BIG OTTERS NINTH INNING DOWNS GRIZZLIES
SAUGET, Ill. — The Gateway Grizzlies trailed from the third inning onward Wednesday night and allowed five ninth-inning runs to seal their 10-6 loss to the Evansville Otters at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
Gateway (36-56) scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to close their deficit to 4-3 on a Trae Santos three-run blast — his team-leading 17th home run of the season — but the Grizzlies coughed up a run in the sixth and five more in the ninth for their seventh straight loss.
Evansville (48-44) used only two pitchers to clinch its second straight victory over the Grizzlies, a victory in the current series and a win in the 12-game season series. The Otters have won seven of 11 games between the clubs in 2018.
Joe Hauser (0-2) took the loss, his second in three starts with the Grizzlies. Hauser allowed five runs (four earned) over 5 2/3 innings.
Santos added an RBI double in the ninth; he finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs. Mitch Piatnik had the Grizzlies' only other multi-hit game: a 3-for-4 performance with an RBI and a run scored.
Gateway notched 11 hits, but only one home run against the Otters' three big flies. The Grizzlies also made three errors and brought their total to five miscues over the first two games of the series.
Gateway and Evansville will conclude their three-game set and season series Thursday at 6:35 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.