GRIZZLIES SHUT OUT IN MARION
MARION, Ill. — The Gateway Grizzlies allowed a pair of important two-out hits to the Southern Illinois Miners in a 4-0 loss Wednesday night in game one of a scheduled doubleheader at Rent One Park. The nightcap was postponed due to the threat of severe weather in the area.
Gateway (23-33) split the series a game apiece.
Southern Illinois (29-26) snapped a three-game losing skid on a two-out, two-strike single by former Grizzlies first baseman Jamey Smart in the first inning and a two-out, three-run home run from Arturo Nieto over the right-field fence in the sixth inning.
Nieto's blast came with the wind whipping out to right field so hard that it literally shook the flagpole beyond the center-field wall.
Ian Kahaloa (1-3) allowed one run and struck out six over 5 2/3 innings en route to the hard-luck loss. He departed with two outs and nobody on in the sixth inning. All three runs on Nieto's later blast were charged to Patrick Boyle.
Gateway had runners on the corners with one out in the second inning, but Shawon Dunston Jr. was picked off of first base. He tried to stay in the ensuing rundown long enough for Luis Román to score from third base, but Miners shortstop J.B. Morales tagged Dunston Jr. and threw home in time to get Román for a rare double play that didn't require a pitch.
Román had led off the second inning with a double. He also walked. Zak Taylor was the only other Grizzlies hitter to reach base multiple times; he had a single and a walk.
Gateway will be idle Thursday before opening a three-game series on the road against the Joliet Slammers with a 7:05 p.m. CDT first pitch Friday.
--
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 10 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.