Old Issues Haunt Grizzlies in Second Half Opener
Published on July 17, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
AVON, OH. - The Gateway Grizzlies struggled once again with the base-on-balls, falling behind 6-0 in the first four innings, and through they made a push at ForeFront Field, it was not enough in a 6-4 loss to the Lake Erie Crushers to open the nominal second half.
Two walks followed a single against Andrew Ronne (2-3) in the first inning, leading to an RBI groundout by Chayton Krauss and a 1-0 Lake Erie lead. With two outs and the bases empty in the third inning, the game got away, as the right-hander surrendered a single followed by another walk and a hit batter to load the bases. Luis Acevedo then made it 3-0 with a two-run single on an 0-2 pitch, followed by an RBI double from Jarrod Watkins that chased the Grizzlies' starter from the game and made it 4-0.
A subsequent RBI single (also with two strikes) by Samuel Benjamin made the score 5-0, and in the next frame, also with two outs, a throwing error after a single by Jacob Tobias scored another batter who had reached on a walk, making the deficit 6-0.
The Grizzlies' offense, meanwhile, was nearly silent against Crushers starter Fraynel Nova (2-7), but they woke from their slumber in the fifth. Davie Morgan made his return to ForeFront Field count with an RBI single that got Gateway on the board and made it a 6-1 game, and later in the inning with two outs, Victor Castillo came up with a clutch, two-out RBI single to slice further into the deficit.
Down 6-3 entering the sixth inning, newcomer Jose Cordoba lined a solo home run out to left field, part of a three-hit day in his Gateway debut, to draw the Grizzlies within 6-4. But that is as close as they got, as despite getting leadoff hits in the seventh and the eighth innings against the Lake Erie bullpen, they could not find any additional runs in losing the series opener on the road.
The Grizzlies will look to get back in the win column on Saturday, July 18, in the middle game of the weekend series, sending Ben Harris to the mound against Crushers all-star left-hander Edwin Sanchez. First pitch at ForeFront Field is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT.
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