Pitching Struggles, Grizzlies Drop Middle Game to Boomers
Gateway allow season-high in runs to nullify early comeback
SAUGET, ILL. – The Gateway Grizzlies allowed a season-high 17 runs on Wednesday night, nine of which came in the top of the sixth inning to break a 5-5 tie in what eventually became a 17-10 loss to the Schaumburg Boomers at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
For the second night in a row, the Boomers got a 4-0 lead in the first two frames, this time with three runs in the first inning and one in the second, three of which scored with two outs. Gateway got on the board in the bottom of the second on an RBI fielder's choice by Edwin Mateo, then tied the game in the third inning when Victor Castillo and D.J. Stewart hit back-to-back home runs to make it 4-4.
Michael Gould hit a solo home run leading off the next half inning against Claudio Galva, but the Grizzlies got that run back in the bottom of the fourth when Gabe Holt beat out a throw from shortstop for a two-out infield RBI single, knotting the score at 5-5.
In the top of the sixth inning, however, things crumbled for Gateway on the mound. The Boomers loaded the bases on two walks and a double off Dom Velazquez (1-1) to lead thingsoff, and after a pitching change, a two-run double to right field by Bren Spillane off Alvery De Los Santos gave Schaumburg a 7-5 lead. De Los Santos then got the second out of the inning on a ground ball to shortstop, and intentionally walked Anthony Calarco after falling behind in the count before Banks Tolley hit an RBI single to make it 8-5. Andrew Sojka then cleared the bases with a double, putting Schaumburg up 11-5, and after a walk, Gould came up and hit his second homer of the night, a three-run shot to left that capped the nine-run frame and made the score 14-5 Boomers.
Schaumburg would add two more runs in the seventh inning to lead 16-5, and the Grizzlies responded with five runs of their own in the bottom of the inning thanks to RBI hits by Mark Shallenberger, Abdiel Diaz, Cole Brannen, and Tanner Garrison, but could not get closer in dropping the middle contest of the midweek series.
The Grizzlies and Boomers will face off on Thursday night in a rubber game to decide the series on June 19, with Gage Vailes drawing the starting assignment against Schaumburg left-hander Cole Cook. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 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.