FLORENCE, Ky. — The Gateway Grizzlies came from behind to beat the Florence Freedom on a three-run homer from Jonathan Piron in game one of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon, but they relinquished their lead in the second game to split the twinbill and lose the series at UC Health Stadium.
After the first 10 Grizzlies batters were retired in game one, Gateway (5-4) got a single from Terry McClure and a double from Brennan Morgan before Piron cleared the bases with a big fly to right field that gave the Grizzlies a 3-2 lead. Ryan McSweeney, Patrick Boyle and Kevin Simmons combined to make sure the lead stood up.
McSweeney (1-0) picked up his first professional win in relief; Simmons notched his first save of the season.
Florence (6-3) battled back to take a 3-0 lead in the second inning of game two, but the Grizzlies answered with three runs in the fourth to tie the game. After the Freedom scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead, Blake Brown drove a two-run double into the left-center gap and put the Grizzlies back on top, 5-4, in the top of the fifth.
In the bottom of the inning, though, Gateway’s defense faultered. Between a missed tag on a stolen base and a throw that bounced off the back of a Freedom baserunner, Florence tallied two fortunate runs and took the lead for good in a 6-5 victory.
Gateway finished the six-game road trip at 2-4 and is now a game behind Florence for the West Division lead.
Grant Black (0-1) took the loss in relief for the Grizzlies.
After a day off on Monday, the Grizzlies return to GCS Credit Union Ballpark for a three-game series against the Lake Erie Crushers (6-3, first place in the East) starting on Tuesday, May 22, at 7:05 p.m.
