GRIZZLIES RELINQUISH LEAD, FALL IN JOLIET

JOLIET, Ill. — The Gateway Grizzlies came out hot with three runs on four hits in the top of the first inning Friday night and they led 4-1 in the fourth inning, but the Joliet Slammers rallied back with five runs in the middle innings for a 6-5 win at Joliet Route 66 Stadium.

Gateway (14-18) tallied only two hits after the first inning and made two errors.

Joliet (14-16) won its fourth straight game with four runs in the fourth inning and one more in the fifth.

Max MacNabb (2-4) took the loss for the Grizzlies. Grant Black was stellar in relief: He threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, but the Grizzlies couldn't find enough offense to pull him even.

Gateway left the potential tying run at third base to end the sixth inning and did not put another man on base in the final three frames.

Cody Livesay went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs and an RBI. Artemis Kadkhodaian was 2-for-5 with an RBI double. Blake Brown drove in a run and scored one; Jonathan Piron picked up two RBIs on a first-inning single. Trae Santos and Joel McKeithan each walked twice.

Friday night marked the Grizzlies' third straight series-opening loss.

Gateway and Joliet will tangle again Saturday at 6:05 p.m.

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 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.