Grizzlies Triumph in Ninth over Freedom
August 16, 2018 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
SAUGET, Il - On the heels of two days off, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, saw the Gateway Grizzlies snap their six-game skid with a walk-off, 3-2, victory on Wednesday night, handing the Freedom their third straight loss in the opener at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
With the score tied, 2-2, and All-Star closer, Johnathon Tripp (3-4) on the bump for the Freedom (40-40) in the bottom of the ninth, Paul Russo found his way on first with a one-out infield single to put the winning run on base for Gateway (34-37). Russo would finish, 4-4 at the plate, totaling four singles, three of which did not leave the infield. Shane Mardirosian followed by hitting a high-drive to right-center that was dropped by John Price Jr., putting a pair of runners in scoring position for Blake Brown. Brown would be intentionally walked, loading the bases for Trae Santos who delivered a walk-off sacrifice-fly, scoring Russo from third as the Grizzlies celebrated a 3-2 victory, grabbing their first win in the last seven games. Lefty, Patrick Boyle (3-3) notched the win in relief, tossing a clean top-half of the ninth that included a pair of swinging strikeouts.
Gateway would take the first lead of the game off Florence starter, Tyler Gibson in the bottom of the second. Chace Sarchet recorded a double in the frame, and came around to score on Russo's first single of the night, putting the Grizzlies in front, 1-0. Gibson would not allow another run, scattering six hits over six terrific innings that featured five whiffs and two walks on his way to the tough-luck no-decision.
Jacob Wark would help the Freedom even the score in their very next at-bat, lacing a double that split the outfielders in right-center to lead-off the top of the third. John Price Jr. then got hit by a pitch and Austin Wobrock dropped a bunt-single down the third base line to load the bases with nobody out. After a strikeout, Skyler Ewing just missed his fourteenth home run of the year, as Brown reached over the small wall in right to take the round-tripper away, forcing Florence to settle for just one run on a sacrifice-fly. Wark put the visitors in front in the fourth, however, crushing a towering home run to right to give the Freedom a, 2-1, edge. The big-fly was the seventh of the year for the Florence first baseman.
The lead would last until the bottom of the seventh, when the Grizzlies evened the score off Freedom reliever, Evan Korson. After Russo ran into the second out of the inning at home-plate on a ground ball to third, Brown launched an opposite field solo-homer to right, stalemating the game at two apiece. Ryan Colegate would tally the last out in the seventh in relief of Korson, and added a spotless eighth inning to his ledger before the walk-off in the ninth.
These two teams will meet in the series finale on Thursday night at GCS Credit Union Ballpark. Florence will look to salvage a split with their ace Jordan Kraus on the bump opposite righty Mike Elwood for the Grizzlies. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. CT.
The Florence Freedom are members of the Independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Wayin Florence, KY. The Freedom can be found online at florencefreedom.com, or by phone at (859) 594-4487.
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