GRIZZLIES WALK OFF WINDY CITY IN CLASSIC
Sauget, IL (August 22, 2023) – The Gateway Grizzlies came back from a one-run deficit in the ninth inning to send Tuesday night's contest against the Windy City ThunderBolts to extra innings, and Andrew Penner walked off the visitors in the bottom of the tenth with a single to right field to give his squad an 11-10 victory at Grizzlies Ballpark. The triumph put the Grizzlies on the verge of clinching a playoff spot, as it lowered their magic number down to one while simultaneously giving them a three-game lead in the West Division standings. Things did not begin well for Gateway, as Bren Spillane and Micah Yonamine hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning to put Windy City up 3-0 against Carson LaRue. The score would remain 3-0 until the bottom of the fourth, when D.J. Stewart came up with two runners aboard and tied the game with a three-run home run, his 10th of the season. The ThunderBolts would then score three more times in the top of the fifth to regain their advantage, with Yonamine hitting an RBI double to score Spillane, and Peyton Isaacson crushing a two-run home run to right field to make it 6-3. But the Grizzlies also responded against former Gateway right-hander Taylor Sugg in the bottom of the fifth, with Cole Brannen's sacrifice fly and an error by Sugg drawing them within 6-5 before Stewart came up again and put the Grizzlies ahead 7-6 on a two-run double. In the seventh, Gateway expanded the lead to 9-6 on a wild pitch by Cole Bellair and a two-out RBI double by Eric Rivera. But in the eighth, also with two outs, Jake Boone hit a game-tying, three-run shot to right field off Brian Eichhorn, knotting the score at 9-9. In the top of the ninth, Windy City struck again, with Junior Martina doubling against Josh Lucas, advancing to third base on a groundout, and scoring on a passed ball to give the ThunderBolts a stunning 10-9 lead. But yet again, the Grizzlies struck back. Jairus Richards took Derrick Edington deep to right field for a game-tying solo shot in the bottom half against his former team, sending the contest to extra innings. In the top of the tenth, with the International Tiebreaker in effect, Windy City moved the automatic runner to third base on a sacrifice bunt, and attempted to score the go-ahead run on a fly ball by Boone to center field. But Rivera threw out Dan Robinson at home plate to end the inning, and keep the score tied at 10-10. In the bottom half, Mark Vierling moved Brannen to third base on another sacrifice bunt, bringing up Penner, who served the game-winning single to right field to give the Grizzlies their third walk-off victory of the season. With the win, Gateway improves their record to 20 games over the .500 mark for the first time this season, and with a magic number of one, either a win over the ThunderBolts on Wednesday night in the middle game of the series or a Joliet loss at Evansville will clinch the Grizzlies' first playoff berth since 2012.
SCHAUMBURG, Il. (August 22) – It was a night for the offenses to shine in Schaumburg Tuesday at the final head-to-head series between Washington and the homestanding Boomers kicked off with a bang. The Wild Things used 18 hits and nine free passes to record a 20-13 win, having their best offensive night of the 2023 campaign. Washington started the scoring immediately with a four-run first frame. Wagner Lagrange recorded the first of his four hits, an RBI double to plate Wes Darvill, who had singled, to make it 1-0 three batters in. The next hitter, Andrew Czech, hit an opposite-field homer to make it 3-0. It was Czech's 19th of the season. A JC Santini sac fly later in the inning made it 4-0. Schaumburg had its best inning in the bottom half, getting eight against Washington opener Matt Dallas, who made his first pro start. A combo of a few walks and seven hits led Schaumburg to an 8-4 lead after an inning of play. The Wild Things got back within one with a three-run second as Darvill homered, Scotty Dubrule drew a bases-loaded walk and Caleb McNeely plated a run with a fielder's choice. That left it 8-7. Justin Showalter entered for the final out of the first for Washington on the mound and kept things quiet until the fifth. Washington got two in the fifth on a two-run double by Carson Clowers to give them what turned out to be a short-lived lead at 9-8. In the bottom of the fifth, Chase Dawson hit a three-run homer to give Schaumburg its final lead of the evening at 11-9. That didn't last long either as Washington put up an eight spot in the sixth inning. The inning included a Lagrange RBI single, a two-run Dubrule double, an RBI knock by Santini, a three-run two bagger by Brocato and a sac fly by Darvill. The Boomers added a run in the seventh against Kyle White, who got the win, his first as a professional. Washington got three in the eighth inning highlighted by Caleb McNeely's first professional homer to left center. Also in that frame, Darvill and Lagrange posted their fourth hits of the night, both of which brought a run home, making it 20-12. Schaumburg got one off Arrison Perez in the ninth but couldn't get closer than 20-13. Every single one of the 19 batters to come to the plate between the two squads recorded at least one hit. The 19th was pinch hitter Tommy Caufield, who doubled in the ninth. Darvill and Lagrange had four hits apiece, while McNeely and Santini had two-hit nights. Eight Wild Things had multi-RBI performances. Lagrange's third hit of the evening was his 100th of the 2023 season. It made 2023 the second-straight 100-plus hit campaign for Lagrange as a Wild Thing. It's the third of his pro career (2019 in the Mets' system).
