The Gateway Grizzlies earned a pair of one-run victories Sunday, both by 3-2 final scores, over the Joliet Slammers at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
Gateway (28-37) took three of four matchups over the weekend.
Jordan Barrett (3-5) won the first game with seven innings of one-run ball and four strikeouts. Thomas Nicoll (3-2) picked up the win in game two with two runs allowed over five innings and five punchouts.
After falling behind 1-0 in both games, the Grizzlies quickly battled back. They scored all three of their game-one runs in the fourth inning on a Luis Román RBI double that scored Connor Owings and a Matt Brown two-run double that scored Román and Dustin Woodcock. Geoff Bramblett struck out the side in a perfect ninth inning for the save; he’s converted all seven of his save opportunities in 2019.
In the nightcap, the Grizzlies struck back on a two-run Woodcock homer over the right-field fence to take the lead. He narrowly missed a first-inning grand slam but launched his fifth big fly — all in July — in the third inning. Luke Lowery had tied the game earlier in the frame when he scored on a wild pitch.
Grant Black collected the save in the second game — his ninth of the season. Bramblett and Black have combined to convert all nine Grizzlies save chances in July.
Joliet (26-40) dropped to the worst record in the Frontier League.
Gateway will be off Monday and Tuesday before opening a two-game series Wednesday on the road against the first-place Florence Freedom.
