Kevin Krause had a hit and three RBIs in the Grizzlies win over Lake Erie, Tuesday night. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| Frontier League | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Grizzlies | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| Lake Erie Crushers | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
WP: Justin Goossen-Brown (2-5) LP: Sammy Tavarez (2-3) SV: Leoni De La Cruz (14)
AVON, OH — The Gateway Grizzlies rallied back three different times, which included a game-deciding three-run spurt in the top of the eighth inning, to claim a 6-4 victory over the Lake Erie Crushers, Tuesday night at Crushers Stadium.
Gateway was down 2-1, 3-2, and 4-3, before putting together its final big rally that led to the win.
Designated hitter Kevin Krause delivered the key blow, when he singled in two men to break a 4-4 tie and give the Grizzlies the lead for good. Krause drove in another run earlier in the game, with a sacrifice fly that tied the game at three.
Gateway scored first, on a wild pitch in the third inning that scored Cole Brannen. Lake Erie responded with a two-run homer by John Tuccillo that put the Crushers up 2-1.
The Grizzlies answered back with a homer of their own — a solo shot by Dale Thomas, his second of the season, that made the score 2-2. Lake Erie took the lead again in the bottom half, on an inside-the-park homer by Logan Thomason that made the score 3-2.
That set up Krause’s sacrifice fly in the sixth that tied the score again. But an error, a hit batter, a passed ball, and a sac fly gave the Crushers the lead again in the seventh.
In the eighth though, is when Gateway really went to work. Jose Alvarez led off with a single, then took second on a passed ball, and went went to third on a hit by Gabe Holt.
Victor Castillo walked to load the bases. That brought up Grizzlies slugger Peter Zimmermann, who came into the game with a team-leading 20 home runs.
Zimmermann was hit by a pitch that drove in Alvarez and tied the game. Then Krause came up and delivered his game-winning, two-run single.
Relievers Greg Vailes and Alec Whaley combined to pitch a scoreless bottom of the eighth, and Leoni De La Cruz did the same in the ninth to pick up his 14th save of the season.
Justin Goossen-Brown (2-5) got the win. He was the pitcher of record when the Grizzlies took the lead for good.
But that still diminish the effort of Gateway starter Lukas Veinbergs, who went six innings and gave up just the three runs on four hits and one walk. He also struck out six in what will most likely be his final start of the regular season.
The Grizzlies are now 57-33 on the season.
The loss dropped Lake Erie to 47-43. They are currently on a five-game losing streak and have now dropped a half-game behind the Schaumburg Boomers for the third and final West Division playoff spot.
The team that finishes in third will play Gateway in the West Division Wild Card Game at Grizzlies Ballpark on September 3.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Innings | Play | V – H |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway Grizzlies 3rd | C. Brannen scored on a wild pitch. | 1 – 0 |
| Lake Erie Crushers 3rd | J. Tuccillo homered to left center, 2 RBI; J. Guenther scored. | 1 – 2 |
| Gateway Grizzlies 5th | D. Thomas homered to left center, RBI. | 2 – 2 |
| Lake Erie Crushers 5th | L. Thomason homered to left center, inside the park, RBI. | 2 – 3 |
| Gateway Grizzlies 6th | K. Krause flied out to cf, sacrifice fly, RBI; V. Castillo scored. | 3 – 3 |
| Lake Erie Crushers 7th | J. Watkins flied out to rf, sacrifice fly, RBI; L. Thomason advanced to third; J. Tuccillo scored, unearned. | 3 – 4 |
| Gateway Grizzlies 8th | P. Zimmerman hit by pitch, RBI; V. Castillo advanced to second; G. Holt advanced to third; J. Alvarez scored. | 4 – 4 |
| Gateway Grizzlies 8th | K. Krause singled to left center, 2 RBI; P. Zimmerman advanced to second; V. Castillo scored; G. Holt scored. | 6 – 4 |
UPCOMING GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL GAMES
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 28, 2024 (Wednesday) | 12:05 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Crushers Stadium / Avon, OH |
| August 29, 2024 (Thursday) | 5:35 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Crushers Stadium / Avon, OH |
| August 30, 2024 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 31, 2024 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| September 1, 2024 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| September 3, 2024 (West Division Wild Card Game) | TBD | Home | Lake Erie or Schaumburg | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |