Grizzlies rally in 9th to best Boomers
The Gateway Grizzlies put together a three-run bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Schaumburg Boomers 5-4 at GCS Ballpark on Wednesday evening.
Brandon Thomas, who had already homered earlier in the night, rocketed a game-winning hit to provide the Grizzlies with a walk-off victory.
Gateway (31-33) trailed 4-2 heading into the bottom half of the ninth as Schaumburg’s veteran closer Dexter Price (2-4) entered the game. Price walked Ben Waldrip to begin the frame. With one out, Seth Heck laced a single while Zach Lavy provided a pinch-hit RBI single to make it 4-3.
Logan Davis then stepped in and smoked a single to load the bases. Cody Livesay watched four balls sail outside the strike zone as Heck trotted home with the tying run. Derek DeYoung replaced Price and allowed the walk-off hit to Thomas as he smacked a ball that bounced up against the right field fence.
The Boomers (29-34) got the scoring started as Paul Kronenfeld hit a run-scoring single against Grizzlies starter Corey Kimes in the first. Kimes would dance in and out of trouble through five innings while giving up three runs.
Gateway responded immediately in the bottom half of the first as Thomas launched a two-run shot to right field. His eighth homer of the season gave the Grizzlies a 2-1 edge.
In the fifth, Schaumburg mounted a rally to take the lead. Mikal Hill evened the score at 2-2 with an RBI single while James Keller hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the go-ahead run and make it 3-2.
Gateway’s bullpen shined for the second consecutive night as the unit kept the game close.
Dylan Craig made his Frontier League debut and threw a scoreless frame in the sixth. Ja’Vaun West continued his stellar work with a pair of scoreless innings after that. Will LaMarche gave up an unearned run in the ninth.
The Grizzlies and Boomers play a rubber game of the series on Thursday night at GCS Ballpark. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. Gateway sends Adam Eggnatz (4-2, 2.89 ERA) to the mound while the Boomers counter with Kagen Hopkins (3-3, 2.52 ERA).
The game can be heard on the Grizzlies Radio Network, which airs Thursday on 1400 AM KJFF and online at GatewayGrizzlies.
com/Radio. Sam Levitt and Matt Sabados have the play-by-play call.
This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 10:55 PM with the headline "Grizzlies rally in 9th to best Boomers."