 7:05 local time. Sam Levitt will call the action on the Grizzlies Radio Network, which airs on 101 ESPN's digital platforms and 1400 AM KJFF.
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