Gateway Breaks Rascals' Eight-Game Win Streak Again

SAUGET, IL. - The Gateway Grizzlies did it again.     

For the second time in 30 days, Gateway stopped the River City Rascals season-high eight-game winning streak.     

Gateway ripped three home runs over the first five innings on the way to a nail-biting 6-5 win in front of 4,521 fans at GCS Ballpark in Sauget.     

On June 26, Gateway stopped the Rascals' first eight-game run with a 4-1 win at T.R. Hughes Ballpark.     

The pesky Grizzlies, who sport a 25-34 mark, did it again on Tuesday.      

Maybe the Rascals simply don't like playing on the 26th day of the month. They lost 3-1 to Gateway on May 26.    

"It was a good streak and I guess it finally had to come to an end," said River City manager Steve Brook. "The guys enjoyed it. They're having fun going to ballpark.     

We'll just have to go out and start another one (streak) tomorrow."      Charlie Lisk, Kent Gerst and Chris Sedon hammered home runs for the Grizzlies. Lefthander Andres Caceres Jr., who was signed by Gateway on Monday, held River City to just two runs on four hits over five innings.     

Rascals outfielders Jareck West and Chad Maddox ripped two-run homers to lead a nine-hit attack. It was the eighth round-tripper of the season for West, who has homered in three successive games.    

"I'm just trying to put the ball in play hard," said West, a former Grizzlie. "I'm trying not to do too much."     

The win-streak did not end without a fight.     

Trailing 6-2, the Rascals scored twice in the seventh on Maddox' home run. They pushed across a run in the ninth on singles by Bobby Burk, Doug Sanders and Jason Patton. River City had two runners on with two out before Stephen Holdren struck out on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.     

"We're not going to go down without a strong effort," said Brook. "That's the kind of team we are and I'm proud of them for that."     

River City had outscored its opponents 77-30 during its second eight-game run in what has been a dream campaign. The Rascals also had a seven-game winning streak earlier in the campaign.     

"We're been playing well, but we can't let down," said Brook. "Every game is important and we've got to be prepared.     

The Rascals lead Southern Illinois by seven games in the Western Division.     

Rascals southpaw Zach Robertson suffered his first loss of the season on Tuesday. He gave up six runs on six hits in a five-inning stint. Robertson, a former standout at the University of Iowa, falls to 6-1.     West gave River City an early 2-0 lead before Grizzlies veteran Lisk ripped a solo bomb in the bottom of the second. The round-tripper was the 101st in the career of Lisk, who is the league's all-time home run king.      

Gateway took the lead for good 4-2 in the third on a two-run double by Logan Parker. Sedon added a solo blast in the fourth and Gerst followed with a solo shot in the fifth.    

Maddox brought the Rascals to within 6-4 with a two-run homer over the left-field wall in the seventh. It was the ninth homer of the season for Maddox, all have come on the road. Maddox has an RBI in 10 of his last 12 games.    

Gateway relievers Nick Walters and Richard Barrett kept the Rascals in check. Chris Enourato picked up his fifth save in the ninth.     

River City infielder Matt Serna, who was signed Tuesday morning to replace the injured Chris McClendon, hit a triple in the second inning in his first professional at-bat. Serna, who finished 2-for-4, hit .379 with two homers and 49 RBI in his senior season at the University of Illinois-Chicago.     

McClendon, an All-Star, suffered a torn muscle last week but should return within the next week.          

NOTES FROM DAWG POUND:      

• Maddox batted in the leadoff spot for the first time this season on Tuesday.      
• River City leads the entire Frontier League in the following seven categories, runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, home runs, earned run average, fielding percentage and saves.     
• T. R. Hughes Public Address announcer Randy Moehlman served as color man on the radio broadcasts during the last two games in Sauget. Moehlman, who also serves as the P.A. announcer for the University of Missouri football squad, teamed with veteran play-by-play man Jason Troop on the broadcasts.    
• River City has won five of eight contests with Gateway this season.    
• All-Star Zack Sterner (7-1, 2.32) starts for the Rascals on Wednesday in the first game of a three-game series with Florence in a 7:05 p.m. contest at T.R. Hughes Ballpark.    - Frontier League Commissioner Bill Lee was in attendance on Tuesday.