GRIZZLIES DROP FIRST IN TRAVERSE CITY

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The Gateway Grizzlies (5-17) scored the first run Tuesday night when Blake Brown drove in his league-leading 23rd run of the season in the first inning, but allowed the Traverse City Beach Bums (11-11) to answer with nine straight runs and fell 9-1.

Brown scored Cody Livesay on a line-drive double down the right field line, but the Grizzlies mounted only three more hits and no runs for the remainder of the game against Traverse City starter Kramer Champlin.

Champlin threw a complete game, winning his third contest of the season, and allowed only one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked two.

After Craig Massoni walked with two outs in the third inning, Champlin retired 17 straight before walking Massoni again in the ninth. He promptly induced a double play to end the game, recording the final 19 outs in 19 batters.

Will Anderson (0-4) took the loss for Gateway, allowing eight runs (seven earned) over 6 2/3 innings of work. He struck out five and walked three.

Every Beach Bum in the starting lineup had at least one hit. Traverse City also stranded 13 runners.

Five Grizzlies had hits — Livesay, Brown, Terry McClure, Anthony Caronia, and Garrett Mattlage. Massoni was the only Grizzlie to reach base twice, both times on walks.

Gateway battles Traverse City again at 6:05 p.m. CDT tomorrow night in the second of a three-game series and six-game road trip, which will finish at Lake Erie over the weekend. Fans can hear all the action on the Grizzlies Media Network.