GRIZZLIES STAY HOT AS BROOK MAKES HISTORY
SAUGET, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies scored a season-high 21 runs, the most runs they had scored in a game in almost 13 years, and beat the Joliet Slammers 21-14 in a high-scoring marathon at Grizzlies Ballpark, completing a three-game sweep with their fifth win in a row overall. The win gave manager Steve Brook his 600th win in the Frontier League, as he became the fifth manager in league history to reach that milestone.
Joliet got the scoring started against Lukas Veinbergs (2-1) in the top of the first inning on Matt Warkentin's two-run double, but Gateway responded right away, tying the game on Abdiel Diaz's two-run double to make it 2-2 with no one out in the bottom of the first. The Grizzlies would end up scoring two more runs that inning on RBIs by Andrew Penner and D.J. Stewart to make it 4-2.
After Joliet got one of those runs back in the top of the second, the Grizzlies got back to work against Justin Ferrell (0-1) by scoring four more times in the bottom of the inning, with Penner's three-run home run making the score 8-3. The offenses kept on going back and forth for both teams, with the Slammers plating two more runs on a home run by Liam McArthur in the top of the fourth to get within 8-5 only to see Gateway plate two runs back in the bottom half thanks to a sacrifice fly by Willie Estrada and an RBI double by Mark Vierling.
The Grizzlies would increase the lead to 11-5 on Penner's RBI groundout in the bottom of the fifth, and then scored six runs in the sixth inning to blow the game open, featuring RBI doubles by Penner and Eric Rivera, a two-run single by Peter Zimmermann, and another RBI groundout by Jairus Richards, taking a 17-5 lead.
Gateway then crossed the 20-run threshold with a four-run bottom of the eighth that included a pinch-hit, two-run double by Jonathan Soto, an RBI groundout by Vierling, and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch by Zimmermann, making the score 21-5. It marked the first time the Grizzlies had plated 20 runs in a game since June 6, 2010, when they scored a club-record 25 runs in a win over the Lake Erie Crushers.
Leading 21-5 going to the top of the ninth, the Grizzlies then saw the Slammers bat around and score nine times in the top of the ninth, aided by two errors and four walks, making the score 21-14, but Trevor Harris struck out former Grizzlie Matt Feinstein to finally end the three-hour, 43-minute game, and improve the Grizzlies record to 11-4 on the season.
Penner had the biggest day on offense for the Grizzlies, going 4-for-6 at the plate while scoring five runs and setting a new career-high with six RBIs. Zimmermann also ended up with three more RBIs, increasing his Frontier League-leading total to 25 on the season, while Diaz, Estrada, Vierling, and Soto all drove in two runs. Six Grizzlies hitters in total also scored multiple runs as Gateway secured their first series sweep of the season.
After an off day on the Memorial Day holiday, the Grizzlies will look to keep their winning ways going on Tuesday, May 30, beginning a five-game road trip in Avon, Ohio against the Lake Erie Crushers at 5:35 p.m. CT.
Quebec, QUE – The Evansville Otters used balanced hitting and a quality start from Tim Holdgrafer on their way to a 6-2 victory Sunday evening over the Quebec Capitales.
Holdgrafer led the Otters on the mound with seven innings of work, holding the Capitales to just two runs. He allowed seven hits but just one extra base hit and no walks while adding six strikeouts. He did it all with just 63 pitches on Sunday. The San Diego native earns his third win of the season - all quality starts with at least six innings allowing three runs or less.
Evansville had a balanced offensive performance with nine hits coming from eight different batters.The Otters scored first for the 13th consecutive game with two runs in the first. Noah Myers led off with a triple that bounced off the center field wall. Dakota Phillips brought him home on a single and Troy Viola knocked in Phillips with an RBI hit.
Quebec scratched across one in the first and another in the fourth to tie the game at 2-2. Evansville took the lead for good in the fifth after Ethan Skender and Jacob Olson each had base hits when Kona Quiggle added a two RBI double as part of a three run inning. The Otters extended the lead to four with one more run in the sixth. Evansville worked four walks with one scoring on an RBI sacrifice fly from Skender.
After Holdgrafer exited, the bullpen earned the final six outs at CANAC Stadium. James Krick and Jake Polancic each worked perfect innings to secure the Otters their first ever victory in Quebec City. Jacob Olson had a two-hit day while Dakota Phillips extended his hit streak to 12 games.
Evansville finishes the road trip 3-3 with a 10-5 overall record. They are one game behind Gateway for first place in the Frontier League West.
The Otters return to Bosse Field on Tuesday to open a three game series with the Windy City Thunderbolts. This is the first game of the season when pitch clock rules will be enforced. Tuesday is Fifth Third Family Night at the ballpark.
Paterson, NJ -- The Jackals saved the best for last as they closed their first homestand at historic Hinchliffe Stadium on Sunday afternoon. A see-saw contest was ended with one swing from centerfielder Joe Simone, sailing over the Maple Street Monster to deliver a 7-6 win over the Ottawa Titans.
WASHINGTON, PA - The Tri-City ValleyCats (7-8) ended their first six-game road trip with a 5-4 win against the Washington Wild Things (7-8) on Sunday at Wild Things Park. The ValleyCats took two out of three against the Wild Things this weekend, and won the season series, 4-2. The 'Cats split the road trip against Washington and the Windy City ThunderBolts with a 3-3 record.
