Grizzlies Start Second Half with Win against Crushers
July 15, 2016 - Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
Sauget, Ill. - The Grizzlies received quality pitching and just enough offense to beat the Lake Erie Crushers 3-2 as Gateway returned to the field on Friday night for the first time since the Frontier League's All-Star break.
The Grizzlies (26-28) struck early after Seth Heck scored on a passed ball in the first inning. In the third, Heck came around to cross home again on a single from Brandon Thomas to make it 2-0 against Lake Erie lefty Stetson Nelson (2-4).
LHP Corey Kimes meanwhile delivered another solid performance as he allowed just one hit through five innings to start the game.
With Gateway leading 2-0, the Crushers (24-26) finally touched up Kimes for a run in the sixth. Lake Erie started the frame with three straight singles. Brendan Constantino then hit into a double play as a run scored. Times got out of the inning with that being the lone run scored.
In the seventh, Crushers left fielder Sean Hurley greeted Kimes with a solo homer to left centerfield which tied the game at 2-2. After Kimes put the go-ahead run on-base with a walk, RHP JaVaun West (1-3) entered the game and got out of the jam with the score still tied.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Craig Massoni smacked a solo shot deep over the right field wall at GCS Ballpark to give the Grizzlies a 3-2 edge. It was Massoni's eighth blast of the season.
West then allowed a single to Constantino in the eighth to put the tying run on-base with nobody out, but the righty from Atlanta, Mo. would bounce back to strike out three consecutive batters.
RHP Kevin Jefferis pitched a tidy ninth inning while retiring the side in order. Jefferis picked up a pair of strikeouts to notch his fifth save of the season.
The Grizzlies and Crushers play the second game of their three-game set on Saturday evening at GCS Ballpark. RHP Adam Eggnatz (3-1, 3.02 ERA) takes the mound for Gateway against Lake Erie RHP Steve Hagen (3-2, 1.31 ERA). First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
The game can be heard on the Grizzlies Radio Network, which airs Saturday on 1400 AM KJFF, 94.3 FM/1570 AM WBGZ, and online at www.GatewayGrizzlies.com/Radio. Sam Levitt and Matt Sabados have the play-by-play call.
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