JOLIET, Ill. – Despite taking a solid lead in the top of the first, the Gateway Grizzlies fell behind and then failed to fully come back in a 9-6 loss to the Joliet Slammers at DuPage Medical Group Field on Saturday.
Andres Regnault got things rolling quickly in the top of the first. After being robbed of a home run to right in the ninth inning on Friday, he smacked a three-run blast to right and put the Grizzlies in front 3-0. It was Regnault’s 10th home run of the season and his seventh of the month of July.
However, Joliet did not take long to bring on a major response. Gateway left-handed starter Jordan Barrett struck out the first batter of the game before allowing nine straight batters on base, which led to a 7-3 Slammers lead at the end of the first.
Gateway wasn’t quite done yet. Jay Prather hit an RBI single in the top of the second and two more runs came across in the top of the sixth, slicing the deficit to 7-6.
Then, in the bottom of the seventh, a Brylie Ware RBI groundout and Jackson Dvorak RBI double gave the Slammers a decisive 9-6 cushion
Barrett (2-4) gave up seven runs in just 0.1 innings and took the loss. Slammers RHP Chris Roycroft (1-1) earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief and RHP Brad VanAsdlen (1) completed a six-out save.
The Grizzlies and Slammers square off in a rubber match on Sunday afternoon. First pitch at DuPage Medical Group Field is set for 1:05 p.m and you can listen live on YO Radio or watch on Frontier League TV. Coverage begins with the Budweiser Pregame Show at 12:50 p.m.
