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Joliet, Ill. – The Gateway Grizzlies left a total of fourteen runners on base in Sunday afternoon’s 7-3 defeat to the Joliet Slammers. The loss wrapped up Gateway’s six-game road trip.
RHP Trevor Richards (1-2) took the mound with hopes of stopping Gateway’s six-game losing skid, but he was greeted by Boo Vazquez’s solo homer in the first to give Joliet a 1-0 edge.
The Slammers (11-11) extended their lead in the third. After Phil Bates and Charlie White started the frame with back-to-back singles, Richards retired the next two batters in a row. Carter Bell then stepped in and rocketed a three-run homer to left field.
Gateway (9-13) received a jolt in the top half of the fourth from Sam Fischer, who belted a solo shot for his third home run of the season. The Grizzlies’ offense scratched across another run against LHP Sean Townsley (2-1) to make it 4-2.
After Joe Staley launched a solo homer off Richards in the fourth, the Grizzlies manufactured a run with Seth Heck’s RBI groundout to make it 5-3. Joliet then hit their fourth long ball off Richards as Marc Flores went deep with a two-run shot.
With the Slammers leading 7-3 in the sixth, it became a battle of the bullpens. RHP Jon Pusateri and LHP Jon Jones combined to throw three scoreless innings to keep Gateway within striking distance.
Despite their work, RHP Tyler Levine allowed a hit but nothing more out of Joliet’s bullpen and LHP Brent Choban earned a save by pitching 2.2 scoreless frames in relief.
After an off day on Monday, the Grizzlies return home to GCS Ballpark for the start of a six-game homestand on Tuesday evening against the Southern Illinois Miners. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
The game can be heard on the Grizzlies Radio Network, which airs Tuesday on 1400 AM KJFF and www.GatewayGrizzlies.com/Radio
