The Gateway Grizzlies did not have a hit until the seventh inning and trailed from the first inning on Saturday night in a 5-0 loss to the Florence Freedom at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
Luke Lowery looped a single down the right-field line with two outs in the seventh in for the first Grizzlies (21-32) hit.
Florence (37-17) improved upon its league-best record and took a seven-game lead over the rest of the West Division behind a masterful performance from Scott Sebald (3-1), who worked 8 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed only two hits while striking out six. Florence is 9-0 against the Grizzlies in 2019 and 3-0 when Sebald starts. The southpaw has a 2-0 record (and one no-decision) against the Grizzlies this season with a 2.18 ERA over 20 2/3 innings.
Anthony Ray had a two-out, line-drive single in the eighth inning for the Grizzlies’ second — and final — hit.
Gateway has lost 11 straight series against the Freedom, although that number excludes a pair of split series in 2018.
Dominic Topoozian (4-4) took the loss for the Grizzlies. He conceded five runs (four earned) over 4 1/3 innings.
Thomas Nicoll, Jason Seever, Dakota Smith, and Geoff Bramblett combined to fire 4 2/3 shutout innings out of the Grizzlies’ bullpen. The quartet of relievers struck out six batters and walked only one.
Gateway and Florence will conclude their three-game series with a 6:05 p.m. CDT finale Sunday. Chris Carden(4-1, 4.02) is scheduled to start for the Grizzlies against Freedom righty Tyler Gibson (7-1, 3.49), whose seven victories lead the Frontier League.
