Down to their final strike, the Florence Freedom needed a clutch hit from Austin Newell.
They got one.
Newell delivered a two-out, two-strike, two-RBI single to give the Florence Freedom the lead for good in their 7-5 win over the Gateway Grizzlies Wednesday night. With the win the Freedom snap their four-game losing streak and get their first road win of the year.
Down by a score of 5-4, the Freedom got back-to-back singles from Steve Carrillo and Sean Mahley to start the ninth against Gateway closer Brett Zawacki (1-1). Michael Pair dropped down a bunt. Zawacki tried to get Carrillo at third but threw the ball into left field. Shawn Payne backed up the play so the bases were loaded with nobody out.
Zawacki struck out pinch hitter Gaby Juarbe and Daniel Fraga. Just like that, the Freedom were down to their final out.
Newell stepped to the plate and fell behind by a count of one ball and two strikes. Then he fouled off a pitch, took a ball, fouled off another pitch, fouled off another pitch, took another ball to work the count full, and fouled off another pitch. On the 10th pitch of the at bat, Newell delivered a single up the middle to give Florence the 6-5 lead.
With runners at the corners, the Freedom pulled off a double steal as Pair came in to score when the Grizzlies tried to get Newell at second, putting Florence up 7-5.
They held that lead as Ed Kohout earned his second save of the season, striking out the side in the ninth.
But a lot happened before the Freedom’s comeback.
The dramatics of the top of the ninth only happened because the Freedom bullpen could not hold on to a 4-0 lead.
Chuck Weaver was outstanding in a no-decision. The Frontier League Pitcher of the Week went seven and two thirds innings, scattering six hits, allowing only two runs while striking out nine.
Cody Bishop hit a solo home run in the second inning to put Florence up 1-0. Then Florence tallied two more in the fifth inning on a wild pitch. Carrillo was hit by a pitch to start the frame. Then Mahley reached on an error. A double steal where Carrillo was actually caught in a rundown before the throw hit him in the back, allowing him to reach third safely, putting runners at second and third.
The ensuing wild pitch kicked so far away from the catcher that both Carrillo and Mahley were able to score and Florence led 3-0.
Mahley added a RBI single in the sixth to score Sam Eberle who had reached on an error.
Up 4-0, the Freedom appeared on their way to an easy win. But Blake Brown hit a solo home run off Weaver in the seventh to make the score 4-1. Then Jorge Chavarria chased Weaver from the game with a one-out double in the eighth. Matt Eshleman entered and walked the only batter he faced, putting two on with one out. Daniel DeSimone (1-1) got the second out of the inning but gave up a RBI single to Rolando Gomez and it was a 4-2 ball game.
Then Brown hit his second homer of the game. This one gave Gateway the 5-4 lead as it was a three-run blast to left.
But Newell and the Freedom didn’t back down and got the win nonetheless.
The Freedom will look to take the series on Thursday in the rubber match. Former Gateway Grizzlies pitcher Jake Stephens is on the mound for Florence. First pitch is set for 8:05 p.m. Fans can tune in at http://mixlr.com/florencefreedom/.
From Freedom Communications