Frontier League

 

Ninth-inning comeback beats Gateway

Bolts 3 Grizzlies 2

CRESTWOOD, IL – Dash Winningham’s RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning capped a three-run inning for the ThunderBolts, who erased a 2-0 deficit to beat the Gateway Grizzlies 3-2 at Ozinga Field Sunday afternoon.

Randy Perez, typically an infielder, started on the mound for the ThunderBolts (13-14) and threw three scoreless innings. The Grizzlies (12-15) had several scoring chances off of him but they left five men on base in the three frames.

Joel Toribio followed with three shutout frames and Blake Hickman and Colby Blueberg each tossed one to keep the game scoreless.

The ThunderBolts had only one hit, a Shane Carrier double, over the first eight innings. Their only other base runner came on a dropped third strike.

In the ninth inning, Gateway loaded the bases on a single and two walks. Blueberg got the first out on strikes and Dylan Prohoroff came out of the bullpen to strike out the next batter, bringing up Jamey Smart with two outs. Smart hit a grounder to the shortstop and the throw bounced in for an error, allowing two runs to score, breaking up the shutout.

Micah Coffey led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a walk and Brynn Martinez followed with a single. Manuel Mesa dropped down a bunt that was thrown away by Connor Owings, allowing Coffey to score. That run snapped a 26 innings scoreless streak for the ThunderBolts. Tyler Straub’s sacrifice fly tied the score and, with two outs, Winningham hit a liner down the right field line to score the game-winning run.

Prohoroff (2-0) got credit for the win in relief while Grant Black (0-2) gave up all three runs for the loss.

The ThunderBolts begin a six-game road trip on Tuesday evening as they start a series with the Evansville Otters. Austin Jones (1-1, 5.29) makes his second start of the year for the ThunderBolts. First pitch from Bosse Field is scheduled for 6:35 and the broadcast can be heard through wcthunderbolts.com.

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