SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies saw their season come to an end in shocking fashion on Tuesday night, giving up four runs in the ninth inning on a pair of home runs, including a go-ahead three-run shot when they were one strike away from victory in a 10-8 loss to the Lake Erie Crushers in the West Division Wild Card game at Grizzlies Ballpark.
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Deylen Miley started the contest for the Grizzlies, and gave up the game’s first runs in the first inning when Vincent Byrd, Jr. hit a two-run home run to center field with two outs, putting Gateway behind 2-0. The Grizzlies would respond right away, however, loading the bases with no outs against Lake Erie starter Darrien Ragins in the bottom of the first. D.J. Stewart hit into a double play, which brought in the lead runner from third base to make it 2-1, and Kevin Krause lined a double off the left field wall to tie up the game at 2-2.
Both starters settled in, keeping the game tied until the top of the fifth inning when, with two outs and an 0-2 count, Logan Thomason put Lake Erie up 3-2 with a solo home run against Miley. Again, Gateway would respond, this time in a huge way in the bottom of the sixth. Victor Castillo led off the inning with a double, and Peter Zimmermann singled to knock Ragins out of the contest. Stewart then tied the score with an RBI single off reliever Christian Scafidi at 3-3, and Krause would hit a sacrifice fly to right-center field, giving the Grizzlies their first lead of the game at 4-3.
The inning would not stop there, however, as Abdiel Diaz and Kyle Gaedele both walked to load the bases, and after Scafidi got the second out of the inning on a strikeout, Jose Alvarez cracked a dramatic grand slam home run to right field, making the score 8-3 Grizzlies.
That is where the good feelings came to an end, however, as Lake Erie got three runs back in the top of the seventh to get within 8-6, which is where the score remained into the top of the ninth inning. Leoni De La Cruz (0-1) was summoned from the bullpen, and gave up a solo home run to former Grizzlie Jack Harris leading off the frame. Now up 8-7, the Gateway closer got the next two men out, and had Alberti Chavez down to his final strike before issuing a walk. Another walk followed, and after De La Cruz had Byrd also down 0-2 in the count and down to his final strike, he hung a slider that Byrd hit over the short porch in right field for his second home run of the game, putting Lake Erie ahead 10-8 in stunning fashion.
The Grizzlies went down in order in the bottom of the ninth inning against Lake Erie closer Trevor Kuncl (1-0), bringing their season to an end in heartbreak for the second year in a row on their home field.
Gateway will now look ahead to the 2025 season, which will be their 25th anniversary year as a club. Stay tuned for the full schedule release, player news, promotions, and more in the coming months by following the Grizzlies on social media and on their website, GatewayGrizzlies.com!
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