SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies were down 5-1 entering the bottom of the sixth on Thursday night against the New Jersey Jackals, but made one of their biggest comebacks of the season, tying the score in the seventh before going ahead in the eighth en route to a 6-5 win at Grizzlies Ballpark, clinching their eighth consecutive series victory.
Gateway again took an early 1-0 lead on three straight two-out hits in the bottom of the first off New Jersey starter Jalon Tyson-Long, going in front on an Abdiel Diaz RBI single at 1-0. The Jackals, however, would tie the game in the next inning with two outs, as Ryan Ford was hit by a pitch from Teague Conrad and stole second base before Arbert Cipion singled to center field to make it 1-1.
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It would stay 1-1 into the fifth despite both teams getting men on base in nearly every inning. The Jackals went in front with two outs in that inning on a short-porch solo home run by Clayton Mehlbauer at 2-1, and then scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI double by Ford as well as a two-run single by Miguel Gomez.
Down 5-1 entering their next turn at-bat after managing just one infield hit in their previous four innings against Tyson-Long, the Grizzlies began their comeback. Tyler Shelnut and Diaz led off the inning with singles, and after D.J. Stewart struck out, Kevin Krause looped an RBI double into right field, making the score 5-2 Jackals. Cole Brannen followed with an RBI single to make it a 5-3 deficit, and Jose Alvarez followed by reaching on an infield single towards second base, driving in another run to make it 5-4.
In the seventh inning, Diaz worked a one-out walk, went to second base on a wild pitch by Ryan Velazquez, and scored on an RBI single by Stewart up the middle, knotting the score at 5-5. Then, in the bottom of the eighth, Gabe Holt singled to right field before stealing both second and third base. With two outs in the frame, New Jersey reliever Andrew Kramer (0-1) threw a wild pitch to score Holt with the go-ahead run.
There would be no ninth-inning rally for the visitors this time. Leoni De La Cruz retired the side in order in the top of the ninth to preserve the 6-5 final score, with the southpaw earning his seventh save as the Grizzlies finished 4-2 on their home stand, taking both series after dropping the opening contest.
Gateway next embarks on another trip to Chicagoland that will begin tomorrow, Friday, August 2, against the Schaumburg Boomers at Wintrust Field. Collin Sullivan will get the starting assignment on the mound for the Grizzlies.
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