Grizzlies Win Big Rubber Game Over Windy City; Playoff Info Released
Gateway rallies in sixth to take lead for good, creeps closer to playoff berth
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SAUGET, ILL. – The Gateway Grizzlies had a 3-0 early lead slip away on Sunday night against the Windy City ThunderBolts, but recovered to score four runs in the sixth inning to go ahead for good in an 8-4 victory at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
It was Dale Thomas who broke the ice on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning, taking Windy City starter Bryce Hellgeth deep for a two-run shot to right-center field and a 2-0 lead. In the following inning, with two outs, D.J. Stewart came up clutch in his return to the starting lineup, driving in his 70th run of the season with a single to right field, making the score 3-0.
Grizzlies rookie Jake Burcham was sharp early as well on the mound in his first pro start, but faltered with two outs and a man on base in the top of the fourth, hitting Daryl Ruiz with a pitch before giving up a three-run, game-tying home run to Christian Kuzemka. The ThunderBolts would also take a 4-3 lead after Burcham departed the game in the sixth on an RBI single by Ruiz, but Francis Peguero (4-4) got a big double-play from Kuzemka that frame to minimize the damage, and the Grizzlies would capitalize in the bottom half.
With one out, Hellgeth hit Stewart with a pitch, and after Carsen Plumadore (1-3) came in from the bullpen, he walked Abdiel Diaz before Thomas tied the score at 4-4 on an RBI single off the top of the left field wall. Plumadore got Edwin Mateo to pop up to shortstop for the second out, but the game turned in the next at-bat when Cole Brannen clobbered a go-ahead, three-run homer out of the ballpark to right field, with his twelfth dinger of the season giving the Grizzlies a 7-4 lead.
Gateway’s bullpen would hold that advantage late, as Peguero was followed by scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth from Matt Hickey and Keegan Collett. Mateo would also add a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to complete the scoring for the Grizzlies, as they lowered their “magic number” to clinch a spot in the 2025 Frontier League playoffs to seven with 13 games remaining in the regular season.
Having capped the home stand with a 4-2 record and finished the season-series against Windy City at 6-6, the Grizzlies will now embark on a 10-game road swing beginning in Schaumburg on Tuesday, August 19, against the Boomers at Wintrust Field. Gage Vailes will pitch the opening game at 6:30 p.m. CT, with the two teams separated by just 1.5 games atop the West Division standings.
Grizzlies Stumble in Loss to Windy City
Gateway trails wire-to-wire, struggles on offense and defense
SAUGET, ILL. – The Gateway Grizzlies fell behind early, committed a season-high three errors on defense, and were held off the scoreboard on offense until late in an 8-1 loss to the Windy City ThunderBolts on Saturday night at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
Lukas Veinbergs (5-4) struggled off the jump, surrendering two runs in the top of the first inning, one of which was unearned thanks to the first of Gateway’s three errors on defense as Windy City took a 2-0 lead. Thanks to hits by Gabe Holt and Sawyer Smith as well as a walk by Victor Castillo in the bottom of the first, the Grizzlies loaded the bases with one out against ThunderBolts starter Dante Maietta (4-2), but Mark Shallenberger hit into an inning-ending double play to thwart the threat.
Windy City would break the game open in the top of the third inning, scoring three more runs to go ahead 5-0. Maietta also settled in, as Gateway managed no additional hits in the contest until the seventh inning. In the top of that frame, two more Grizzlies errors helped lead to two additional runs and a 7-0 ThunderBolts advantage.
After Windy City completed their scoring in the top of the eighth, the Grizzlies’ lone run of offense came in the bottom of the eighth when Holt walked to lead off, Smith singled to center field, and two batters later, a Castillo sacrifice fly made it 8-1. But that was all Gateway could muster as their magic number to clinch a playoff spot remained at 8.
The Grizzlies will look to bounce back in the rubber game of the series as well as the final game of the season series and the last game of their home stand on Sunday, August 17, sending Jake Burcham to the mound for his first professional start against the ThunderBolts’ Bryce Hellgeth. First pitch at Arsenal BG Ballpark is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT.