Tri-City jumped on Angel Landazuri in the first. Jaxon Hallmark collected a one-out single. Cito Culver grounded out to first, which advanced Hallmark to second. Carson McCusker notched an infield hit. Trey Hair brought in Hallmark with an RBI knock before Aaron Altherr walked to load the bases. Zach Biermann moved everyone ninety feet with a single to pull the 'Cats ahead, 2-0.
Washington retaliated in the bottom of the first. Scotty Dubrule found the outfield grass with a single off Garrison Bryant, and Wagner Lagrange then homered to tie the game, 2-2.
The Wild Things took a 3-2 lead in the second after a solo shot from Anthony Brocato.
Biermann launched a solo homer of his own in the fourth to knot the game at 3-3. The long ball was his team-leading fourth home run of the 2023 campaign.
Tri-City retook the lead after back-to-back doubles from Culver and McCusker to open the fifth inning. Hair followed suit with an RBI single to put the ValleyCats on top, 5-3.
Andrew Edwards tossed a scoreless eighth inning, but ran into some trouble in the ninth. Abraham Sequera went to first on a one-out walk. Robert Chayka reached on a hit by pitch. J.C. Santini laced an RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-4. Nick Gotta walked to load the bases. Edwards induced a lineout from Dubrule as the 'Cats defense turned a 6-4-3 game-ending double play. Edwards nailed down his first save of the year. He threw two innings, giving up one run on two hits, walking two, and striking out one.
Bryant (1-1) earned his first victory with Tri-City. He worked out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the third, and proceeded to retire 13 of the last 14 batters he faced. Bryant tossed seven frames, yielding three runs on four hits, walking three, and striking out two. It was his second quality start for the ValleyCats, and his longest start of the season.
Landazuri (0-2) received the loss. He went five innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits, walking two, and striking out one.
Tri-City begins its first six-game homestand of the season on Tuesday, May 30 with a three-game series against the Trois-Rivières Aigles. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM EDT.
CRESTWOOD, IL – Henry Omaña became the Frontier League's first four-game winner, pitching six shutout innings as the ThunderBolts defeated the Florence Y'alls 5-3 to wrap up a 4-3 home stand at Ozinga Field Sunday afternoon.
Omaña got some early support as the Bolts (7-8) put runs on the board in each of the first two innings. Jake Boone started the first with a double and scored on Junior Martina's RBI triple. The next inning, Carson Matthews and Matt Morgan hit back-to-back doubles to extend the lead.
Omaña walked a season-high four but allowed only two hits as he kept the shutout intact into the seventh inning. That's when Florence tightened the score to 2-1 against the Windy City bullpen. The Bolts took the run right back on a Matthews triple and an error in the bottom of the seventh. They put the game away the next inning as Bren Spillane and Martina both doubled and scored. In the game, the ThunderBolts finished with seven hits. All of them went for extra bases.
Florence threatened, scoring two and putting the tying run on base in the ninth but could not complete their comeback attempt.
The win improved Omaña's record to 4-0. He also leads the league with 32 strikeouts. Edgar Martinez (1-1) allowed three runs over seven innings and took the loss.
The ThunderBolts have another day game scheduled for Monday afternoon as they begin a four-game road trip in Schaumburg. Cole Bellair (0-3, 6.27) makes the start at Wintrust Field for the Bolts. The Boomers counter with Kobey Schlotman (1-2, 5.93).
Augusta, NJ - The Lake Erie Crushers avoided being swept and earned a 2-0 victory over the Sussex County Miners. The Crushers (8-7) picked up a big-time win over the Miners (10-4) as they brought a six-game road trip to a close and got back above .500.
The pitching staff delivered once again for Lake Erie as they shut out an opponent for the third time this year. They dazzled and discombobulated Miners hitters in the Sunday matinee, limiting them to just four team hits.
Matt Mulhearn pitched a gem as he went 6.0 innings while striking out four. The right-hander fell behind in some counts, he gave up all four hits and walked a season-high four batters, but his resilience allowed him to battle back and limit traffic on the bases.
Mulhearn was backed up by the pen, as Trevor Kuncl, JD Hammer and Sam Curtis all came in and threw a scoreless inning. Curtis picked up his third save of the season after slamming the door in the bottom of the ninth, and Mulhearn registered his second win of the 2023 campaign.
The offense put the Crushers ahead early. The first batter of the game, Jiandido Tromp, took the second pitch of the afternoon yard to make it 1-0. Tromp finished the game as one of two Lake Erie batters with a multi-hit performance, with the other being Todd Isaacs Jr. going 2-for-4.
In the fourth frame, Lake Erie added to their lead. An Isaacs Jr. leadoff single followed by a Jack Harris fielder's choice put the Crushers' right fielder on first base. John Tuccillo stepped to the plate after a strikeout and hit a two-out RBI double off the wall.
This would be all the Crushers needed as they took a 2-0 advantage. Following Mulhearn, just two men for the Miners would get on base the rest of the day.
The Crushers will head back to the shores of Lake Erie tonight. Following an off-day tomorrow, the team will be defending their home turf versus the Gateway Grizzlies in a three-game set beginning on May 30. The first pitch of the opener will take place at 6:35 PM ET.
