SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies went back and forth against the Sussex County Miners on Sunday at Arsenal BG Ballpark, losing three separate leads early before vaulting ahead for good with a four-run sixth inning in what became a 12-7 victory, clinching the series in the rubber game between the two teams.
Just like Saturday night, it was Victor Castillo that got the scoring started with an RBI double to right-center field in the bottom of the first inning, plating Gabe Holt from first base for a 1-0 lead against. After a balk moved Castillo to third base, D.J. Stewart brought him in with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
Sussex County erased that lead with a two-run Jordan Smith homer against Gage Vailes (2-0) in the second inning, but in the bottom of the frame, the Grizzlies responded, going up 3-2 on a Cole Brannen RBI single. The Miners answered back in the top of the third thanks to a two-out RBI single by Sean Roby, Jr., but again the Grizzlies had an answer in the bottom half, with Stewart hitting a two-run homer to make the score 5-3.
After an RBI double by Holt with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning made it a 6-3 Grizzlies lead, Sussex County again chipped away, scoring two runs in the fifth inning on an RBI fielder’s choice by Gabriel Maciel and another RBI single by Roby. The Miners then tied the score on a solo homer to right field by Dom Johnson in the top of the sixth inning at 6-6, with Vailes wiggling out of further trouble that inning to keep the score tied.
In the bottom of the sixth against Miners reliever J.C. Ariza (0-1), Gateway took the lead for good. Ross Friedrick and Brannen drew back-to-back leadoff walks, and after a double steal by Brannen and pinch-runner Tate Wargo, Castillo came up clutch again with a two-run single to right field, giving the Grizzlies an 8-6 lead. Two batters later, Dale Thomas crushed a two-run home run off the building beyond the left field wall, with the 107 mile-per-hour drive making it a 10-6 ballgame.
The Grizzlies would add on two more runs in the seventh inning with two outs on additional RBI hits by Brannen and Stewart to complete their scoring, while the Miners scored a run in the top of the ninth for the final margin as Gateway took their first-ever series from Sussex County in three tries, improving their record to 12-8.
Gateway will look to carry over the momentum from the last two nights on Tuesday night, June 3, as they embark on their longest road trip of the season, a 12-game trek that will begin against the Windy City ThunderBolts. Alvery De Los Santos will start the opening contest for the Grizzlies against Windy City right-hander Bryce Hellgeth, with first pitch at Ozinga Field in Crestwood, Illinois scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CT.
Rochard Dominates as Grizzlies End Losing Streak
Gateway rookie tosses eight shutout innings, strikes out 10 to snap slide
SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies finally brought an end to a five-game losing streak on Saturday night, receiving a magnificent pitching performance from Sam Rochard (3-1) on the mound, and blowing the game open with a six-run seventh inning capped by a grand slam in a wire-to-wire, 9-2 win over the Sussex County Miners at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
The Grizzlies jumped on top of Sussex County starter Rob Hensey (1-1) early, as Victor Castillo drove a solo home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the first inning for a quick 1-0 advantage. After D.J. Stewart followed with a single and stole second base, former Miner Edwin Mateo came up clutch against his ex-team again, lining an RBI single to left field with two outs to put Gateway up 2-0. The home team added to the lead in the fourth inning with two outs, as Cole Brannen singled and scored all the way from first base on a hit-and-run RBI single by Jose Alvarez.
That gave Rochard a 3-0 cushion, and that was more than enough for the rookie right-hander, as he twirled a gem that saw him strike out a Grizzlies-season-high 10 batters over eight innings, holding the visitors to just two hits and one walk while tossing 67 of his 109 pitches for strikes.
But Gateway was not finished offensively, either. After Hensey left the game in favor of Bobby Curry, the Grizzlies put up another one of their patented big innings in the bottom of the seventh, with the first five batters reaching base safely on a walk and four singles, including RBI hits by Stewart and Dale Thomas to make the score 5-0. After a flyout and another walk loaded the bases with two down in the inning, Mark Shallenberger blew the contest wide open with a grand slam home run out to left field, increasing the lead to 9-0.
