GRIZZLIES BEAT JOLIET, WIN FOURTH STRAIGHT
SAUGET, Ill. — Jeff Cardenas launched a solo home run in the fourth inning to put the Gateway Grizzlies on the board before Trae Santos' RBI double and Justin Ellison's two-run double in the fifth inning gave the Grizzlies all the offense they needed in a 4-3 win Friday night over the Joliet Slammers at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
All four of the Grizzlies' runs scored with two outs.
Gateway (32-40) won its fourth straight to pull within 5.5 games of first place in the West Division.
Santos extended his hitting streak to nine games. Brent Sakurai hit in his sixth straight game with two singles.
Mason Klotz (4-3) earned the win in his Grizzlies debut. He allowed three runs on six hits over 7 1/3 innings and struck out nine. Klotz, the reigning Frontier League Pitcher of the Week for his start July 25 as a member of the Lake Erie Crushers, made it through seven innings without allowing a run before he walked two and gave up a single in the eighth. Three runs scored against the Grizzlies' bullpen, all of which were charged to Klotz.
Gateway traded for Klotz from Lake Erie last week in exchange for a player to be named later.
Grant Black earned his third save of the season. He recorded the game's final four outs — all via strikeout.
Cody Livesay had the Grizzlies' only other multi-hit game. Seven Gateway batters had at least one hit.
Gateway will go for a season-long five-game winning streak Saturday against Joliet 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.