Braulio Torres-Perez turned in a stellar start and benefitted from an early lead as the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, defeated the Gateway Grizzlies, 5-1, on Saturday at UC Health Stadium.
Torres-Perez (6-2) pitched seven innings, allowing just one run on seven hits. He outperformed Dalton Shalberg (0-2), who lasted just five innings, yielding four runs on six hits and four walks.
The Freedom (56-34) took a first-inning lead in the game, as Collins Cuthrell lined a two-run double to left-center, and Garrett Vail plated Andre Mercurio from third on a sacrifice fly to left.
Gateway (29-60) got one run back in the top of the second. Blake Brown led off with a walk and stole second, moving to third on an errant throw by Vail on the play. Terry McClure then grounded a single into left field.
The Grizzlies went on the bring the tying run to the plate in the next three consecutive innings, but would fail to drive in the runner in each instance.
Florence added a run in the bottom of the fifth on a Jordan Brower RBI-double to right field, and plated another in the bottom of the eighth, as Austin Wobrock broke early from second base and scored as Taylor Oldham grounded an infield single up the middle.
Mike Anthony created a jam in the top of the eighth inning, entering in relief of Torres-Perez and hit the first two batters with pitches. But Anthony recovered to strike out the next two men before turning the ball over to Jack Fowler, who struck out Dan Holst to snuff the threat. Fowler would go on to pitch a perfect ninth inning, earning the save.
The victory shrunk the Freedom’s magic number to clinch the West Division to one.
The Freedom will play for the series victory in Sunday’s rubber game, with first pitch scheduled for 2:05 p.m. at UC Health Stadium. Cody Gray (9-4) will start on the mound for the Freedom against Gateway’s Ja’Vaun West (2-8).
The Florence Freedom are members of the independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, KY. The Freedom can be found online at FlorenceFreedom.com, or by phone at 859-594-4487.
Florence Freedom