Grizzlies Snap Losing Skid, Beat ThunderBolts
Published on July 25, 2023 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
Sauget, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies scored six runs combined in their first three turns at bat on Tuesday night at Grizzlies Ballpark, coming back from an early 3-0 deficit and beating the Windy City ThunderBolts 7-4 to break up a six-game losing streak.
Things started rocky for Zac Ryan (3-2) in the top of the first, as the Grizzlies starter allowed three hits and two walks, including a three-run home run by Micah Yonamine that put the ThunderBolts up 3-0, but the right-hander locked down from there, eventually pitching a career-high seven innings while also tying his career-best with six strikeouts in earning his third win of the year on the mound.
The Grizzlies responded to the three-run hole in the bottom of the first inning when they scored three runs themselves on an RBI single by Eric Rivera and a two-run, two-out, game-tying homer by Andrew Penner. In the second inning, Abdiel Diaz hit an RBI double off the left field wall to score a hustling Willie Estrada all the way from first base to put the home team up for good at 4-3, and Gateway expanded the advantage to 6-3 in the bottom of the third inning thanks to an RBI single from Penner and a sacrifice fly by Kyle Gaedele, playing in his first pro contest since 2018.
Ryan took care of the rest, and the Grizzlies' bullpen backed him up after an insurance RBI single by Jairus Richards made it 7-3 in the sixth inning. Matt Valin and Alec Whaley set up Josh Lucas in the ninth, with the latter recording his second save of the season as Gateway maintained their one-game lead atop the Frontier League's West Division in taking the series opener.
The Grizzlies will go for back-to-back victories at home and a series win over Windy City in the middle game of the three-game series on Wednesday, July 26, at 6:45 p.m. CT, sending Lukas Veinbergs to the hill to duel against reigning league Pitcher of the Week Logan Schmitt at Grizzlies Ballpark.
Frontier League Stories from July 25, 2023
- Titans Allow Four in Seventh, Drop Opener - Ottawa Titans
- ValleyCats Crank Five Homers in Slammers' First Visit to "The Joe" - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Grizzlies Snap Losing Skid, Beat ThunderBolts - Gateway Grizzlies
- Bolts Fizzle Against Grizzlies 7-4 - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Boomers Rally to Series Opening Victory - Schaumburg Boomers
- Washington's Late Comeback Falls Short in Series Opener - Washington Wild Things
- Y'alls Drop Fourth Straight Game, Series Opener - Florence Y'alls
- Time to Turn up the Heat - New Jersey Jackals
- Otters' Early Offense Not Enough in Loss to Crushers - Evansville Otters
- Crushers Come Back to Beat Otters - Lake Erie Crushers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
