Grizzlies sink Bombers

Hits were hard to come by in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Denver Bombers, but between terrific pitching and finding ways to get on base, the Grizzlies were able to get the sweep, winning Game 2, 2-1.

Bryce Reid, making his first start in Cheyenne this season after three starts in Greeley, had to pitch from behind despite not letting up an earned run.

The one run that came across for the Bombers came in the fourth inning when leadoff hitter Chandler Griffin reached on a Mike Lessig error. Reid allowed four hits over six innings of work in the game that was shortened to seven innings because it was the second of the doubleheader.

“Bryce continues to impress me by getting ahead of hitters and getting the first outs of innings,” head coach Aaron Holley said.

Despite allowing just four hits, Reid worked through traffic most of the game and wasn’t as sharp as he has been in his previous starts.

“My breaking balls weren’t moving a lot so I had to rely on my fastballs more,” Reid said, “but I was proud that I was able to limit my walks.”

The fact that he didn’t have his best stuff but didn’t allow an earned run shows how dominant he has been in his starts this year.

“Bryce is an arm that we can rely on,” Holley said. “You’re not going to win a lot of games when scoring just two runs, but a lot of times, that’s all that he needs.”

The game was a pitchers’ duel from the start and the Grizzlies struggled tremendously against Bombers’ starter Ben Packard.

Packard threw five innings, not allowing a single earned run or hit.

The Grizzlies went into the bottom of the sixth, their final at-bat, in line to win the game without recording a hit until Kevin Logan singled off Bombers’ reliever Andy Herrman with one out. It was their only hit of the game.

“It’s not every day you see a game like that,” Holley said, “but the key thing is that, while we didn’t get many hits, we still found ways to score a couple runs and get the W.”

Both Cheyenne runs came in the fifth inning.

Shortstop Jose Jauregiu led off with a five-pitch walk before stealing second base. The next batter, K.C. Judge, grounded one to Denver shortstop Wes Keelan, but Keelan overthrew first base, allowing Judge to reach.

The overthrow allowed Jauregiu to advance to third, but first baseman Doran Schulthies, trying to throw Jauregiu out, overthrew third base, allowing Jauregiu to score.

Judge advanced to second on Schulthies’ error, third on a wild pitch and home on a fielding error by third baseman Ty Jacobs.

Closer Jack Winters came in to pitch the seventh, working out of trouble to finish the game. He got the first out on a great diving catch by Logan in center, but the next two batters recorded singles up the middle before a flyout to center and a groundout to third ended the game.

“It wasn’t the prettiest game but it’s always nice to get two wins in a day,” Holley said. “We saw a lot of positives out of our pitchers (Saturday).