SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies saw their season come to an end in shocking fashion on Tuesday night, giving up four runs in the ninth inning on a pair of home runs, including a go-ahead three-run shot when they were one strike away from victory in a 10-8 loss to the Lake Erie Crushers in the West Division Wild Card game at Grizzlies Ballpark.
Deylen Miley started the contest for the Grizzlies, and gave up the game’s first runs in the first inning when Vincent Byrd, Jr. hit a two-run home run to center field with two outs, putting Gateway behind 2-0. The Grizzlies would respond right away, however, loading the bases with no outs against Lake Erie starter Darrien Ragins in the bottom of the first. D.J. Stewart hit into a double play, which brought in the lead runner from third base to make it 2-1, and Kevin Krause lined a double off the left field wall to tie up the game at 2-2.
Both starters settled in, keeping the game tied until the top of the fifth inning when, with two outs and an 0-2 count, Logan Thomason put Lake Erie up 3-2 with a solo home run against Miley. Again, Gateway would respond, this time in a huge way in the bottom of the sixth. Victor Castillo led off the inning with a double, and Peter Zimmermann singled to knock Ragins out of the contest. Stewart then tied the score with an RBI single off reliever Christian Scafidi at 3-3, and Krause would hit a sacrifice fly to right-center field, giving the Grizzlies their first lead of the game at 4-3.
The inning would not stop there, however, as Abdiel Diaz and Kyle Gaedele both walked to load the bases, and after Scafidi got the second out of the inning on a strikeout, Jose Alvarez cracked a dramatic grand slam home run to right field, making the score 8-3 Grizzlies.
That is where the good feelings came to an end, however, as Lake Erie got three runs back in the top of the seventh to get within 8-6, which is where the score remained into the top of the ninth inning. Leoni De La Cruz (0-1) was summoned from the bullpen, and gave up a solo home run to former Grizzlie Jack Harris leading off the frame. Now up 8-7, the Gateway closer got the next two men out, and had Alberti Chavez down to his final strike before issuing a walk. Another walk followed, and after De La Cruz had Byrd also down 0-2 in the count and down to his final strike, he hung a slider that Byrd hit over the short porch in right field for his second home run of the game, putting Lake Erie ahead 10-8 in stunning fashion.
The Grizzlies went down in order in the bottom of the ninth inning against Lake Erie closer Trevor Kuncl (1-0), bringing their season to an end in heartbreak for the second year in a row on their home field.
Gateway will now look ahead to the 2025 season, which will be their 25th anniversary year as a club. Stay tuned for the full schedule release, player news, promotions, and more in the coming months by following the Grizzlies on social media and on their website, GatewayGrizzlies.com!
