AUTHOR: SportsReleases.com
TITLE: DESSAU PITCHES GRIZZLIES TO WIN
DATE: 8/15/2007 07:35:00 PM
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BODY:
FOR RELEASE: AUGUST 15, 2007
DESSAU PITCHES GRIZZLIES TO WIN
Erik Dessau tossed seven innings Wednesday night, striking out a career-high nine hitters, to lead the Gateway Grizzlies past the Slippery Rock Sliders 5-1 in front of 2,998 at GCS Ballpark.
The win improves the Grizzlies to a franchise-high 29 games over the .500 mark at 53-24. It also lowers the Grizzlies "magic number" to six to win the West Division.
Dessau earned his league-leading 12th win of the season, allowing just a run on six hits. His 12th win of the year ties the Grizzlies single-season record for wins by a pitcher. It is 24th of his Grizzlies career, leaving him two behind the franchise's all-time wins leader, Pete Buck.
The Grizzlies took the lead in the second inning with four two-out hits. Manny Paula doubled, then scored on a single by Eric Beck. Ryan Sullivan followed with a single, then he and Beck both scored on a double by Jeff Vincent.
The Sliders (21-56) got their only run in the fifth inning on a pair of two-out doubles.
Jonathan Armitage hammered a triple off the third base bag and into the left field corner with two outs in the fifth. The hit scored Ryan Saltzgaber who had reached on an error. That made it 4-1 Grizzlies.
Ryan Sullivan capped the scoring in the seventh with his eighth home run of the year. Sullivan's blast was the 124th of the year for the Grizzlies, tying the 2005 Florence Freedom's Frontier League record. It also marked the 27th consecutive game the team has homered, which is believed to tie a professional baseball record. The 1992 Texas Rangers hit a home run in 27 straight games that year.
The Sliders and Grizzlies continue the series with a 7:05 game Thursday night at GCS Ballpark.
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Joe Pott
Broadcaster/Corporate Sales Associate
Gateway Grizzlies Frontier League Baseball
2003 & 2006 Organization of the Year
618-337-3000
www.gatewaygrizzlies.com
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