FL Florence Y'alls

Y'alls Lose Late Lead, Drop Eighth Straight Game

July 5, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release


SAUGET, IL - The Florence Y'alls (21-27), presented by Towne Properties, hung tough in a 5-3 defeat against the Gateway Grizzlies (30-16) on Wednesday, but lost a late one-run lead and fell to a second consecutive series sweep.

Pitching defined the early innings of the series finale. Florence scored first in the first inning versus Gateway starter Nathanial Tate (5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K) when third baseman Brian Fuentes doubled, moved to third on a groundout, then scored on a two-out RBI double from first baseman Harrison DiNicola. Catcher Zade Richardson then singled in DiNicola to give the Y'alls a 2-0 lead.

Gateway responded in the second against Y'alls starter Bobby Brabrand (6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K). With one out, designated hitter D.J. Stewart hit a two-run game-tying home run. After two, the score stood 2-2 and would stay locked until the sixth inning.

The Y'alls regained their lead in the sixth inning against Tate when Zade Richardson hit a solo home run with two outs. Richardson's third long ball of the road trip helped chase Tate from the game, but Florence would go quiet against the Gateway bullpen the rest of the way.

Brabrand pitched into the seventh and got into a bases-loaded, one-out jam, but induced a pop-up from Gateway pinch hitter Clint Freeman before yielding to lefthander Kent Klyman, who retired Gateway second baseman and Frontier League leading hitter Gabe Holt to escape the jam. In the eighth, Klyman and the Y'alls could not pull off a similar escape act. Right fielder Jairus Richards doubled to lead off, stole third, then scored the tying run on an RBI single from left fielder Andrew Penner. After two walks loaded the bases, a sacrifice fly from third baseman Mark Vierling brought in the go-ahead run. On the same play, a throwing error charged to Harrison DiNicola scored another unearned run when first baseman Peter Zimmermann came home from third.

After the three-run burst in the eighth, Florence went quietly in the ninth to fall 5-3, suffer a series sweep, and lose its eighth in a row. The Y'alls return home after a winless road trip to regroup ahead of a three-game series against New York. First pitch from Thomas More Stadium is scheduled for July 7th at 7:03 p.m. ET.

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