GRIZZLIES SQUANDER LEAD, SERIES
CRESTWOOD, Ill. — The Gateway Grizzlies took a 4-0 lead in the second inning and a 5-1 lead in the fourth, but allowed five runs to the Windy City ThunderBolts in the sixth inning and lost, 9-7, Thursday night in the rubber match at Standard Bank Stadium.
Gateway (25-34) was again denied its first back-to-back series wins of the season; the Grizzlies remain six games back of the first-place River City Rascals.
Paul Russo homered to open the game — the Grizzlies' second leadoff home run this year, although they have lost both games. Shane Mardirosian had the other.
Russo and Mardirosian notched back-to-back doubles with two outs in the second to extend the Grizzlies' lead to 4-0.
Jhonniel Alvarez launched his first professional home run (in 66 games) over the left-field fence in the fourth inning to restore the Grizzlies' four-run advantage at 5-1. Gateway hit three home runs in the series; each big fly was a solo shot.
Windy City (21-35) needed only three hits — all singles — to score five runs and take the lead in the sixth. Gateway made two errors, walked a batter, hit a batter and tossed three wild pitches.
Gateway scored a run apiece in the seventh and ninth innings, but came up two runs short.
Russo and Mardirosian both went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk. Russo scored three runs; Mardirosian scored one. Cody Livesay had a single, two walks and a stolen base — his 10th of the season and 57th of his Grizzlies career, tying him with Jonathan Johnson for the most in franchise history.
Gateway will open a three-game series at home against the Traverse City Beach Bums on Friday at 7:05 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.