GRIZZLIES DROP OPENER AT WINDY CITY
CRESTWOOD, Ill. — The Gateway Grizzlies (3-10) could not solve Thunderbolts starter Brady Muller over his eight innings of work and were shut out for the first time in 2017 en route to a 5-0 loss Friday night to open their series with Windy City (8-5).
Gateway didn't put two men on base at the same time until the seventh inning, but the Grizzlies stranded two runners aboard in the seventh and eighth frames without scoring. They picked up four hits and stranded five runners total for the game.
Gateway starter Dylan Craig kept Windy City off the scoreboard until the fourth inning when Thunderbolts shortstop Ransom LaLonde sent a two-run home run over the left field fence. Windy City added three more runs in the sixth inning to reach the final margin.
Craig threw 5 2/3 innings, over which he allowed four runs (all earned) on four hits with five strikeouts against six walks.
Kevin Jefferis threw 2 1/3 innings of relief for the Grizzlies, allowing only one run on three hits. He struck out three and walked only one.
Offensively, Blake Brown and Matt Hearn both reached base twice for Gateway. Terry McClure picked up a seventh-inning single to extend his hitting streak to eight games, the longest streak for any Grizzlies this year. McClure had previously been tied with Cody Livesay, who strung seven straight games together earlier this season.
Next up, the Grizzlies take on Windy City tomorrow in the second game of this three-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Saturday and can be heard on the Grizzlies Media Network. The series wraps up on Sunday with a 2:05 p.m. finale.
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ABOUT THE GATEWAY GRIZZLIES: The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team, located a mere 100-yards from I-255 (10 minutes from downtown St. Louis). The Grizzlies offer baseball fans entertainment, the likes of which are difficult to find - affordable, family, fun in the comfortable GCS Credit Union Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. For tickets or general information please visit gatewaygrizzlies.com or call 618.337.3000.
ABOUT THE FRONTIER LEAGUE: The Frontier League is celebrating its 25th season as a professional, independent baseball organization. Since its inception, the Frontier League has provided millions of fans to a fun and exciting baseball experience within the American Midwest. Consisting of 12 teams in two divisions and 96 game schedules, the league is recognized for the amount of talented athletes that are picked up by various MLB teams every year.