The Gateway Grizzlies have won 10 of their last 11 games and are 40-21 on the season. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
JOLIET, IL — Summertime in St. Louis this year has been hot.
But the Gateway Grizzlies have been even hotter.
Gateway finished off a three-game sweep of the Joliet Slammers on Thursday and have now won 10 of its last 11 games, and 18 of its last 22, to take over first place in the Frontier League West Division.
The Grizzlies are 40-21 this season, which is tied with the Schaumburg Boomers for the most wins in the Midwest Conference. Gateway’s 21 losses are also the least of any team in the Midwest. Schaumburg has 23 losses, which puts them a full-game behind the Grizzlies for first place in the division.
Thursday’s win came in especially dramatic fashion.
Gateway was trailing 2-1 in the top of the ninth inning and was down to its final strike, when centerfielder Cole Brannen blasted his eighth home run of the season over the right-field wall to tie the game.
Then in the 10th inning, the Grizzlies scored five times to take the lead for good and eventually win the game, 7-2.
Cole Brannen hit a two-out, two-strike home run to force extra innings in the Grizzlies’ win over Joliet on Thursday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
In Wednesday’s game, which Gateway also won 7-2, the Grizzlies scored five runs in the top of first and led throughout.
Rightfielder Victor Castillo, who had three hits in the game, singled home the first run, then scored on a grand slam by Dale Thomas — his 10th homer of the year — to give Gateway a comfortable early lead.
Castillo hit a homer of his own — also his 10th of the season — to make sure Joliet wouldn’t be making any comebacks.
Tuesday’s game was a pitcher’s duel, featuring Gateway rookie Ben Harris and Joliet veteran C.J. Blowers. Harris tossed five shutout innings and only allowed three hits, with no walks, and six strikeouts. He left the game with the Grizzlies up 1-0.
The Slammers tied the score in the seventh, before Castillo singled home Mark Shallenberger in the eighth to give the Grizzlies the lead for good.
Relievers Alvery De Los Santos, Leoni De La Cruz, Matt Hickey, and Alec Whaley all pitched an inning to finish out the game. De La Cruz got the win and Whaley picked up the save.
Third baseman D.J. Stewart leads the Gateway Grizzlies with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
The Grizzlies will now travel to Chicago, for a weekend series against the Windy City ThunderBolts. The teams will play evening games on Friday and Saturday, and a day game on Sunday.
Gateway will be back home next week to begin its longest homestand of the season. The Grizzlies will play 10 straight games at Arsenal BG Ballpark in Sauget, beginning with a four-game set against Joliet, July 29-31.
On this homestand, Gateway will also play three games against Windy City and three more against Frontier League expansion team, the Mississippi Mud Monsters, who play their home games at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss.
2025 GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 5-4 (1-0) |
| May 9, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | L 3-2 (1-1) |
| May 10, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 4-0 (2-1) |
| May 13, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | W 8-5 (3-1) |
| May 14, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | W 9-8 10 inn. (4-1) |
| May 15, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | W 6-1 (5-1) |
| May 16, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 9-7 (6-1) |
| May 17, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 4-0 (6-2) |
| May 18, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Home | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 21-2 (7-2) |
| May 20, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | W 6-1 (8-2) |
| May 21, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | L 6-3 (8-3) |
| May 22, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | W 10-7 (9-3) |
| May 23, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | W 8-1 (10-3) |
| May 24, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | L 4-1 (10-4) |
| May 25, 2025 (Sunday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | L 5-4 (10-5) |
| May 27, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 13-9 (10-6) |
| May 28, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 11-10 (10-7) |
| May 29, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark | Postponed |
| May 30, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Sussex County Miners | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 6-5 (10-8) |
| May 31, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Sussex County Miners | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 9-2 (11-8) |
| June 1, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Home | Sussex County Miners | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 12-7 (12-8) |
| June 3, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | W 9-6 (13-8) |
| June 4, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | L 5-2 (13-9) |
| June 5, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | L 4-3 (13-10) |
| June 6, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | W 8-3 (14-10) |
| June 7, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | W 7-0 (15-10) |
| June 8, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | W 10-4 (16-10) |
| June 10, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Tri-City Valley Cats | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium | L 6-1 (16-11) |
| June 11, 2025 (Wednesday) | 10 am | Away | Tri-City Valley Cats | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium | L 4-3 (16-12) |
| June 12, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Tri-City Valley Cats | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium | W 10-5 (17-12) |
