FOR RELEASE: JULY 2, 2009

ROCKFORD SWEEPS GRIZZLIES

LOVES PARK, IL-For the third time this season, a Rockford RiverHawks, Gateway Grizzlies series ended in a sweep by the home team. The RiverHawks defeated the Grizzlies 6-2 Tuesday night to complete the three-game sweep at Road Ranger Stadium.

Rockford (18-21) scored four times in the sixth inning Tuesday night to snap a 2-2 tie. The ‘Hawks went up 2-0 with a pair of unearned runs in the second inning off Grizzlies starter Nate Melek. Melek suffered the loss, allowing all six runs, four earned, on nine hits. He struck out four and walked three. He falls to 3-3 with the loss.

Chad Rothford got the Grizzlies on the board in the fifth inning. Rothford led off the inning with his eighth home run of the year to straight away center field. Rothford finished 3-4 with the homer.

The Grizzlies (13-25) evened the score in the sixth inning. Stephen Holdren led off the inning, reaching on an error. He scored later in the inning, when Rothford reached on an error.

Joseph Scaperotta finished 1-4 to extend his team-record hit streak to 21 games. Rockford’s Jason James was 2-4 to extend his league-leading hit streak to 29 games.

The Grizzlies return home to begin a three-game series with the Windy City ThunderBolts. First pitch Friday is 7:05 pm.

Joe Pott

Broadcaster

Gateway Grizzlies Frontier League Baseball