Grizzlies Lose Lead Late, Fall To Québec In Extras

The Gateway Grizzlies went back and forth in a low-scoring game against Les Capitales de Québec on Tuesday night at Stade Canac, but could not hold a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning, losing in extra innings 4-3 to snap their four-game winning streak.

Gateway took advantage of an early Capitales miscue in the top of the first inning to take the initial lead, as Cam Touchette singled, stole second base, and went to third on an error by the shortstop on the same play before Isaac Benard brought him in with a ground ball to make it 1-0 Grizzlies.

Québec would then take the lead in the bottom of the second inning on a two-run home run with two outs by Webb Little at 2-1. But J.P. Williams then bore down and got into a groove, as the rookie right-hander ended up tossing seven innings, and allowing just the two runs on three scattered hits with a career-high eight strikeouts to hold the home team in check.

Meanwhile the Grizzlies came back to take the lead again. Clint Freeman smashed a solo home run leading off the top of the fifth inning to make it 2-2, and in the seventh inning, with two outs, Touchette came up and put Gateway ahead 3-2 with an automatic RBI double. That lead would hold until the ninth inning, when the Capitales would rally to tie the game on a sacrifice fly by T.J. White, sending the contest to extra innings.

Gateway failed to score in the top of the tenth with the International Tiebreaker in effect, and in the bottom half, Pedro Gonzalez singled up the middle to score Jonathan Lacroix and give the Capitales the victory.

The Grizzlies will look to bounce back in the middle game of the series at Stade Canac on Wednesday, May 25, at 6:05 p.m., with Brendan Feldmann on the mound for Gateway against Québec's Michael Austin.

The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team, located a mere 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis in Sauget, Illinois. The Grizzlies offer baseball fans affordable, family fun at GCS Credit Union Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. They have also won two Frontier League Organization of the Year Awards, three West Division titles, and the 2003 Frontier League Championship. For tickets or general information, please visit gatewaygrizzlies.com or call (618) 337-3000.

The Frontier League debuted in 1993 and is the largest of the Major League Baseball Partner Leagues, featuring teams stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and from the Ohio River to the St. Lawrence Seaway. More information and the complete 2022 schedule can be found at frontierleague.com.