Washington, PA (August 6, 2023) – The Gateway Grizzlies fought valiantly back from a 4-0 deficit to make it a one-run game in the sixth inning on Sunday at Wild Things Park in Washington, but could not get the tying run across late in a 4-3 loss to the Washington Wild Things, dropping the series on the road.
Washington took advantage of an error in the first inning to score two runs and take the immediate lead. After Anthony Brocato led off with a single against Parker Johnson, he attempted to steal second base. Willie Estrada’s throw was right on the money, but was dropped by Abdiel Diaz for the error, and Wes Darvill would follow with a two-run home run.
Brocato would go deep leading off the third inning to make the lead 3-0, and Washington got their final run in the fourth on a double-steal to increase the Grizzlies’ deficit to 4-0. In the fifth, Wild Things starter Hayden Shenefield (2-3) got wild, hitting three straight batters to force in Gateway’s first run, with Eric Rivera taking the RBI on his plunking. In the next inning, Shenefield hit Andrew Penner leading off, and two batters later, Estrada clubbed his second two-run homer in as many nights, drawing the Grizzlies within 4-3 on his fifth home run of the year.
Gateway would be unable to get any other baserunners on safely after that, however, as Justin Goosen-Brown pitched two and two-thirds nearly-perfect innings to set up Lukas Young, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. The one chance the Grizzlies had to tie the game was in the eighth, when D.J. Stewart reached on a leadoff error by Goosen-Brown and went to second on a ground ball. Mark Vierling’s deep drive to center field was caught, however, by Robert Chayka to deny Gateway the tie score.
Having finished their road trip with a 4-3 record against Schaumburg, Joliet, and Washington, the Grizzlies now return home for their next six games, opening up the homestand on Tuesday, August 8, against the Florence Y’alls at Grizzlies Ballpark after an off day on Monday. Collin Sullivan gets the start for the Grizzlies in the series opener at 6:45 p.m. CT.
(Credit to Jason Guerette)
### The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team, located a mere 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis in Sauget, Illinois. The Grizzlies offer baseball fans affordable, family fun at Grizzlies Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. They have also won two Frontier League Organization of the Year Awards, three West Division titles, and the 2003 Frontier League Championship. For tickets or general information, please visit gatewaygrizzlies.com or call (618) 337-3000. The Frontier League debuted in 1993, and is the largest of the Major League Baseball Partner Leagues, featuring teams stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and from the Ohio River to the St. Lawrence Seaway. More information and the complete 2023 schedule can be found at frontierleague.com.