Otters hit four home runs to beat Gateway

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - The Evansville Otters hit four home runs on the way to a come-from-behind win over the Gateway Grizzlies, 9-7.

Evansville immediately got after Gateway starter Manuel Rodriguez in the first as Zach Biermann hit his second home run this week.

Just two batters later, J.R. Davis reached on a throwing error, allowing Jeffrey Baez to score on the play.

The Otters added to their lead in the third when Elijah MacNamee hit his second home run in as many nights.

The 3-0 lead was added to in the fourth as Bryan Rosario tripled in the first run of the inning. Within the next at-bat, Rosario scored on a wild pitch, bouncing the lead to five.

Evansville added to the advantage once more in the fifth as Davis hit a solo home run.

But the tides turned in the sixth, when Gateway went after Ryan O’Reilly, scoring their first run on an RBI double from Zach Racusin. Later in the inning, Clint Freeman and Ian Bibiloni each drove in a run.

Moments later, Abdial Diaz tripled in three runs, tying the game at 6-6. But the Grizzlies weren’t done yet as Andrew Penner tripled in another run, giving Gateway their first lead of the contest.

Though the Otters couldn’t respond in the sixth, the long ball returned in the seventh. George Callil hit a no-doubt two-run home run over the left-field wall to restore the Otters’ lead, 8-7.

Evansville added one additional run in the eighth, scoring on a sacrifice fly RBI from Das, his third RBI of the day.

Logan Sawyer closed out the game, earning his league-leading 18th save of the season.

Jake Polancic earned the win out of the bullpen, his third of 2022. The loss fell on reliever Nick Kennedy.

Four Otters recorded multi-hit nights as the Otters out-hit Gateway, 14-9. University of Evansville product Tanner Craig earned his first professional hit in his professional debut Friday night.

The series continues Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. from Bosse Field, gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Courtesy: Evansville Otters