Boomers can’t hold lead against Gateway

The Schaumburg Boomers allowed three late homers to the Gateway Grizzlies and suffered a 6-5 walk-off loss in the opener of a midweek series on Tuesday.

The Boomers built a 5-0 lead but couldn’t hold on. Schaumburg did not have a hit entering the fifth. Kellum Clark was hit by a pitch to open the inning and Alex Calarco walked with two away. Christian Fedko notched the first hit of the game, a two-run double to put the Boomers ahead 2-0.

Schaumburg scored twice more in the sixth on an RBI double from Clark and a Kyle Fitzgerald RBI single. Anthony Calarco made it 5-0 with an RBI single in the seventh but the Boomers left the bases loaded. Gateway scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to break up the shutout. Abdiel Diaz hit a two-run homer to tie the game with one out in the ninth before Dale Thomas followed with a walk off blast.

Cole Zaffiro recorded his best outing of the season for the Boomers, throwing six shutout innings. Zaffiro allowed just four hits while striking out a season-high seven.