CRESTWOOD – The Gateway Grizzlies fell behind the Windy City ThunderBolts 5-1 after four innings on Tuesday night, but scored six runs in the top of the fifth with two outs to storm back, and got effective pitching down the stretch in what became a 9-6 victory at Ozinga Field, the club’s third win in a row.
In the bottom of the first inning, Windy City got the scoring started on an RBI triple by Cam Phelts off Alvery De Los Santos (1-0), but the right-hander settled down over the next two innings. Gateway then tied the score with a solo home run by Cole Brannen in the top of the third inning against Windy City starter Bryce Hellgeth, making the score 1-1.
That would be their only baserunner until the fifth inning, however, and in the interim, the ThunderBolts put up a big inning in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs to take a 5-1 lead on a double-steal and back-to-back home runs by Michael Sandle and Dakota Kotowski.
With two outs in the top of the fifth and no one on base, the Grizzlies mounted yet another incredible comeback inning. Mark Shallenberger was hit by a pitch, and Brannen reached on a fateful error by Hellgeth that extended the inning before Jose Alvarez came up with an RBI single, extending his hit streak to 11 games in a row and making the score 5-2.
Gateway was far from done. A passed ball scored another run to make it 5-3, and Gabe Holt walked to chase Hellgeth from the game. The parade would continue against Darrien Williams (0-1), as the right-hander walked the first three batters he faced, with Gateway eventually tying the score at 5-5 thanks to bases-loaded bases-on-balls from D.J. Stewart and Dale Thomas. The next batter, Edwin Mateo, then put a big bow on the six-run frame with a two-run double to center field, giving the Grizzlies a 7-5 lead.
Windy City would score their sixth run of the game to get within a run on a two-out RBI double by Garrett Broussard off Alec Whaley in the bottom of the sixth, but the veteran kept Gateway in front and finished the inning. The lead was then turned over to the bullpen, and Matt Hickey and Francis Peguero both turned in scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth innings.
After Gateway was able to plate a pair of insurance runs in the eighth and ninth thanks to RBI hits by Shallenberger and Victor Castillo, they turned a 9-6 lead over to Leoni De La Cruz in the ninth, and the southpaw earned his first save of the season to secure the win in Crestwood.
Gateway will go for a fourth straight victory and a series win to kick off their long road swing in the middle game of the series against Windy City on Wednesday, June 4. Lukas Veinbergs will pitch for Gateway against the ThunderBolts’ Buddie Pindel in a matchup of aces at Ozinga Field, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CT.
