Big inning by Gateway dooms Boomers

The Schaumburg Boomers lost 7-3 Sunday to the Gateway Grizzlies.

The Boomers built an early 2-0 lead by scoring twice in the first. Alec Craig led off the game with a double and scored on a two-out RBI single from Anthony Calarco. An error on the play enabled a second run to cross.

The lead seemed to be enough for Cole Cook, who retired eight straight from the second through the fourth, but the Boomers struggled to do much else on the offensive side against Gateway starter Collin Sullivan after the opening frame. Sullivan allowed just four more baserunners the rest of the way working into the seventh.

Gateway drew within 2-1 in the fifth before striking for six runs in the sixth to take the lead. Peter Zimmerman hit a two-run homer to give Gateway the lead. Seven straight reached with two outs, including a three-run double from Jose Alvarez to break the game open. The final run for the Boomers scored in the eighth on a wild pitch after Christian Fedko doubled and stole third.

Cook suffered the loss. The bullpen continued their strong run of late as three pitchers combined to toss 3-plus scoreless innings. Cole Stallings recorded the final out of the sixth, Jake Joyce spun a perfect seventh and Hambleton Oliver logged two scoreless. The offense was limited to just six hit in the game, all coming from different individuals.

The Boomers (33-27) hit the road for eight of their next nine games beginning Tuesday night at Windy City.