Aldaz Gets First Professional Hit

SAUGET, IL – The Florence Freedom took a 10-9 lead in the ninth inning on a Gateway Grizzlies error, their seventh of the game, and held on for a 10-9 win in the finale of the three-game series at GCS Ballpark. A crowd of 6,010 came to the game. It was the second largest crowd of the season and 20^th biggest in franchise history.

After trailing 9-4, the Grizzlies rallied for four runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to tie the game at nine, heading into the final inning. The one-run loss was the third of such kind during the six-game home stand for Gateway.

Florence (16-11) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with the help of a familiar face. One night after he gave the Freedom an 8-7 ninth inning lead with a three-run homer, Chris Curley slammed a two-run homer to get the Freedom on the board first.

The Freedom added two more runs in the second as Curley produced again. After two errors, a double and a walk, Curley drove in two more with a double.

Gateway (13-14) got on the board in the second on a Johnny Aldaz two-run single, his first professional hit and RBI.

Gateway tied the game in the fourth with one swing of the bat. After a two-out error on Florence shortstop Junior Arrojo, Australian infielder Jeremy Cresswell notched his first homer in the United States.

Florence wasted no time getting the lead back as they scored four runs on three hits in the fifth inning. Stephen Shults drove in a run on a double and Jimmy Baker knocked home three with his fourth homer of the season.

Aldaz went 2-for-3 and newcomer Evan Button finished 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs in his Gateway debut.

The Grizzlies begin a three-game series on the road with Normal on Sunday. Right-hander Brad Stone will get the start in game one of the series, his first with the Grizzlies. First pitch is set for 6:00.