Gardner, known as a “singles hitter” who hits for average, squared up a Cooper Sanville pitch and powered it over the center field fence in the second inning to give the Cubs a 5-0 lead that they would not give.

For Gardner, it was hits first-ever home run, and the fact that it was a grand slam was even more sweet.

“Had a 2-0 count, and I was looking to do damage,” Gardner said. “We didn't score too many runs in the first two innings, so the bases were loaded, and I told Johnny (Coach Bintner), I'm gonna do some damage here. I got my pitch, center-cut, and absolutely smoked it over the center field fence."

"There's nothing better. Rounding second base and looking at home and everyone's cheering you on, it's a momentum-shifter.”

Gladstone Manager Joe Darmogray was not upset at Sanville after the game. His disappointment was directed elsewhere after his Indians lost for the fourth time in the past five games. After the game, he did not mince words.

“It's frustrating,” Daromgray said. “When you've got to throw the ball right down the middle? I mean, Escanaba is a great-hitting ball club, don't get me wrong. But when your pitchers are forced to throw the ball right down the middle to a called strike. It's batting practice. He (Sanville) was frustrated, and I told him that there's not much you can do about it. It kept getting to him, getting to him. I had to pull him, I didn't have a choice. He was frustrated and I was frustrated. Same thing happened to (reliever) Austin Pepin.”

Sanville uncharacteristically walked five batters, and threw 36 of his 68 pitches for balls. Relivers Austin Pepin and Trevor Thorbahn both walked three batters, making for eleven total walks (and a hit batter) off of Gladstone pitching. Gardner, though, had better luck, walking only two batters and throwing 68 strikes among his 108 pitches for Escanaba.

“I was really just trying to put the fastball over the plate, and make them earn it,” Gardner said. “Didn't give up many walks. I only had one strikeout (actually, two) and so it wasn't too impressive for the strikeouts. But I made them put it in play.”

His defense was good behind him, in particular, Nick Chiu, who came up with a web gem diving catch in center field to rob Trevor Thorbahn of extra bases in the first inning. The Cubs outfield made seven catches in the game.

It was a special night for the Indians as they had their fourth-annual ceremony to honor the late Christian Groleau, who was a member of the 2014 Gladstone state championship team. Groleau was a victim of suicide, but he is still fondly remembered to this day. His family has donated a $500 scholarship every year for an Indians player, and this year's award-winner was center fielder Johnny Soderman.

“He was one of my brother's friends and to have me win it means a lot,” Soderman said. “He played center field, I play center field. After I won it, I told his mom that I was gonna try to play hard for him. It means a lot to me.”

Soderman performed will, smacking a single, double, and driving in a run.

“It is a very emotional game,” Darmogray said. “I personally didn't know him (Groleau) all that well. I watched him play baseball a little bit. But Johnny is very deserving of the award. He's a great all-around kid. I couldn't think of anyone more deserving.”

While Gardner stole the show with his grand slam and pitching performance, Bryce Blixt also made his presence known. The Sault (Ontario) College sophomore didn't start the game, but was put into the lineup in the fourth inning. He crushed the first pitch he saw for a two-run double that nearly cleared the right field fence, and later, almost hit one out again before settling for a single. Bon LaChance was thrown out at the plate, and Ashton Rykmos held up at second base, so no runs batted in on that one.

“I was pretty jumpy,” Blixt laughed. “I mean, I was trying to be patient, but when you throw fastballs like that down the middle, I'm definitely not going to wait for it. I wasn't really expecting it to go (for a home run), but then I heard the fence hit, and I was like, oh man, I've got to get going. It ended up being a good day for me, and everybody else had hit good, too.”

His second shot later in the game ended up being only a very long single.

“I was a little bit disappointed to see no runs being scored on that play,” Blixt admitted. “I was like, man, Bon, get going, get going! And I seen Ashton was on second. So, I'm like, oh man, no runs.”

Escanaba won for the sixth time in its last seven games after an 0-3 start. Two of those losses came to Gladstone when the Cubs blew huge late leads in both of those contests.

The Indians mostly pitched around LaChance, walking him twice and hitting him once. But LaChance managed to get a single and a double, including one to the opposite field.

Chiu continued to be an annoying presence in the #9 hole for the Cubs. He had two more base hits, including a two-run single in the sixth inning. And after he hit one 350 feet to center field in Marinette over the weekend, just shy of home run distance, the shortest guy on the Cubs team crushed one over the right field fence that went just foul.

Gladstone fell to 6-6 on the season after starting the season 5-1.

Both catchers threw out men trying to steal second, as Chase Cloutier gunned Casey Alworden in the first inning, and Isaac Ketchum threw out Chiu in the fifth inning. The Indians also turned a 1-4-3 double play in that fifth inning.

Both teams are off until next week, after playing a lot of baseball in the past five days. The Indians will host Norway next Monday night, and the Cubs will travel to Norway next Wednesday night. Both games will be broadcast live on FM-93.5, AM-600, and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.