On Sunday evening at Arsenal BG Ballpark, the Gateway Grizzlies held a 3-2 lead over the Windy City ThunderBolts entering the ninth inning but couldn’t secure the victory. Despite opportunities in the tenth and Sudden Death, they fell short, losing the series with a final score of 4-3.
The ThunderBolts scored all three runs via home runs to right field’s short porch. Daryl Ruiz opened the scoring with a solo shot in the second off Brady Fuller, followed by Christian Kuzemka’s homer in the fourth against Claudio Galva, making it 2-0.
Gateway fought back in the bottom of the fourth. D.J. Stewart tripled to lead off and scored on a balk by Carsen Plumadore after a pitching change, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Dale Thomas walked, Mark Shallenberger was hit by a pitch, and an error by Ruiz on a Pavin Parks grounder allowed Thomas to score, tying the game at 2-2.
In the seventh, Gabe Holt’s one-out single, a walk to Abdiel Diaz, and Stewart’s single loaded the bases. Victor Castillo’s fielder’s choice scored Holt, giving the Grizzlies a 3-2 lead.
Matt Hickey tossed a scoreless eighth, but in the ninth, Keegan Collett allowed Ruiz’s second homer, tying the game at 3-3 and marking Collett’s first blown save of the season.
In the tenth, Alec Whaley, making a franchise-record 154th appearance for Gateway, escaped a jam with three consecutive fielder’s choice groundouts, keeping the score tied. In the bottom half, Castillo’s sacrifice bunt moved the winning run to third with one out. However, after intentional walks to Thomas and Edwin Mateo, Parks hit into a 4-6-3 double play, sending the game to Sudden Death.
Choosing to hit, Gateway saw Cole Brannen sacrifice the runner to second. After an intentional walk to Jose Alvarez, Holt lined out to short, and Parks was doubled off second, ending the game. The loss dropped Gateway to 0-5 in extra innings or Sudden Death at home and 1-7 on their 10-game homestand.
Following an off day, the Grizzlies host the Mississippi Mud Monsters on Tuesday, August 5, at 6:30 p.m. CT, beginning a crucial series against playoff contenders at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