| June 13, 2025 (Friday) | 6 pm | Away | New York Boulders | Pomano, NY / Clover Stadium | W 10-9 (18-12) |
| June 14, 2025 (Saturday) | 5:30 pm | Away | New York Boulders | Pomano, NY / Clover Stadium | L 14-10 (18-13) |
| June 15, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Away | New York Boulders | Pomano, NY / Clover Stadium | W 6-1 (19-13) |
| June 17, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 13-10 (20-13) |
| June 18, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 17-10 (20-14) |
| June 19, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 5-2 (20-15) |
| June 20, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 18-3 (21-15) |
| June 21, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 4-0 (22-15) |
| June 22, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 8-7 (22-16) |
| June 24, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 12-8 (22-17) |
| June 25, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 5-4 (23-17) |
| June 26, 2025 (Thursday) | 10:45 am | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 2-1 (24-17) |
| June 27, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Avon, OH / Crushers Stadium | W 4-3 (25-17) |
| June 28, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Avon, OH / Crushers Stadium | L 4-0 (25-18) |
| June 29, 2025 (Sunday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Avon, OH / Crushers Stadium | W 10-3 (26-18) |
| July 1, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Washington Wild Things | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 13-6 (27-18) |
| July 2, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Washington Wild Things | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 12-2 (28-18) |
| July 3, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:05 pm | Home | Washington Wild Things | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 6-4 (29-18) |
| July 4, 2025 (Friday) | 7:05 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 2-1 (29-19) |
| July 5, 2025 (Saturday) | 7:05 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 7-5 (30-19) |
| July 6, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 3-2 (30-20) |
| July 9, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 14-3 (31-20) |
| July 10, 2025 (Thursday) | 10:45 am | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 5-1 (32-20) |
| July 11, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 12-3 (33-20) |
| July 12, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 6-5 (34-20) |
| July 13, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:05 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 11-6 (35-20) |
| July 16, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6 pm | Neutral | Frontier League All-Star Game | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium | Atlantic 5 Midwest 4 |
| July 18, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 9-3 (36-20) |
| July 19, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 12-7 (37-20) |
| July 20, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 5-2 (37-21) |
| July 22, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | W 2-1 (38-21) |
| July 23, 2025 (Wednesday) | 10:05 am | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | W 7-2 (39-21) |
| July 24, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | W 7-2 (40-21) |
| July 25, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | |
| July 26, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | |
| July 27, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | |
| July 29, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| July 30, 2025 (Wednesday) | 5 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| July 30, 2025 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| July 31, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 1, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 2, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 3, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 5, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 6, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 7, 2025 (Thursday) | 10:45 am | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 8, 2025 (Friday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Washington, PA / EQT Park | |
| August 9, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Washington, PA / EQT Park | |
| August 10, 2025 (Sunday) | 4:35 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Washington, PA / EQT Park | |
| August 12, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 13, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 14, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 15, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 16, 2025 (Saturday) | 7:15 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 17, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 19, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | |
| August 20, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | |
| August 21, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | |
| August 22, 2025 (Friday) | 7:05 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | |
| August 23, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | |
| August 24, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | |
| August 26, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | |
| August 27, 2025 (Wednesday) | 11 am | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | |
| August 28, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | |
| August 29, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 30, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 31, 2025 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| September 3-6, 2025 | TBD | TBD | Frontier League Wild Card Round | TBD | |
| September 9-14, 2025 | TBD | TBD | Frontier League Divisional Championship Series | TBD | |
| September 16-21, 2025 | TBD | TBD | Frontier League Championship Series | TBD |