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Lake Erie Crushers

Lake Erie Crushers D. Traverse City Beach Bums

June 24, 2017 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


AVON, Ohio -- The Lake Erie Crushers, presented by Mercy, used a strong pitching performance from Jordan Kurokawa and homeruns from both Tanner Lubach and Sean Hurley to grab a 4-3 series opening victory over the Traverse City Beach Bums at Sprenger Health Care Stadium on Friday night.

The win for the Crushers (15-22) was their second in their last three games, while the loss for the Beach Bums (16-20) was their fifth in their last six games.

Traverse City struck first in the top of the third. Ryan Garvey began the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a bunt base hit from Arby Fields. Jeff DeBlieux's sacrifice bunt moved them both over, and Garvey scored after Steven Patterson reached on a fielder's choice. He hit a ground ball to short, and Max Casper made a nice stop on the ball, throwing Fields out at third base as Garvey came home.

The Crushers answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the third. Tanner Lubach started the inning with solo homer, sending it over the wall in left for his sixth homer of the season. Two batters later, L.J. Kalawaia singled through the left side, and Jordan Dean followed with a single to left. Sean Hurley then walked to load the bases, before John Havird's (3-2) 3-2 pitch hit Brandon Murray to score Kalawaia, giving the Crushers a 2-1 lead.

The Beach Bums used the long ball to tie the game in the top of the fifth inning. After a brief, six-minute rain delay, Jordan Kurokawa (3-1) retired Brooks Clark on a groundout, before Ryan Garvey belted a solo homer to left, his first of the season.

Lake Erie would get another homerun to take their second lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Dean reached on Havird's error to start the inning, setting up an opposite field, two-run homer from Hurley, his seventh of the year to give the Crushers a 4-2 lead.

Traverse City was able to add another run in the top of the eighth inning as DeBlieux scored on Will Kengor's sacrifice fly, but that was the last run the Beach Bums would scratch across.

Kurokawa scored the victory for the Crushers after allowing just a pair of runs on five hits while fanning four over seven strong innings. Chandler Jagodzinski (9) earned his second save over the last three nights after tossing a scoreless ninth inning. Havird took the loss for the Beach Bums after allowing four runs, three earned on six hits over 4.1 innings of work.

Three Crushers hit safely multiple times. Lubach led the way, going 3-for-4, while Kalawaia reached four times on the night, going 2-for-3, and Dean went 2-for-5 with a pair of singles.

The Crushers will continue their three-game series with the Traverse City Beach Bums at Sprenger Health Care Stadium on Saturday night. Right-hander Juan Caballero (0-1, 10.57) will make the start for the Crushers and the Beach Bums will counter with right-hander Kramer Champlin (4-1, 3.03). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM.

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