Grizzlies Blast ThunderBolts in Series Opener
August 31, 2022 – Frontier League (FL) – Gateway Grizzlies News Release
The Gateway Grizzlies used an eight-run third inning to break a scoreless game wide open, and kept up the offensive onslaught for most of the night, while Manuel Rodriguez (1-2) twirled a complete-game, three-hit shutout on the mound in a 12-0 blowout win over the Windy City ThunderBolts on Tuesday night at Ozinga Field.
After being held hitless in the first two innings by Jack Alkire (0-4), Gateway opened the third inning with six consecutive hits. Isaac Benard drove in the first run on a single, and after a wild pitch made it 2-0, Kevin Krause tripled to right field to make it a 3-0 score. Zach Racusin followed with an RBI single of his own, and Peter Zimmermann then increased the lead to 6-0 on a two-run home run, his first since June 19. But the Grizzlies were not done there- later in the inning, with two outs, Andrew Penner drove in two more runs on a single to make the score 8-0, capping the inning for the Grizzlies at nine hits to set a new season-high for base hits in a single frame.
The Grizzlies would then add on to their lead in the fifth on another Penner RBI single and a two-out RBI double by Krause for a 10-0 cushion, and completed the scoring in the eighth when Ian Bibiloni hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded coupled with a throwing error that scored Racusin and made it 12-0.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez went the distance for the first time in his professional career, striking out four and not allowing a single outfield hit until the eighth inning, marking the second individual shutout of the season for the Gateway pitching staff.
Five Grizzlies enjoyed multi-hit games, with Krause tying his career-high by going 4-for-4 and finishing a home run away from the cycle. Penner also finished 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, while Abdiel Diaz tied his season- and career-high with three hits and scored three runs. The 18 hits by Gateway as a team were one off a season-high as well.
The Grizzlies will look to make it three wins in a row and a series win when they face the ThunderBolts in the middle game of the series on Wednesday, August 31, at 7:05 p.m. CT.
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 GCS Credit Union 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 2022 schedule can be found at frontierleague.com.
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