Grizzlies Come Back, Snatch Game 1 from Washington
Galva earns win with five shutout innings, seven strikeouts in relief, Gateway takes series lead
SAUGET, ILL. – The Gateway Grizzlies trailed early in the initial game of the best-of-three Wild Card series against the Washington Wild Things, but came back with clutch hitting behind a stupendous pitching performance out of the bullpen from Claudio Galva (1-0), recording a 6-5 victory at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
As they did in all three games against Washington in the regular season in Sauget, the Grizzlies gave up a run in the top of the first inning, as Ben Watson led off the game with a solo home run to right field off Gage Vailes to make it 1-0 Wild Things. The Grizzlies responded in identical fashion in the bottom of the first inning- Dale Thomas took Zach Kirby's (0-1) fourth pitch of the game deep over the left field fence to tie the game at 1-1.
Vailes walked two batters in the top of the second inning, and the Wild Things went back in front 3-1 on back-to-back two-out RBI singles by Charles Mack and Ben Watson, plating the two runners who reached on the bases-on-balls. But again, the Grizzlies had an answer. Mark Shallenberger and Edwin Mateo hit back-to-back two-out singles, and a passed ball plus a wild pitch scored a run back to make it a 3-2 game. In the bottom of the third inning, Gateway came up with more two-out magic- with no one on base, Victor Castillo singled and stole second base before D.J. Stewart lined an RBI single up the middle to tie the score at 3-3.
Galva then took over the game. The first-year Grizzlie from the Dominican Republic shut down the Washington lineup with one of the best outings of his career, tossing five shutout frames in relief of Vailes with just three baserunners allowed and seven strikeouts to tie his career-high.
In the meantime, Gateway would take the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Abdiel Diaz cracked a solo home run off the back wall in right field off Kirby to make it a 4-3 contest. In the following inning, another veteran came up clutch, as Gabe Holt expanded the lead to 6-3 on a two-run automatic double.
Francis Pegero came in for Galva and worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning, striking out the side in order, but ran into trouble in the top of the ninth, giving up a pair of singles to bring the tying run to the plate. Mack then doubled off the left field wall with two outs to make it a one-run game, putting the tying run in scoring position, but Keegan Collett got Watson to bounce out to Holt at second base, ending the game.
Now leading the best-of-three series 1-0, the Grizzlies will head to Washington, Pennsylvania looking to advance to the Midwest Conference Finals. Lukas Veinbergs will take the mound for Gateway against Wild Things ace Kobe Foster, with first pitch at EQT Park scheduled for 6:05 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 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.