Grizzlies Wait Out Rain, Then Clinch Road Series
Gateway fends off Brockton in rubber game, earns 20th win
BROCKTON, MASS. – The Gateway Grizzlies and Brockton Rox faced off in the rubber game of the three-game midweek series, and after a long day's journey into night that included a two-hour rain delay, rallied for an 11-7 triumph at Campanelli Stadium to clinch the series.
Shortly before first pitch, storms rolled through the area, postponing the start of the contest until after 9 p.m. local time. The Grizzlies would waste little time getting an early lead, scoring three times in the top of the first inning off Brockton starter Enmanuel De Los Santos (0-2) on an RBI single by Dale Thomas and a pair of wild pitches.
Ty Good (4-0) would take the reins and pitch a scoreless bottom of the first inning, but ran into trouble in the second frame. Brockton scored twice with two outs in the frame to make it 3-2, but with the bases loaded, Good bore down and struck out former Grizzlie Jack-Thomas Wold to end the threat. The Grizzlies would respond by scoring four runs in the top of the third, taking a 7-2 lead thanks to a passed ball along with RBI singles by Jose Alvarez and Gavin Baldwin, along with an RBI groundout by Mitchell Sanford.
That lead would hold, then be expanded to 8-2 in the top of the sixth on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Baldwin, but it was threatened and nearly extinguished again in the bottom half, as Brockton got three runs back to make it 8-5, and loaded the bases with no outs recorded in the frame against Xander Lovin.
But Alec Sparks came in out of the bullpen, and got the job done. The right-hander struck out Keagan Calero, and then after a two-run single by Wold made it an 8-7 game, he struck out Bender for the second out. Sparks then caught the potential tying run at second base, Austin White, running towards third base, picking him off to end the inning and keep the lead intact.
With the clock ticking towards midnight, the Grizzlies would respond by loading the bases in the top of the seventh inning for Sanford, who drove a pitch into the right-center field gap for a two-run double and a 10-7 lead. Baldwin would add his third RBI of the contest on another RBI groundout for the final margin of 11-7.
Per Frontier League rules, no full inning of play can begin past midnight local time, and therefore, when Matt Hickey completed a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh with a strikeout, the game was called, as the Grizzlies won just their third road series against a member of the Atlantic Conference in their history.
The Grizzlies will look to keep rolling on the road on Friday, June 19, when they take on the New Jersey Jackals to kick off the final series of their eastern road swing. Ben Gregory will pitch for the Grizzlies in the series opener, with first pitch at Hinchliffe Stadium set for 4:35 p.m. CT.
The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team, located a mere 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis in Sauget, Illinois. The Grizzlies offer baseball fans affordable, family fun at Arsenal BG Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. They have also won two Frontier League Organization of the Year Awards, four West Division titles, and the 2003 Frontier League Championship. For tickets or general information, please visit gatewaygrizzlies.com or call (618) 337-3000.
The Frontier League debuted in 1993, and is the largest of the Major League Baseball Partner Leagues, featuring teams stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and from the Ohio River to the St. Lawrence Seaway. More information and the complete 2026 schedule can be found at frontierleague.com.