SAUGET, Ill. — Four different Gateway Grizzlies hit home runs Friday and the Grizzlies snapped a five-game losing streak in an 8-4 win over the Windy City ThunderBolts at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
Gateway (32-43) fell behind 3-0 in the first inning, but immediately answered with three runs in the second. Gunnar Buhner crushed his second home run of the season to left-center field — a two-run shot that cut the deficit to 3-2 and extended Buhner’s hitting streak to seven games. Connor Owingsfollowed with a later RBI single to score Anthony Ray and tie the game.
The Grizzlies added another run on a leadoff solo homer from Dustin Woodcock in the third, then two additional runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings on home runs by Owings and Shawon Dunston Jr.
Woodcock’s blast was his eighth of the year and tied him with Luke Lowery for the team lead. Owings’ was his seventh round-tripper and Dunston’s was his sixth.
Chris Carden (7-2) bounced back from the three runs (all earned) allowed in the first inning and did not allow any subsequent tallies over his remaining six innings of work. In total, he struck out seven batters across seven innings and moved into a tie for the Frontier League lead with his seventh victory of 2019.
Windy City (31-45) did not score again until the eighth on a leadoff solo home run from Micah Coffey. Grizzlies reliever Patrick Boyle took revenge on the next three ThunderBolts he faced with back-to-back-to-back strikeouts.
Lucas Lanphere struck out a pair in a perfect ninth inning.
Gateway and Windy City will continue their three-game series Saturday with a 7:05 p.m. CDT first pitch.
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ABOUT THE GATEWAY GRIZZLIES: The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team, located a mere 100-yards from I-255 (10 minutes from downtown St. Louis). The Grizzlies offer baseball fans entertainment, the likes of which are difficult to find – affordable, family, fun in the comfortable GCS Credit Union Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. For tickets or general information please visit gatewaygrizzlies.com or call 618.337.3000.
ABOUT THE FRONTIER LEAGUE: The Frontier League is a professional, independent baseball organization. Since its inception, the Frontier League has provided millions of fans to a fun and exciting baseball experience within the American Midwest. Consisting of 10 teams in two divisions and 96 game schedules, the league is recognized for the amount of talented athletes that are picked up by various MLB teams every year.
