Gateway Grizzlies scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to spoil a brilliant outing from Derek Salata as the Schaumburg Boomers fell 4-3 in the final game before the league’s All-Star break on Sunday afternoon.
The contest saw both pitchers match zeroes until the Boomers broke through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Kyle Fitzgerald recorded a fielder’s choice to drive home the first run of the game, scoring Kellum Clark, who walked to start the inning. The next batter, Banks Tolley, lifted a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0. Cole Smith pushed the lead to 3-0 in the seventh with a sacrifice fly but the Boomers left the bases loaded. Gateway scored a single run before Darryl Lee hit a three-run homer into the wind with two outs to put Gateway ahead. Schaumburg placed the tying run in scoring position in the eighth and ninth but could not rally.
Salata twirled seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Caleb Riedel suffered the loss. The Boomers doubled Gateway in the hit column, finishing with 10. Clark, Fitzgerald and Anthony Calarco all tabbed a pair of hits in the defeat, which saw the Boomers strand 12 runners.
The Boomers (26-30) will take four days off as the Frontier League All-Star events take place in Florence, Kentucky. The team returns home on July 17 for Back to the Future Night to benefit Team Fox & The Michael J. Fox Foundation. The game will feature a bobblehead giveaway along with postgame fireworks. Tickets are on sale now for every game this summer. Don’t miss out on the fun and Feel the Boom this summer! Visit www.boomersbaseball.com or call 847-461-3695 to secure your ticket to fun this summer.