Bats Awaken, Grizzlies Blitz Wild Things

SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies saw their offense pound out 11 runs on 12 hits, including a trio of homers, on Wednesday afternoon to back a solid start by Lukas Veinbergs (1-3) on the mound and notch an 11-5 victory over the Washington Wild Things, drawing even in the midweek series at one game apiece at Grizzlies Ballpark.

Gateway ended up leading the game throughout, with Abdiel Diaz kicking things off with a single on the first pitch of the game by Wild Things starter Jordan DiValerio (4-2), then stealing second base. With two outs in the frame, Peter Zimmermann lifted an RBI single into right field to put Gateway up 1-0.

The Grizzlies were then able to expand the lead by making the Wild Things pay for defensive miscues. With two outs and a runner on first base in the third inning, Kyle Gaedele hit a ground ball to shortstop Ethan Wilder, who booted it for an error to extend the inning. Zimmermann followed with a line-drive, automatic double right-center field to make it a 2-0 Grizzlies lead, and on the next pitch, D.J. Stewart doubled to left-center field, plating two more runs for a 4-0 advantage.

In the fourth inning, after Wagner Lagrange hit a solo homer to draw Washington within 4-1, Wilder committed another error at shortstop, allowing Kevin Krause to reach base to lead off the frame. With two outs and Krause still on first base, Diaz then hit a two-run home run to right-center field, expanding Gateway’s lead to 6-1.

After Veinbergs completed five innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits while striking out a season-high seven batters, Washington was able to rally for three runs off Gage Vailes in the top of the sixth, making it a 6-4 game and bringing the tying run up to the plate. But Alec Whaley recorded the final out of the frame to stem the tide, and Washington pitching would walk four straight batters with one out in the bottom of the inning to allow the Grizzlies to take a 7-4 lead, with Gabe Holt picking up the RBI on the tenth pitch of his plate appearance. Gaedele then added a sacrifice fly to put the home team up 8-4.

In the eighth, the Wild Things drew within 8-5 on a sacrifice fly by Tommy Caufield, but with two outs in the bottom of the inning, Diaz worked a 10-pitch walk before Holt ambushed reliever Frankie Giuliano, hitting a two-run home run to right on the first pitch he saw from the southpaw for a 10-5 Gateway lead. Gaedele then smacked a solo shot of his own to left-center field, completing the scoring in the game.

Each of Gateway’s first five batters in their order finished with multiple hits and multiple RBIs, led by a 3-for-5 day and two RBIs by Zimmermann. Diaz went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, two walks, and two RBIs, while Holt finished 2-for-4 with a homer and three runs driven in, and Stewart and Gaedele also chipped in 2-for-4 games with two RBIs each. The 11 runs scored by the Grizzlies mark their most in a game since June 7 at Québec, with their 12 total hits also the most since the series finale against the Capitales on June 9.

Gateway will now look to win not only the three-game series at Grizzlies Ballpark, but also the regular season series head-to-head against Washington in a rubber game on Thursday, June 27. Deylen Miley gets the start for the Grizzlies against Wild Things right-hander Dariel Fregio, with first pitch at 6:30 p.m. CT.

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