The Gateway Grizzlies took a late lead on Tuesday night against the Windy City ThunderBolts on Tuesday night at GCS Credit Union Ballpark, but watched as the visitors used a two-run home run in the ninth inning to come away with a 2-1 result in the opener of the three-game series.
The first seven-and-a-half innings of the ballgame featured scoreless frames for both teams in a true pitchers’ duel between Brendan Feldmann (2-1) and Kenny Mathews. Both starters held the opposing offense down, with Mathews completing six and two-thirds innings with six strikeouts, while Feldmann pitched into the ninth for Gateway, retiring 13 batters in a row at one point and striking out 10 to hold the ‘Bolts at bay.
In the bottom of the eighth, it was Gateway who took the lead with a two-out rally. Isaac Benard singled to begin the surge, and Jose Rosario walked to put two runners on base. Jay Prather then hit a soft ground ball to Windy City first baseman Peyton Isaacson, whose throw to first base went off the glove of the covering pitcher Justin Miller for an error, bringing in pinch-runner Cam Touchette with the game’s first run for a 1-0 Gateway lead going to the ninth.
But Windy City finally got to Feldmann in the top of the ninth. With Brynn Martinez at first base on a leadoff walk, Jairus Richards launched a two-run home run to right field to put Windy City ahead 2-1. Reed Hayes came in and finished the ninth inning by striking out the side, but the damage was done. In the bottom of the ninth, the Grizzlies got the tying run on base but could not extend the ballgame as they lost the opener of their home stand.
The Grizzlies will continue the series against the ThunderBolts on Wednesday night, June 1, with the middle game of the three-game series at 6:45 p.m. at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
