Sauget, IL – Four errors plagued the River City Rascals as they dropped game one of a three game series to the Gateway Grizzlies 7-3 at GCS Ballpark Tuesday night.

Backed by a strong start from Justin Lilly, the Grizzlies scored three unearned runs off Rascals starter Danny Powers. Powers (2-3) suffered the loss going six innings, striking out nine and allowing seven runs, four earned.

River City scored the ballgame’s first run when A.J. Van Slyke homered with two outs in the fourth to make it 1-0.

Gateway came right back in the bottom half of the inning with three runs. Mike Breyman and Stephen Holdren both doubled in runs while John Alonso singled in his to give the Grizzlies a 3-1 lead.

Luke Barganier extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an RBI single in the fifth inning to cut the lead to one, 3-2. But a run in the Grizzlie fifth and sixth innings scored off two River City errors to extend the lead to 5-2. Gateway put away the game in the seventh. Ryne Malone followed an error at second with a two run blast to right, Malone finished 3-3 on the night with three RBI.

Malone’s home run made it 7-2 Grizzlies. Andrew Sweet’s sacrifice fly in the ninth scored the final run off the game off Eric Ridener. Lilly (3-1) got the win going eight innings and allowing two runs on four hits. The Rascals bullpen tossed two scoreless innings as Luis Estrella and Mike Castrignano combined to strike out five.

River City (20-20) falls out of first place, one game behind Gateway (21-19). The Rascals still hold the season series edge 4-3 as the two will be at it again Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. from GCS Ballpark. Catch the Rascals on the road all season long on the voice of the Rascals FM 104.5 KSLQ or online at www.rivercityrascals.com.