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FL Gateway Grizzlies

Grizzlies Start Fast to Claim Series over Boomers

July 28, 2024 - Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release


Sauget, Ill. - The Gateway Grizzlies got out to a 5-0 lead through the first six innings, and survived another late push from the Schaumburg Boomers in a 5-4 victory on Sunday night at Grizzlies Ballpark, taking the series two games to one and remaining in second place in the West Division standings.

In the second inning, Gateway took full advantage of a wild Boomers starter, as Jackson Hickert (4-5) hit Peter Zimmermann with a pitch to lead off an inning in which he would allow four more "free bases." After striking out the second batter of the inning, D.J. Stewart was also plunked on the arm, and David Maberry worked a 10-pitch walk, loading the bases. A passed ball on catcher Jake Meyer made the score 1-0, and after Cole Brannen walked to re-load the bases, Tate Wargo hit an infield single to shortstop, scoring Stewart for a 2-0 lead.

Abdiel Diaz would follow with an RBI groundout to second base for a 3-0 Grizzlies advantage, and when Gabe Holt took ball four from Hickert- his third walk of the inning- Brannen scampered home on a stolen base to make it a 4-0 game.

Lukas Veinbergs (2-4), meanwhile, turned in his finest outing of the season. Despite Schaumburg getting at least one man on base in every inning but one, the all-star right-hander allowed no runs over six strong innings, walking three and striking out four to earn the win. In the bottom of the sixth, Stewart gave him an insurance run on a solo home run that stayed fair just inside the right field foul pole, giving Gateway a 5-0 lead.

That would prove to be the winning run as well, as in the seventh inning, things nearly fell apart on the Grizzlies' bullpen after Veinbergs departed the game. The Boomers loaded the bases on two singles and a walk against Joel Condreay, with a Will Prater RBI groundout making the score 5-1. Christian Fedko followed with a two-run double down the right field line to make it 5-3, and after Nathanial Tate was brought into the game, Anthony Calarco's RBI single made it a one-run game at 5-4.

Tate was able to get out of the jam with a fielder's choice and a strikeout, and Alec Whaley and Alvery De Los Santos would do the same in the last two innings, as the Boomers would get the tying run on base with a one-out single in each frame. De Los Santos stranded that run in scoring position by getting Chase Dawson to ground out to first base in the eighth, setting up more late drama in the ninth.

With Fedko on at first base and one out after he singled, Calarco hit a slow ground ball to third base that Stewart made a back-handed play on, throwing to first for the second out. Fedko, however, took too wide of a turn around second base, and Zimmermann fired a strike to Holt at the bag for the final out, securing the game-ending double play as well as the series victory. It represents just the third time this season that the Grizzlies have won a three-game series after dropping the opening contest.

Now 1.5 games ahead of third-place Lake Erie in the West Division standings, Gateway will remain at home over the off day tomorrow before opening up a three-game series against the New Jersey Jackals on Tuesday, July 30, at 6:30 p.m. CT.

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