The Grizzlies opened a three game set against the River City Rascals with a huge offensive explosion that saw a designated hitter hit a home run and then take the mound to pitch, followed by a shortstop who was called in to pitch but wasn’t in the bullpen when called upon.
Gateway has spent this season looking up from the bottom of the standings, going 5-14 to start. On the other hand, the Rascals have had better success, going 11-7 and have won six straight going into the game. None of that mattered when the game ended with a final score of 12-2.
Gateway sent Max Schonfeld to the bump with an 0-1 record and a 4.02 ERA. He gave up two quick singles to start the game but some nice defensive plays behind him erased the runners.
River City’s starting hurler was Santos Saldivar, who signed his first professional contract Friday morning. Saldivar comes to the Frontier League from Southern University. He was cruising through his first several batters, but a single by Ben Waldrip and a walk by Richard Seigel brought up Shawn Payne, who hammered the first pitch to left center field for a two run double.
Saldivar seemed to be in trouble each inning, allowing four hits and issuing four walks. His night ended early after 3 1/3 innings, leaving with the bases loaded in the fourth, tossing only 76 pitches. Chandler Jagodzinski, a right handed side arm thrower, came in relief, giving up a sac fly from Ryan Soares and stranding two runners on base.
Hector Crespo singled in the top of the sixth to end the night of Schonfeld, who went 5 2/3 innings. On the first pitch reliever Troy Barton threw home, Crespo sole second but was stranded when Danny Canela was called out looking moments later.
The Rascals began a rally in the top of the seventh. Zach Komentani and Jackson Slaid both reached to start the inning. Lead off man Curran Redal hit into a fielder’s choice when shortstop Rolando Gomez made a nifty play in the hole to nab Slaid at second. Johnny Morales followed by hitting into a double play to end the inning, keeping the shutout in tact for the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies started their own rally off Jagodzinski in the bottom of the seventh when Madison Beaid laid down a bunt that rolled down the line and nipped the third base bag, staying fair. Ryan Soares hit into what should have been a double play, but an error by third baseman Taylor Ard put two men on with no out. Gomez drove in Beaird with a sharp single that ended an impressive Rascals debut for Jagodzinski.
Will Schierholz came in relief for River City, but Ard committed his second error of the inning and third of the game on another potential double play, allowing another run to make it 5-0. A sharp comeback to the mound added another run when Schierholz couldn’t handle the ball cleanly. A single by Garrett Vail plated two more runs, followed by an error by left fielder Kometani on a hit by Beaird that brought in Shawn Payne. The inning ended with six runs for the Grizzlies and three errors made by River City.
A crowd of 2,135 saw the shutout end when River City designated hitter Josh Ludy hit a monster home run into right center field in the top of the eighth. Ard followed with his own shot into center field, making that the first time this year the Rascals went back to back.
As soon as Ludy got back to the dugout, manager Steve Brook sent him to the bullpen to loosen up to pitch the top of the eighth. Ludy does have some experience on the mound – he has two appearances in Single A ball with the Philadelphia Phillies and struck out Texas Rangers rookie phenom Joey Gallo. Ben Waldrip didn’t care about that accomplishment. He greeted Ludy with a three run bomb that sent left fielder Zach Komtani flipping over the wall.
After taking out Ludy, backup shortstop Josh Silver was called in to pitch, coming out of the dugout instead of the bullpen. He was the benefactor of a double play ball off the bat of Richard Seigel and then struck out Shawn Payne looking.
The Grizzlies and Rascals face off eight more times this year. As far as quirkiness, not many games can match what the fans saw tonight.
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