Offense Scuffles As Grizzlies Lose Finale To Windy City

CRESTWOOD – The Gateway Grizzlies dropped a close game late to the Windy City ThunderBolts on Thursday night, falling 2-1 and being denied the three-game sweep at Ozinga Field despite a great start by Collin Sullivan (5-4).

The Gateway right-hander pitched into the seventh inning, and eventually allowed just two runs on six hits, walking one, and striking out seven. But he suffered the loss as the Grizzlies’ offense could not strike when they had opportunities to score.

After the Grizzlies failed to convert situations with runners at first and second base in the third inning, and runners at second and third base in the fourth inning, both times with no outs, Windy City scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the fifth. Kingston Liniak snuck a double fair inside first base, and went to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly, putting the Grizzlies behind for the first time in the series at 1-0.

Gateway would respond right away, getting runners at second and third base with one out after a single by David Maberry and a double by Jack-Thomas Wold. D.J. Stewart then tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI bloop single over the drawn-in infield, but the Grizzlies could not score the lead run from third base later in the inning to go ahead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Liniak again reached second base to lead off, and was sacrificed to third base before scoring on an RBI fielder’s choice on a ground ball to first base, giving Windy City a 2-1 lead. That lead would hold the rest of the way, as Gateway had to settle for a series win instead of a sweep, dropping just their second contest in their last eight overall.

The Grizzlies will now look to regain momentum in their final series before the all-star break back at home in Sauget against the Joliet Slammers. Teague Conrad will start the opener of the weekend series on Friday, July 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Grizzlies Ballpark, opposed by Slammers right-hander Brett Sanchez.

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