Grizzlies 6 Bolts 1
CRESTWOOD, IL—The ThunderBolts may have avoided another shutout Monday night, but they still were not able to overcome Gateway pitching as the ‘Bolts dropped the opener 6-1. Windy City (23-33) never led in the game as the Grizzlies (34-21) picked up the win in the first meeting of these two teams.
A run wouldn’t score until the fourth inning when Chris McClendon led off with a double. A groundball moved McClendon to third base followed by an RBI groundout from Antone DeJesus.
The Grizzlies tacked on another pair of runs two innings later as Jose Flores singled home McClendon and DeJesus with two outs.
Gateway wouldn’t stop there as the visiting team plated two more in the 7th inning. McClendon doubled home Jonathon Johnson. Jon Myers then reached on an error which allowed McClendon to score once again.
After Gateway scored once again in the 9th inning, the ‘Bolts were down to their last chance in the bottom of the frame. With Kyle Robinson at second base and one out, Chase Tucker singled up the middle to score the ThunderBolts’ first run of the game.
The attempt at a rally was too little too late though, as Gateway took the first game of the series 6-1. Windy City stranded a total of nine runners on the basepaths, seven of them in scoring position.
Matt Sergey (1-1) picked up the win as Brian Oliver (2-6) earned the loss.
Travis Tingle (3-3, 3.58) will attempt to even up the series for the ThunderBolts against the Grizzlies’ Jake Stephens (1-1, 6.17). Tuesday’s game is Standard Bank Stadium’s Big Splash Day II with a scheduled 10:35 a.m. first pitch. Fans that cannot make it to the day game can tune in on 88.3 WXAV FM and wxav.com.
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