Zimmermann's Clutch Double Delivers Win Over Greys
Published on June 6, 2023 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
Sauget, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies were down to their final strike in the bottom of the eighth inning on Tuesday night, trailing the Empire State Greys 6-5, when Peter Zimmermann delivered a clutch, three-run, bases-clearing double to lift the club to an 8-6, come-from-behind win at Grizzlies Ballpark.
It was the Greys who used the long ball to go in front first against Carson LaRue, with Josh Sears' two-run shot making it 2-0 in the first inning, and John Mead's solo home run in the second inning making the score 3-1 after Clint Freeman had answered with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the first.
The moment found Freeman again with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning, and the first baseman delivered with a two-run single to tie the game against Greys starter Michael Barker. An Andrew Penner sacrifice fly two batters later put the Grizzlies in front for the first time at 4-3.
Gateway extended their lead in the next inning when D.J. Stewart tripled with one out, and Willie Estrada brought him in with an RBI single for a 5-3 lead. But the Greys came back- Christopher Cespedes' RBI sacrifice fly in the sixth made it 5-4, and with two outs and runners at second and third base in the seventh against Alec Whaley, Josue Herrera singled to put the visitors back ahead at 6-5.
In the eighth, with the score still 6-5 against Nick Trabacchi (0-1), the Grizzlies rallied. Abdiel Diaz singled, Mark Vierling walked, and Eric Rivera was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with one out. Freeman then struck out, setting up Zimmermann, who lined a 2-2 pitch off the wall in the left field corner, scoring all three runners and putting Gateway ahead to stay.
Colton Easterwood then nailed down his second save of the season with a flawless ninth inning as the Grizzlies won their 10th game in their last 11 overall. The win was also career victory number 605 for Grizzlies manager Steve Brook, pulling him into a tie for fourth-most in Frontier League history with former Gateway skipper Phil Warren.
The Grizzlies will look to make it back-to-back wins over the Greys to kick off their long home stand on Wednesday, June 7, at 6:45 p.m. CT. Collin Sullivan draws the starting assignment for Gateway against the Greys' Alejandro Arteaga at Grizzlies Ballpark.
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