Starting pitcher Lukas Veinbergs gave up just one run and five hits in Gateway’s 5-2 win over Florence, Tuesday night at Grizzlies Ballpark. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence Y’alls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Gateway Grizzlies | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 6 | 1 |
Steven Millbrook
Staff Writer
SAUGET, IL — The Gateway Grizzlies picked up their third straight win Tuesday night, when they defeated the visiting Florence Y’alls, 5-2, in a Frontier League baseball game at Grizzlies Ballpark.
Starting pitcher Lukas Veinbergs and five relievers led the way for Gateway, which maintained its 1 1/2 game lead for first place in the Frontier League West Division. The Grizzlies pitchers held the Y’alls to just six hits, allowed two runs, and struck out a combined 13 batters in the win.
Veinbergs (5-3) was particularly good, as he went five innings and allowed only five hits, while giving up just one run, and striking out six. The former University of Missouri standout, who joined the Grizzlies last summer and won six games, earned the win in what was his 10th start of this season.
Relievers Matt Valin, Alec Whaley, Trevor Tietz, Brian Eichhorn, and Colton Easterwood combined to toss the other four innings. And through those innings, the only run allowed was a sacrifice fly in the sixth that pulled the Y’alls to within 3-2.
Gateway grabbed the lead early on a two-run single by all-star shortstop Abdiel Diaz in the bottom of the first. The Grizzlies then extended their lead to 3-1 after an RBI single by Andrew Penner in the fifth.
All-star second baseman Gabe Holt, who remains the Frontier League’s leading hitter with a .439 batting average, drove in the crucial final runs, with a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth.
Tietz, Eichhorn, and Easterwood each pitched a scoreless inning for the Grizzlies, with Easterwood getting his seventh save of the season by striking out the side in the ninth.
A crowd of 5,175 left the ballpark happy, especially following the Grizzlies’ spectacular 4th of July fireworks show.
Gateway (29-16) will go for the sweep on Wednesday against Florence (21-26). New rookie signee, Nathanial Tate will make his first pro start on the mound for the Grizzlies, while fellow rookie Evan Brabrand will start for the Y’alls.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.