The Miners would use four singles in the ninth inning and a hit batter to plate two runs and break up the shutout, but they could not get closer as they saw an eight-game win streak come to an end.
With the series now even at one game apiece, the Grizzlies will look to head out on their longest road trip of the season on a winning note in the rubber game against Sussex County on Sunday, June 1, at 1:05 p.m. CT. Gage Vailes will start on the mound for the Grizzlies against Miners right-hander Kellen Brothers at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
Grizzlies Lose Another Game Late, Skid Reaches Five
Gateway loses lead in seventh, falls in Sudden Death to Sussex County
SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies’ tough week continued on Friday night, as they lost a lead in the seventh inning, could not bring in the go-ahead run down the stretch despite multiple opportunities to do so, came back with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning to send the game to Sudden Death, but lost in the ending turn at-bat to the Sussex County Miners, suffering their fifth consecutive loss.
The visitors got a double on the first pitch of the game from Lukas Veinbergs, and after a sacrifice bunt, took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Makhi Backstrom. That was the only run the Grizzlies’ ace allowed over six solid innings, working around runners on base and keeping the Miners’ offense at bay.
In the second inning, Gateway rallied to take their first lead of the home stand. Former Miner Edwin Mateo led off with a double, and scored on the next play when Tanner Garrison reached base on an infield hit that Sussex County shortstop Gionti Turner threw away for an error, tying the game at 1-1. Garrison also went to second base on the miscue, and after a strikeout by Miners starter Mike Reagan, he came home on an RBI infield single by Cole Brannen, making the score 2-1 Gateway.
In the next inning, with two outs, Dale Thomas added to the advantage with an RBI single for a 3-1 Grizzlies lead. But after Veinbergs left the game in the seventh, Gateway’s beleaguered bullpen gave up the cushion. Jordan Smith hit a solo homer off Matt Hickey to make it 3-2, and after a one-out single by Dom Johnson, Francis Peguero came in and gave up a single to Hunter D’Amato followed by an RBI groundout by Gabriel Maciel, tying the score at 3-3.
Gateway then blew numerous chances to go back ahead, as they got the potential lead run into scoring position in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings against Reagan and the Sussex County bullpen, allowing the game to go to extra innings. After a scoreless ninth inning, Leoni De La Cruz surrendered a two-run home run to Maciel on the second pitch of the top of the tenth inning with the International Tiebreaker in effect, giving the Miners a 5-3 lead.
Yet again, the Grizzlies showed heart and fight in the bottom half. Down to their final strike, Thomas was hit by a Tyler Luneke pitch, and Mateo came up and made the score 5-4 with an RBI infield single, also down to his final strike. Mark Shallenberger then stepped up huge and tied the game at 5-5 with an RBI single to right field, but with the winning run now in scoring position and two outs, Jose Alvarez could not beat a slow ground ball to first base, sending the game to Sudden Death.
The Grizzlies, as the home team, chose to hit, and with Alvarez on first base to start the inning, Brannen sacrificed him to second base. After Ross Friedrick struck out pinch-hitting off the bench, Sussex County right-hander Billy Parsons then lost the strike zone. After falling behind 2-0 to Gabe Holt, the Miners put him on intentionally, but Victor Castillo kept the rally alive by drawing an unintentional four-pitch walk, loading the bases for D.J. Stewart and putting the winning run at third. On a 2-2 pitch, Stewart hit a sinking line drive to center field, but it was caught on a slide by Alec Sayre, ending the game and giving Gateway their first Sudden Death loss in club history.
With their losing streak now at five games in a row (including four times in a row in their opponent’s last turn at-bat or in Sudden Death), Gateway will try and muster up a skid-busting win in the middle game against the Miners on Saturday, May 31. Sam Rochard will pitch for the Grizzlies against Sussex County southpaw Rob Hensey, with first pitch at Arsenal BG Ballpark scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