POMONA, NY – The New York Boulders notched a bittersweet win Tuesday night, shutting out the Empire State Greys 5-0 at Clover Stadium. While the Boulders earned a much-needed win as they fight for the final spot in the Frontier League playoffs, they also saw starting pitcher Alex Mack leave the game with an injury. Mack, who started the season on the disabled list and was activated on July 1, went back on the disabled list July 27 and was re-activated on August 12. The right-hander left the game Tuesday in the top of the third inning with an undisclosed injury. Before Ryder Yakel could relieve Mack, the game was delayed so that the grounds crew an issue with an area on the pitcher's mound. Matt McDermott put on an electric performance for New York, going 2 for 4 with a clutch RBI double and stolen base at home that ignited the Boulders crowd. Chris Kwitzer and Joe DeLuca also drove in runs for New York. The win marks the Boulders' fifth shutout of the season and second in their last five games. Yakel earned the win after striking out seven batters in five innings of work. Zach Schneider and Merfy Andrew each tossed an inning of relief to help secure the win for New York, which gained ground in the Frontier League playoff standings. New Jersey (53-31) and Quebec (53-32), which hold the top two playoff spots, respectively, each suffered losses Tuesday, helping New York (48-36) narrow the gap. Tri-City (52-33), which defeated Quebec, currently holds the final playoff spot.
Ottawa, ON - Returning home to open a season-long nine-game homestand, the Ottawa Titans (43-42) came from behind to beat the New Jersey Jackals (53-31) in extras by a final score of 4-3 on Tuesday, helping manager Bobby Brown record the 500th win of his managerial career. With the season series shifting north of the border, the Jackals continued to use the long ball to their advantage. Solo homers from Josh Rehwaldt and Alfredo Marte in the second and fourth innings respectively saw the Jackals jump out in front 2-0. From then on, Zac Westcott (ND, 5-7) was tremendous to record his ninth quality start of the season. The veteran right-hander went seven strong innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking one, and striking out four. The offence started off slow against David Lebron (ND, 3-0), who faced the minimum through three innings. After leadoff hits in two-straight frames from Jamey Smart and Joey Terdoslavich, the Titans were still looking at a slim deficit going into the late innings. Back-to-back hits from Austin Davis and Michael Fuhrman resulted in the Titans getting on the board in the sixth inning, trimming the deficit to one. Later, with two on, Jake Sanford crossed up the defence with an opposite-field single off lefty Cody Whitten to tie the game at two. Augie Gallardo kept the game tied in relief for the Titans, retiring all six he faced, striking out three. In the tenth, the Jackals pulled back in front against Erasmo Pinales (win, 4-1) as a throwing error from Jason Dicochea allowed Ti'Quan Forbes to score the go-ahead run. Michael Fuhrman's double to the corner in right tied the game off Lance Lusk (loss, 6-3) in the bottom half, scoring the start-up runner in Taylor Wright. Following an infield hit from AJ Wright, runners stood at the corners for Evan Berkey, who delivered the walk-off heroics with an infield single up the middle. The RBI knock accounted for Berkey's third game-winning hit in his last five games.
