Playoff Magic Number Drops Despite Loss in Florence
Error dooms Gateway in series opener against Y'alls
FLORENCE, KY. – The Gateway Grizzlies had a 3-0 lead early, and a 5-3 lead in the middle frames, but a costly error on defense allowed a four-run inning to materialize in the bottom of the sixth inning in a 7-5 loss to the Florence Y'alls on Friday night at Thomas More Stadium.
The game started off wonderfully for the Grizzlies, with D.J. Stewart rocketing a two-run double to put them in front 2-0 off Evan Webster (7-4). Gabe Holt followed with an RBI single to make it 3-0. That lead held until the bottom of the third inning, when a leadoff walk turned into a game-tying rally against Zac Treece. With the score tied at 3-3, the veteran would settle into a groove, eventually finishing with a season-high nine strikeouts, and retiring eight batters in a row between the third and fifth innings.
In the meantime, the Grizzlies scored two runs in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Edwin Mateo and an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Victor Castillo, giving them a 5-3 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, however, things went south, as the Y'alls hit two solo home runs around a strikeout to tie the score at 5-5.
After Alec Whaley (3-2) was summoned from the bullpen, he got a ground ball to shortstop, with Abdiel Diaz's throw landing into, then out of the glove of Sawyer Smith for an error. A single and a walk then loaded the bases with still one out in the inning, and Dillon Baker hit a bloop RBI single that just eluded the glove of Gabe Holt in short right-center field to put Florence in front 6-5 on the first pitch he saw. Dalen Thompson then added another run on a first-pitch RBI groundout, making the score 7-5.
The Grizzlies' offense, despite out-hitting Florence 11 to eight in the contest, were unable to make a late rally, suffering their second loss in a row.
Despite the defeat, Mississippi's loss to Washington lowered the Grizzlies' magic number to clinch a spot in the playoffs down to 2, giving Gateway a chance to officially get into the postseason on Saturday, August 23, when they face off against the Y'alls in a doubleheader at Thomas More Stadium. Lukas Veinbergs will get the ball in the first game against Florence veteran Zac Westcott, with the first pitch of the twin-bill scheduled for 4:30 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.