Grizzlies Sweep Weekend Series in Joliet
Gateway breaks game open on grand slam by Stewart, records second sweep of 2025
JOLIET, ILL. – The Gateway Grizzlies swept the Joliet Slammers on Sunday afternoon, using a two-out grand slam by D.J. Stewart in the fourth inning to surge ahead in an eventual 10-4 victory at Slammers Stadium.
Gateway took advantage of a couple of Joliet mistakes in the third inning to go in front. Gabe Holt led off with a single against Slammers starter Aidan McEvoy (2-2), and Victor Castillo reached on an error by Dylan Robertson at third base. After a wild pitch and a groundout produced no runs, the Slammers intentionally walked Dale Thomas to pitch to Jose Alvarez with the bases loaded, and Alvarez hit a ground ball to second base to potentially begin an inning-ending double play. But Braylin Marine's throw to first base got past Jamey Smart, allowing two runners to score on the play for a 2-0 Grizzlies lead.
In the next inning, Gateway came up with more two-out magic. With one runner on and two outs already in the inning, Holt reached on an infield single and Castillo walked to load the bases for Stewart. The two-time Frontier League all-star responded with a drive over the center field fence for a grand slam, with the 406-foot bomb putting the Grizzlies ahead 6-0.
Gateway would eventually take an 8-0 lead thanks to an RBI groundout by Cole Brannen in the fifth inning and a solo home run by Holt in the sixth as well as more great pitching in the series by their starting pitcher, with Alvery De Los Santos (2-0) carrying a shutout into the sixth inning and striking out a season-high six.
The Slammers got on the board on a two-out RBI single by Marine in the sixth against De Los Santos, then used four walks to score three times in the seventh against Dom Velazquez and bring the tying run to the plate, but Alec Whaley recorded the final out of the frame to keep Gateway ahead 8-4. The Grizzlies then tacked on two more runs of insurance in the eighth for the final margin as they finished off the sweep.
Offensively, Gateway's veterans led the way, with Holt going 3-for-5 with three runs scored out of the leadoff spot, and Stewart amassing a season-high five RBIs to earn the club their second series sweep of the season and first since mid-May against the Mississippi Mud Monsters.
After completing the first half of their road trip with a winning record overall at 4-2 and having won three straight games, Gateway now shifts their focus to the back end of their long swing away from Sauget, as they will travel to New York to open up a three-game series on Tuesday, June 10, against the Tri-City ValleyCats. First pitch at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy, New York is set for 5:30 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 Arsenal BG Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. They have also won two Frontier League Organization of the Year Awards, four 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 2025 schedule can be found at frontierleague.com.