Grizzlies Take Marathon Win Over Y'alls
May 21, 2024 - Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
Florence, Ky. - The Gateway Grizzlies amassed a season-high 11 runs and 18 hits, rebounding from two different deficits, and taking the lead for good with two outs in the eighth inning en route to an 11-7 victory over the Florence Y'alls at Thomas More Stadium on Tuesday night.
Florence struck first in the game, getting a 2-0 lead against Nathanial Tate on an RBI single by Ashton Creal and a throwing error in the bottom of the second inning. They also loaded the bases with one out in the frame, but Tate got Craig Massey to hit into an inning-ending double play, marking one of the first turning points in the see-saw game. In the top of the third inning, with two outs, Peter Zimmermann launched a no-doubt, three-run home run to left field off Florence starter Ryan Watson, putting the Grizzlies in front 3-2.
In the bottom of the inning, the Y'alls struck back, with back-to-back leadoff hit batters coming around to score on a double by T.J. Reeves to give Florence a 4-3 lead. Again, the Grizzlies responded in the next half-inning with two outs, as former Y'alll Cole Brannen roped a ringing double to right-center field to tie the game at 4-4.
It remained tied until the top of the sixth inning, when D.J. Stewart was able to score on a throwing error by Florence's Brian Fuentes to make the score 5-4 Gateway, and it became 6-4 on Jack-Thomas Wold's RBI fielder's choice in the top of the seventh. Florence would again strike back, however, as Reeves homered as part of a three-run bottom of the seventh, putting the home team back in front at 7-6.
After all the twists and turns, it was the Grizzlies who would get the last laugh. In the eighth, with two outs and Jose Alvarez on third base, Brannen was hit in the foot with a pitch by Ben Terwilliger (0-1), and after the Y'alls made a pitching change to bring in Kent Klyman to face Gabe Holt, the Grizzlie second baseman lifted a fly ball into shallow left field that Hank Zeisler could not snag on a diving attempt. Both runners scored on the double, Holt's fourth hit of the game, to put Gateway in front 8-7.
The Grizzlies would add on three more runs in the top of the ninth off Klyman, including Zimmerman's second homer of the game, for the final margin, as the Grizzlies won the series opener. They will look to make it back-to-back wins over the Y'alls in the middle game of the series on Wednesday, May 22, at 6:41 p.m. Tyler Cornett will pitch for Gateway against Florence left-hander Jonaiker Villalobos.
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