The Gateway Grizzlies came back from a 2-0 first inning deficit Wednesday night to defeat the Washington Wild Things 8-6 in front of 2,508 at GCS Ballpark.
The Grizzlies (43-40) remain two games back of the final wild card spot in the Frontier League playoffs. The Wild Things (42-41) drop to three games out the playoff spot.
Washington took a 2-0 lead on a first inning home run by Jacob Dempsey.
The Grizzlies answered with two runs of their own in the first. Willie Keene hit a solo home run with one out in the inning. Mike Breyman walked and Stephen Holdren singled. Carter McQuigg then singled to score Breyman and tie the game at two.
McQuigg gave the Grizzlies a 4-2 lead in the third with a two-run homer to left, his eighth of the season.
The Wild Things tied the score at four before Keene gave the Grizzlies a lead again. Keene ripped a two-out, two-run double in the sixth to give the Grizzlies a 6-4 lead. McQuigg's second homer of the night in the seventh made it 7-4. They would extend the lead to 8-4 on a Breck Draper double later in the inning.
McQuigg finished the night 3-4 with two homers and four RBIs. Keene was 3-5 with the home run and three RBIs.
Eric Ridener (4-2) earned the win in relief. Ridener tossed 2.1 innings without allowing a hit. He walked the bases loaded to start the ninth, and the Wild Things would scratch out a pair of runs. Joel Boeschen finished the ninth to earn his fourth save of the year.
Ridener's appearance was his 73rd in a Grizzlies uniform setting a new franchise record.