GRIZZLIES BATS QUIET IN DEFEAT

NORMAL, Ill. — The Gateway Grizzlies scratched out only six hits Saturday night in a 7-0 loss to the Normal CornBelters at The Corn Crib.

Gateway (28-39) dropped its second straight game.

Normal (32-30) won its fourth straight to take over first place in the West Division. The CornBelters scored two runs in the first inning; the Grizzlies have allowed at least one run in the first inning for five straight games.

Normal added four runs in the fifth and a final tally in the eighth.

Taso Stathopoulos (1-3) allowed six runs (five earned) over six innings and took the loss. Chris Metrick threw a scoreless inning in relief; Metrick has not allowed a run over his last 11 1/3 innings.

Brent Sakurai and Trae Santos had the only multi-hit games for the Grizzlies. Sakurai also appeared as a pitcher for the third time this season. He allowed a solo home run to Chris Iriart in the eighth. Sakurai has a 4.90 ERA in 3 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and no walks.

Gateway and Normal will finish their three-game series Sunday 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.