Grizzlies Rally Late to Best Boomers
July 27, 2024 - Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
Sauget, Ill. - The Gateway Grizzlies had a 4-0 lead on Saturday night against the Schaumburg Boomers, saw the visitors come back to tie the game in the seventh, then batted around and scored four runs in response in the bottom of the same inning in a critical, 8-4 victory at Grizzlies Ballpark that evened up the weekend series.
After the game started with a 34-minute weather delay, it was the Grizzlies broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the second against Cole Cook. Peter Zimmermann and Edwin Mateo led off with back-to-back singles, and went to second and third base on a wild pitch. Cole Brannen then brought in the first run on an RBI groundout, making the score 1-0. Cook then walked a pair of batters with two outs before Abdiel Diaz smacked a double down the third base line to make the score 3-0.
In the fourth inning, the Grizzlies would come up clutch again, with Gabe Holt knocking a two-out RBI single into center field to score Brannen and make the score 4-0. Collin Sullivan, meanwhile, was sharp again on the mound, shutting out Schaumburg over the first five innings and collecting seven strikeouts.
The only runs the Grizzlies starter allowed came in his final inning, with Anthony Calarco leading off with a single and scoring on a two-run home run by Paxton Wallace to right field, cutting the lead in half and making the score 4-2.
In the seventh, more trouble came Gateway's way, as Kaleb Hill entered and surrendered a solo home run to Allante Hall, making it 4-3. Chase Dawson reached on an infield single, and after a fielder's choice replaced him with Brett Milazzo, Alec Whaley (3-1) was summoned from the bullpen. He got Christian Fedko to fly out to left field for the second out, but Calarco would reach on an error by Diaz before Wallace tied the score on an RBI double at 4-4.
Whaley would strike out David Harris to strand the lead runs in scoring position, however, and in the bottom of the seventh, the Grizzlies answered in a big way. Zimmermann led off with a double against Hambleton Oliver (0-3), and Mateo laid down a sacrifice bunt that was throw high to first base for an error, allowing Zimmermann to score and Mateo to go all the way to third base with the score now 5-4. After a lineout to right field, Brannen also bunted in front of the plate, with Mateo scampering home and just beating the glove flip by Oliver to Hall for a 6-4 lead.
Gateway wasn't finished. Tate Wargo then hit an RBI triple just out of the reach of a diving Fedko in right field to make it 7-4, and Jose Alvarez followed with an RBI double down the right field line for the 8-4 advantage which became the final score. The Grizzlies' bullpen did the rest, as Gateway moved into second place in the West Division standings for the first time since June 1 with the win as well as Lake Erie's loss tonight to Evansville.
The Grizzlies will now face off against the Boomers in a rubber game to decide the weekend series on Sunday, July 28, at Grizzlies Ballpark. Lukas Veinbergs will start on the mound for Gateway against Schaumburg right-hander Jackson Hickert, with first pitch scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT.
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