TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The Gateway Grizzlies (6-17) picked up their third win in the last five games Wednesday night on the back of terrific pitching, topping the Traverse City Beach Bums (11-12) by a final score of 3-2 at Weurfel Park.
Dylan Craig (1-3) started for Gateway and threw 5 1/3 innings, over which he allowed two runs on six hits while striking out six and walking three. He was credited with his first win of 2017.
The bullpen was even better — Mike Elwood, Javier Reynoso and Kaleb Earls combined to hurl 3 2/3 scoreless innings without allowing a single hit.
Elwood worked 1 2/3 innings after entering a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning with one out and Gateway leading 3-1. He allowed only one of his three inherited runners to score, keeping the Grizzlies on top. Javier Reynoso delievered a scoreless eight inning with two strikeouts, allowing only one baserunner.
Kaleb Earls threw a perfect ninth inning, with two strikeouts, to tally his third save of the season in as many tries.
Offensively, the Grizzlies jumped on top with two runs (neither earned) in the third inning. Cody Livesay scored after Traverse City first baseman Giancarlo Brugnoni failed to catch a routine throw on Matt Hearn’s bunt. Hearn came around to score on a Zach Lacy sacrifice fly.
After the Beach Bums scored a run in the bottom of the third to draw within one, the Grizzlies added an insurance run in the fourth. Matt Hearn singled to score Anthony Caronia from second. That turned out to be all they needed.
Caronia, Evan Rogers and Blake Brown all had two hits — the red-hot Brown extended his hitting streak to six games. Livesay added two walks to his single. Josh Bunselmeyer and Terry McClure both had one hit apiece.
The Grizzlies stole six bases as a team without getting caught.
Gateway battles Traverse City again at 6:05 p.m. CDT tomorrow night in the rubber match of a three-game series and six-game road trip, which will finish at Lake Erie over the weekend. Fans can hear all the action on the Grizzlies Media Network.
