For the past week, the Grizzlies have alternated wins and losses, with last night’s game resulting in a loss. That streak came to end Friday night as the Grizzlies opened up a series with the Schaumburg Boomers with an 8-4 loss.
Gateway starting pitcher Dillon Haviland continued a pitching staff trend of late by giving up a home run in the top of the first, a solo shot to Jordan Dean and then a two-run shot to Mike Schulze in the second inning.
After allowing six runs in the first three innings, Haviland escaped a bases loaded jam in the fourth, but that was the end of his night.
Ben Waldrip, the offensive leader for Gateway, got the Grizzlies on the board in the third with an RBI single after a two out rally.
Coming in relief, Ross Spurgeon kept the Boomers in check and gave the Grizzlies a chance to come back. In the sixth, a single and walk by Waldrip and Blake Brown, respectively, set the table for Tyler Tewell to hit a three run bomb that just stayed fair in the right field corner to close the gap to 6-4.
Japanese reliever Hideyoshi Otake began the bottom of the seventh and found himself in a first and second, no out jam. But lately the only luck the Grizzlies have had is bad luck. A fielders choice play at third nabbed Seth Heck which resulted in an argument from manager Phil Warren with the base umpire. Craig Massoni lined into an inning ending, line drive double play to the shortstop position to kill the rally.
A disastrous inning of pitching and fielding mistakes by the Grizzlies gave Schaumburg two more runs in the eighth, fueled by a sac bunt and a throwing error by Ben Waldrip that brought home a run and failed to get an out on the play.
Gateway (23-40) continues the series tomorrow and Sunday night at GCS Ballpark.
