FOR RELEASE: JULY 20, 2009

GRIZZLIES HAMMER SLIDERS FOR SERIES OPENING WIN

SAUGET, IL-The Gateway Grizzlies snapped a two-game losing streak with a 15-3 win Monday night over the Midwest Sliders in the first of a three-game series at GCS Ballpark. The 15 runs tied a season high for the Grizzlies.

The Sliders (24-26) took a 1-0 lead on a home run by Robbie Knapp leading off the second inning. The Grizzlies (21-30) answered with a run in the second inning. Danny Morrow doubled to drive Jareck West who reached on an error to start the inning.

Gateway went up for good in the third inning. Brandon Johnson lined a three-run home run into the lawn in right to make it 4-1 Grizzlies. After Midwest cut the lead to 4-2 with a run in the top of the fourth, the Grizzlies put the game away with six runs on four hits in the bottom of the inning.

Johnson added his fourth RBI of the night, walking with the bases loaded. Morrow and Joe Agreste each added two-run hits in the inning. The outburst put the Grizzlies up 10-2.

Stephen Holdren added his 16^th homer of the year in the fifth, a two-run homer, to make it 12-2. The Grizzlies extended the lead to 14-2 with a pair of runs in the sixth.

Jimmy Baker homered to lead off the eighth for Midwest. Johnson answered for the Grizzlies in the bottom of the inning with his second homer of the game for the final margin. Johnson has now homered seven times in his last 10 games. He finished 3-3 with five RBIs. Holdren was 3-5 with the homer and two RBIs. Morrow was 2-5 with three RBIs.

Paige Dumont (3-1) earned the win for the Grizzlies. The win is his third straight. He tossed seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out seven.

The Grizzlies and the Sliders will play the second game of the three-game series Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 7:05 pm.

Joe Pott

Broadcaster

Gateway Grizzlies Frontier League Baseball