GRIZZLIES HONOR BROWN, WIN 2018 FINALE
SAUGET, Ill. — The whole game — including a crowd of 6,081 — paused with one out in the ninth inning Sunday night when Gateway Grizzlies outfielder Blake Brown was surprised with a tribute video and Grizzlies Hall of Fame induction during his decorated four-year career's final game, a 3-2 Grizzlies win over the Southern Illinois Miners at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
Brown hit his 65th and 66th career home runs Saturday, pushing him to third in Grizzlies franchise history. The 2017 Frontier League All-Star finished his career behind only Charlie Lisk and Mike Breyman, both of whom are members of the Frontier League Hall of Fame.
Grizzlies outfielder Cody Livesay also concluded his four-year Gateway tenure. The Jonesboro, Illinois, native stole a final base Sunday to finish with a franchise-record 65 steals in his career. Livesay came off the field to a standing ovation in the eighth inning.
Gateway (38-58) concluded the season with back-to-back wins for the second straight year. Southern Illinois (48-47) lost its second straight.
Brent Sakurai and Trae Santos both drove in runs with doubles in the Grizzlies' win.
Brown finished his Grizzlies career with a 3-for-5 night. He has hits in each of his last three at-bats.
Max MacNabb (9-9) earned his team-leading ninth win with eight innings of two-run baseball. He struck out 10 to finish with 114 punchouts in 2018, more than any other Grizzlie and tied for the third-highest total in the Frontier League. MacNabb's 3.63 ERA led Gateway's starting rotation.
Josh Glick recorded the first out in the ninth inning and set a Grizzlies single-season record with his 43rd appearance. Mike Elwood, who emerged as one of Gateway's top starting pitcher this season, set the previous record with 42 appearances last year.
Grant Black earned the save, his seventh.
After a four-hour, 51-minute game Saturday that stretched until 11:56 p.m. CDT, the Grizzlies and Miners finished the season Sunday in less than half that time: two hours and 13 minutes, not counting a 15-minute delay for Brown's ceremonial exit in the ninth inning.
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.