The Gateway Grizzlies are 32-24 and six games back in the Frontier League West Division. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
As the Frontier League hits its All-Star break, the Gateway Grizzlies have been enjoying some of their best play of the season.
The Grizzlies have been particularly great in the month of July. Gateway is 8-4 this month and has won all four series its played.
That boost has lifted the Grizzlies into sole possession of third place in the Frontier League West Division. Gateway is 32-24 on the season and sits six games back of the division lead behind the second-place Lake Erie Crushers and the league front-runners, the Washington Wild Things. The Schaumburg Boomers are right behind the Grizzlies with a 32-25 record, which puts that club 6.5 games back.
The top three teams in each division make the playoffs. The division winner earns an automatic bid into the best two-of-three Divisional Series, while the second and third place teams play a wild card game to see who advances to the next round.
If the playoffs began today, Gateway would play in the West Division Wild Card Game against Lake Erie. Washington would be the host club in the Divisional Series.
But there’s still a whole lot of season left. The Grizzlies have 39 games left on their schedule.
That’s a lot of time to potentially make up some ground on the Crushers or Wild Things, or possibly fall behind the Boomers or any other team that may get hot throughout July or August. What Gateway is hoping for is to continue to play like it has throughout the first part of July.
When the regular season resumes, the Grizzlies will begin with a six-game road trip. They’ll play three in Schaumburg and another three against the Joliet Slammers, before returning home for a three-game set against Schaumburg and three more against the New Jersey Jackals.
That will lead Gateway into August, which could be difficult. The Grizzlies have 15 road games and just 11 home games that month. But Gateway is one of just four teams in the Frontier League with winning road records this season. The Grizzlies are 15-11 away from Grizzlies Ballpark this year. So being on the road again may not be the problem some foresee it to be.
Sluggers D.J. Stewart and Peter Zimmermann will continue to be asked to lead the way for the Grizzlies. The two corner-infield veterans are tied for the team lead with 11 home runs this season. Stewart also leads the Grizzlies with 44 RBIs, while Zimmerman is second on the team with 36.
Fellow veteran Gabe Holt has been Gateway’s leading hitter overall this year. He’s batting .343 on the season, with 71 total hits and 32 runs scored.
The Gateway pitching staff features three dynamic starters, Deylen Miley, Collin Sullivan, and Teague Conrad, who all have five wins on the season.
Miley is this week’s Frontier League Pitcher of the Week, after earning wins in his last two starts — a seven-inning, 12-strikeout performance against the New England Knockouts on July 3 and a six-inning, 12-strikeout, shutout performance on July 10 against the Windy City ThunderBolts.
Rookie lefthander Kaleb Hill has also pitched well for the Grizzlies. He went 2-1 in five starts, before going on the injured list on July 5. Hill should be back healthy when the team returns to action this weekend.
With its full club back, Gateway is hoping to claim its second straight Frontier League West Division title.
UPCOMING GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL GAMES
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 17, 2024 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Neutral | Frontier League All-Star Game | Stade Canac / Québec City, Canada |
| July 19, 2024 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL |
| July 20, 2024 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL |
| July 21, 2024 (Sunday) | 1:00 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL |
| July 23, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Duly Health and Care Field / Joliet, IL |
| July 24, 2024 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Duly Health and Care Field / Joliet, IL |
| July 25, 2024 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Duly Health and Care Field / Joliet, IL |
| July 26, 2024 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 27, 2024 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 28, 2024 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 30, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | New Jersey Jackals | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 31, 2024 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | New Jersey Jackals | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 1, 2024 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | New Jersey Jackals | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |