918
Sauget, Ill. – The Grizzlies received quality pitching and just enough offense to beat the Lake Erie Crushers 3-2 as Gateway returned to the field on Friday night for the first time since the Frontier
Gateway’s Cory Kimes takes to the mound to start the second half of the Frontier League season for the Gateway Grizzlies as they take on the Lake Erie Crushers in a three game stand through Sunday .
League’s All-Star break.
The Grizzlies (26-28) struck early after Seth Heck scored on a passed ball in the first inning. In the third, Heck came around to cross home again on a single from Brandon Thomas to make it 2-0 against Lake Erie lefty Stetson Nelson (2-4).
LHP Corey Kimes meanwhile delivered another solid performance as he allowed just one hit through five innings to start the game.
With Gateway leading 2-0, the Crushers (24-26) finally touched up Kimes for a run in the sixth. Lake Erie started the frame with three straight singles. Brendan Constantino then hit into a double play as a run scored. Times got out of the inning with that being the lone run scored.
The Grizzlies runner Josh Bunselmeyer reaches first base safely as the throw from the Crushers shortstop sails over the glove of the first baeman Jose Barrraza .
In the seventh, Crushers left fielder Sean Hurley greeted Kimes with a solo homer to left centerfield which tied the game at 2-2. After Kimes put the go-ahead run on-base with a walk, RHP JaVaun West (1-3) entered the game and got out of the jam with the score still tied.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Craig Massoni smacked a solo shot deep over the right field wall at GCS Ballpark to give the Grizzlies a 3-2 edge. It was Massoni’s eighth blast of the season.
West then allowed a single to Constantino in the eighth to put the tying run on-base with nobody out, but the righty from Atlanta, Mo. would bounce back to strike out three consecutive batters.
RHP Kevin Jefferis pitched a tidy ninth inning while retiring the side in order. Jefferis picked up a pair of strikeouts to notch his fifth save of the season.
The Grizzlies and Crushers play the second game of their three-game set on Saturday evening at GCS Ballpark. RHP Adam Eggnatz (3-1, 3.02 ERA) takes the mound for Gateway against Lake Erie RHP Steve Hagen (3-2, 1.31 ERA). First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
The game can be heard on the Grizzlies Radio Network, which airs Saturday on 1400 AM KJFF, 94.3 FM/1570 AM WBGZ, and online at www.GatewayGrizzlies.com/Radio
