-Gateway Grizzlies outfielder Brandon Thomas learned a valuable lesson Sunday night after hitting a grand slam:

Power hitters should park far away from the park.

With the local lads lagging 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning, switch-hitting center fielder Thomas smacked a grand slam over the left-field wall of GCS Ballpark in Sauget to put the Grizzlies ahead of the Joliet Slammers, who they eventually beat 17-6.

But score it "E-8" on Thomas for deciding to stash his 2008 Toyota Tundra pickup just beyond the left-field wall — too close for comfort and windshield survival.

"To be honest, I didn't even think about my truck being out there right after I hit the ball," Thomas said. "The only thing I was thinking about was whether it would be fair or foul; I knew it was long enough."

It wasn't until the next inning that Thomas got the word that he had smashed his own windshield...

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