Grizzlies Take Series Opener from Wild Things
Published on June 23, 2023 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
Sauget, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies bounced back from an early 1-0 deficit by scoring nine unanswered runs, and snuffed out a late comeback to beat the Washington Wild Things 9-6 at Grizzlies Ballpark.
Tristan Peterson's solo home run off Carson LaRue (4-0) made it 1-0 in the first inning, but the Grizzlies answered back right away against Robert Gonzalez (0-2) in the bottom of the first, with Andrew Penner's RBI single tying the score. In the second inning, a leadoff walk by Willie Estrada and a bunt single by Eric Rivera set up Abdiel Diaz, who pushed a bunt past the first baseman for an eventual RBI double to give the Grizzlies the lead for good at 2-1. A Jairus Richards sacrifice fly would make it 3-1 after two innings.
With LaRue holding the fort on the mound, it was Diaz who walked with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, leading to a huge inning when the next five batters all reached base on hits. Gabe Holt smacked a two-run home run to right field for a 5-1 lead, and after a pair of singles by Richards and Penner, Peter Zimmermann doubled in one more run before Zach Racusin singled to center field, driving in two and increasing the Gateway lead to 8-2 in his first game back with the club.
Racusin would also reach on an infield hit in the sixth inning with two outs that plated Holt from third base and made the score 9-1. The Wild Things used a leadoff walk to kick off a three-run eighth to cut the deficit and make the score 9-4, and back-to-back solo home runs leading off the ninth brought the visitors within 9-6. But that was as far as the comeback went, as Colton Easterwood recorded the final three outs and got the Grizzlies their second consecutive win.
Gateway will look to clinch the weekend series against Washington in the second game of the series on Saturday, June 24, at 6:45 p.m. CT. Collin Sullivan will pitch for the Grizzlies in the middle contest.
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