FOR RELEASE: AUGUST 11, 2009

GRIZZLIES DROP OPENER TO BEACH BUMS

TRAVERSE CITY, MI-The Traverse City Beach Bums scored six times in the seventh inning Tuesday night and defeated the Gateway Grizzlies 8-5 in the opener of a three-game series at Wuerfel Park.

The Grizzlies (30-42) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a pair of two-out hits against Beach Bums starter David Nathanson. Nathanson didn’t surrender much more. The right-hander settled in to toss his third complete game of the season, striking out a career-high 10 Grizzlies hitters in the process.

The Grizzlies managed three doubles in the seventh inning to briefly take a 3-2 lead. Nate Lape and Peter Tountas each drove in runs with doubles in the inning. For Tountas, it was his first RBI as a professional.

Lape finished the night 1-4. Tountas was 1-3.

Traverse City (33-40) quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the inning, scoring six times on four hits and three Grizzlies errors. Mark Brackman left after surrendering a two-run double to former Grizzlie John Alonso. Collin Brennan relieved Brackman. Beach Bums catcher Robby Alcombrack capped the inning with a three-run home run off Brennan.

Brackman went six innings in the defeat. He allowed six runs, five earned, on 10 hits. He struck out five. He falls to 4-9 with the loss.

The Grizzlies and Beach Bums will continue the series with game two of the series Wednesday night in Traverse City. First pitch is set for 6:05 pm, central time.

Joe Pott

Broadcaster

Gateway Grizzlies Frontier League Baseball