TROY, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats (52-33) continue to put pressure on their Frontier League East Division rivals as they defeated the Québec Capitales (53-32) 3-2 on Tuesday at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. The ValleyCats are now one game back of the Capitales for the top wild card spot, and are 1.5 games behind the first place New Jersey Jackals. Tri-City got on the board in the first. Ryan Sandberg walked Cito Culver. Juan Kelly doubled, and Culver went to third. Oscar Campos lifted a sac fly to provide the ValleyCats with a 1-0 lead. Québec took the lead in the third. Greg Bird singled off Brac Warren. Tommy Siedl reached on a fielder's choice. David Glaude laced a two-run homer to pull Québec ahead, 2-1. Sandberg walked Connor Bagnieski in the fifth. Afterward, Bagnieski proceeded to steal second base. Culver ripped an RBI single. Kelly collected his second knock of the night, and Culver advanced to third. Jakob Goldfarb hit a sacrifice fly to put the ValleyCats ahead, 3-2. Warren surrendered a one-out double to Juremi Profar in the sixth. Warren then induced a popup from T.J. White. Caden O'Brien entered, and exited the jam unscathed after Jonathan Lacroix popped out to third. The 'Cats ran into some trouble in the eighth. Ruben Castro picked up an infield single. Glaude replaced him at first base after reaching on a fielder's choice. Coleman Huntley came into the game, and Glaude stole second before going to third after Profar grounded out. White flew out to end the frame. Blake Workman was tasked to finish off to seal the victory, and struck out the side to collect his fourth save of the year. Warren (3-3) earned the win. He hurled 5.2 innings, yielding two runs on three hits, walking one, and striking out seven. Sandberg (2-7) received the loss. He tossed five frames, giving up three runs on five hits, walking four, and striking out two.
FLORENCE, KY - The Lake Erie Crushers dominated on the mound and are back in the win column after taking down the Florence Y'alls in the series opener by a score of 5-1. The Crushers (34-51) are no longer in last place in the West Division of the Frontier League as they have surpassed the Y'alls (34-51) tonight. The pitching for the Crushers was sensational, as Yasel Santana (4-6) threw 7.1 innings of one-hit, one-run baseball in his most dazzling performance of the year. He discombobulated the Y'alls' batting order and left the game in the eighth inning with the lead. The righty's no-no bid was upended by an Ed Johnson double with one down in Santana's last inning, but his work cannot be underestimated in Lake Erie's success tonight. Perry Bewley entered for Santana with runners on first and third. One of the inherited runners scored, which was charged to Santana, when Brian Fuented hit an infield single to second base. That would be the only run on the scoreboard tonight from Florence. It was crickets offensive for both sides in the early going. The Y'alls had a runner-in-scoring position in the bottom of the third when Brennan Price was balked to second. He then stole third base but nothing came of it as Fuentes flew out to end the inning. It was the Crushers to strike for first blood as they opened the scoring with a four spot in the fourth inning. Scout Knotts led off with an infield single and was moved to second on a throwing error from Brian Fuentes. After Josh Rego got on base from a fielding error from Ed Johnson, Lake Erie had an excellent opportunity to capitalize, and they did. Hector Roa smashed a double to the center field wall to score both runners. Jack Harris stepped to the dish next and laced a double down the right-field line to score Roa. After moving to third on a fielder's choice, Harris came across to score on a wild pitch to make it 4-0. Lake Erie would add another in the next inning. Jiandido Tromp walked with one away. He was moved to second on a fielder's choice before Knotts drove him in with an RBI double down the left-field line. In his return from the injured list, Harris put together a 3-for-4 night at the plate. In his first at-bat, he saw two pitches before rifling a single into right field. He led the way offensively for the Crushers. Knotts also had a two-hit night for the Crushers. Ryan Watson (2-3) went for 6.0 innings for Florence allowing all five runs on seven hits. Watson looked sharp through the first three frames until the Crushers' bats got to him in the fourth and fifth innings. Trevor Kuncl came on in the bottom of the ninth for Lake Erie. He slammed the door while giving up one hit.
