Bolts 3 Grizzlies 2
CRESTWOOD, IL – Zak Wasserman earned his first professional win as the ThunderBolts defeated the Gateway Grizzlies, their fifth straight win, 3-2 at Standard Bank Stadium Friday night.
The ThunderBolts got on the board in the first inning for the fourth straight day. Coco Johnson extended his hit streak to 13 games with a double. He scored on a Jonathan Garcia double. Austin Gallagher’s single brought home Garcia to make it 2-0.
Wasserman retired the first eight men he faced, but former ThunderBolt Ryan Soares cut into the lead in the third when he brought home Garrett Vail on a single. Vail had reached on a walk.
Garcia got that run right back the next inning with his second home run of the year, a solo shot to left, making it 3-1.
Bradon Reitano led off the top of the fifth with a double for Gateway. Vail bunted him to third and Soares scored him on a sacrifice fly to once again cut the lead to one.
Cameron Giannini entered the game in the sixth inning out of the ThunderBolts bullpen and threw three shutout frames, striking out five. James Jones threw a scoreless ninth.
Wasserman (1-1) allowed only one earned run in his five innings pitched on three hits with five strikeouts to earn the win. JaVaun West (3-2) allowed three earned runs in six innings and took the loss. Jones picked up his third save.
The ThunderBolts will continue their eight-game homestand on Saturday with game two against the Grizzlies. Danny Jimenez (1-1, 3.22) will start the game for the Bolts against Gateway’s Tyler Thompson (1-2, 3.10). It is Beatles Night at Standard Bank Stadium featuring a pregame concert from “Meet the Beatles” at 4:30. After the game, Standard Bank sponsors a fireworks show. Fans not in attendance can hear the broadcast on wcthunderbolts.com.
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