Grizzlies Come Back, Walk Off ThunderBolts
SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to erase a late deficit, walking off with a 5-4 victory over the Windy City ThunderBolts on a sacrifice fly by Abdiel Diaz on a steamy Friday night at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
It was Diaz who got the scoring started as well, launching a solo home run deep down the left field line to put Gateway ahead 1-0. Zac Treece would hold the line until the top of the fourth, when the ThunderBolts also got their home run on- Carlos Pena made it 2-1 on a two-run blast, and two batters later, Grant Thoroman also homered to right to make the score 3-1 Windy City.
Gateway would get a run back on a Dale Thomas sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth, but Treece was lifted after allowing back-to-back singles in the top of the fifth. An RBI fielder’s choice by Michael Sandle two batters later made the score 4-2, and thanks to solid relief work by both teams, that is where the score stayed until the bottom of the eighth.
After Claudio Galva had tossed three scoreless innings on the Gateway side, Sawyer Smith led off the bottom of the eighth with a walk, and Diaz singled, with an error by Cam Phelts in right field sending Smith to third with no outs. Victor Castillo then made it a 4-3 game with a sacrifice fly, driving in his 60th run of the season in the process.
Alec Whaley (3-1) then worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning, setting up the Grizzlies’ rally in the bottom of the frame. It began on a leadoff double off the left field fence by Edwin Mateo, and Cole Brannen was plunked on the leg by ThunderBolts closer Trevin Reynolds (5-5). Matthew Lee then laid down a sacrifice bunt with two strikes to advance the tying and winning runs into scoring position.
Windy City then chose to intentionally walk Gabe Holt to pitch to Smith with the bases loaded, a strategy that backfired when Smith drew four straight balls to walk, tying the score at 4-4. Diaz then came up, and fell behind 0-2 in the count before hitting a fly ball to left field. Brannen tagged up at third base to come home, and Thoroman’s throw beat the runner, but Zach Beadle could not handle the tag cleanly, with Brannen called safe as the Grizzlies secured their third walk-off victory of the year.
With the win, Gateway lowered their “magic number” to clinch a spot in the 2025 Frontier League playoffs to nine pending a late result between Lake Erie and Mississippi, and improved to 3-1 on their home stand, which continues on Saturday, August 16, in the middle game of the weekend series. Lukas Veinbergs will pitch for the Grizzlies against Windy City and right-hander Dante Maietta, with a special 7:15 p.m. CT first pitch scheduled at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
Grizzlies Playoff Tickets Now on Sale
Come out to Arsenal BG Ballpark this September to see postseason baseball at an affordable price!
SAUGET, ILL. – The Gateway Grizzlies announce that tickets for the 2025 Frontier League Playoffs are now on sale.
ALL tickets for all home Grizzlies playoffs games will be just $5 this year, and can be purchased by contacting the box office at (618) 337-3000, or by going online to GatewayGrizzlies.com.
The Grizzlies will also be selling Playoff Shirt Bundles in 2025- fans purchasing the bundle will get TWO tickets to any home playoff game plus a Playoff T-shirt for only $25. Fans will also be able to purchase the shirts individually for $20 both online and at the Izzy’s Den Team Store, so those who choose to buy the bundle will essentially get into the ballpark for free!
Game times and dates are still to be determined by the final results of the remaining regular season games. The Wild Card round will begin on Wednesday, September 3rd, with Game 1 of the best-of-three series hosted by the two qualifying teams that do not win their division. The division champions will then host Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) on Friday, September 5 and Saturday, September 6, respectively.
The Grizzlies have continued their renaissance in 2025 under manager Steve Brook, and are currently just 1.5 games back of first place in the West Division standings entering play on August 19. Led by a veteran core of all-stars, Gateway will be seeking their second Frontier League Championship. The club’s “magic number” to officially clinch a playoff berth for the third consecutive year currently sits at 6 with 13 games remaining.
The Grizzlies head out on the road for a 10-game road swing beginning tomorrow, August 19, against the Schaumburg Boomers, whom they trail at the top of the West Division standings. Gage Vailes will start the series opener at Wintrust Field in Schaumburg, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
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