Two big innings by Gateway are too much for Wild Things
SAUGET, Ill. – The Gateway Grizzlies scored in only two innings Wednesday night against the Wild Things, but those two frames were devastating to Washington.
Gateway erased a two-run deficit by scoring six times in the sixth inning, and added six insurance runs in the eighth to beat Washington, 12-2.
The Wild Things’ loss, combined with Lake Erie’s 7-2 win over Joliet, cut Washington’s lead over the Crushers to 1½ games atop the Central Division.
The Wild Things led 2-0 entering the bottom of the sixth. Washington scored in the first inning when Robert Chayka smacked a leadoff double, moved up on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch. In the top of the sixth, Tommy Caufield hit a solo home run that gave the Wild Things a two-run lead.
Washington starter Zach Kirby (3-2) took a shutout into the bottom of the sixth, when the Grizzlies scored their first run on a passed ball. After an intentional walk that loaded the bases, Jose Alvarez hit a two-run single that put Gateway up, 3-2. Mark Shallenberger capped the inning with a three-run homer.
In the eighth, Shallenberger had a run-scoring double and the inning was topped by Dale Thomas’ grand slam off reliever Jacob McCaskey.