May 25, 2024 By Chris Dugan 4 min read

A Google search reveals that former major league player and manager Lou Piniella is credited as the source of this memorable quote: “Statistics are like bikinis – they show a lot but not everything.”

Piniella could use Gateway starting pitcher Teague Conrad as his Exhibit A.

The statistics show that Conrad played three years of baseball above the junior college level, the last season in 2023 at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville that plays in the hitter haven that is the Ohio Valley Conference. Conrad’s ERA last year was a whopping 8.25. He gave up 94 hits in 64 innings. Those statistics suggest that Conrad won’t have success in pro baseball.

What the statistics don’t show is Conrad has an electric arsenal of pitches when he’s throwing them for strikes, like he was Saturday night against the Wild Things.

Conrad allowed only two hits over 5 1/3 innings in his second professional start and Washington’s nine-game winning streak came unraveled with a 2-0 loss to Gateway.

Conrad struck out six and turned the game over the Grizzlies’ bullpen. Four Gateway relievers combined for 3 2/3 no-hit innings and eight strikeouts.

“That guy had a really good sinker that we beat into the ground,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said. “Sometimes you just have to tip your hat. He pitched a great game and so did everyone who came out of the bullpen.”

Conrad was Gateway’s second-round draft pick at the Frontier League tryout that was held last month at Wild Things Park. Every other team in the league passed on him, and Gateway selected him in part because he played at SIUE, which is about 20 miles from Sauget, Ill., home of the Grizzlies.

Conrad was even released during spring training, then re-signed the next week.

“He pitched his butt off in camp,” said Gateway manager Steve Brook. “We didn’t have a spot for him. He should have made our team. We released him and went with more experience. Then we had some injuries, so we called him back.

“He has a low-90s fastball with sink. We saw that tonight. He’s really pitching with nothing to lose. He made some adjustments since last year and coached at SIUE this year, so he worked out with the team.”

Washington was held to only two hits by the Grizzlies. Both hits were singles by designated hitter Tyreque Reed, in the second and sixth innings. The Wild Things did not have a baserunner advance to third base.

Conrad was followed on the mound by Nate Garkow, Matt Hickey, Osvaldo Berrios and Lukas Veinbergs. Garkow inherited a two-on, one-out situation and ended the threat with two strikeouts. Berrios needed only 10 pitches to strike out three Wild Things in the eighth. Veinbergs pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

The only runs of the game were scored in the third inning. With Abdiel Diaz on first base, Gateway’s Andrew Moritz hit an RBI triple to the angle in right centerfield. The ball just eluded the grasp of diving center fielder Caleb McNeely. Moritz scored on a bloop single over a drawn-in infield to shallow right centerfield by Gabe Holt.

Washington starting pitcher Zach Kirby (1-1) scattered seven hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out four.

“I don’t know if anybody will have one that long,” Vaeth said of his team’s nine-game winning streak, which was Washington’s longest since 2018. “I like to think we have another one in us. … Our goal all year will be to win each series. We can still do that. We’ll try to win (Sunday) and start a new streak.”

Extra bases

Gateway played without first baseman Peter Zimmerman, who was injured during a batting practice session prior to the game. Zimmerman was struck in the mouth area by a batted ball that went through a hole in an L screen, which is used to protect the person throwing the pitch. Zimmerman was taken to a local hospital for treatment. … The Wild Things are 62-61 all-time against Gateway.