Crushers and Cruisers Play Deep into the Night
Published on July 25, 2010 under Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release
AVON, Ohio - The Lake Erie Crushers and Oakland County Cruisers played deep into the night on Saturday, closing a doubleheader. Lake Erie posted a 2-1 win in the opener while the nightcap was suspended in the top of the 14th.
GAME ONE: LAKE ERIE 2, OAKLAND COUNTY 1
The Cruisers opened the scoring in the second when a potential strike three to Luis Fernandez skipped by Joel Collins allowing Joash Brodin, who had reached on error himself, to score and give the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
The Crushers responded in the bottom of the inning, when Cruisers starter Wayde Kitchens let his control problems get the best of him, walking Joel Collins and Raphael Turner before Arden McWilliams plated both of them with a two-run double to give the Lake Erie a 2-1 lead.
Kitchens continued to have control problems, walking the bases loaded in the fourth before being lifted in favor of Taylor Wulf, who was able to escape the inning with no damage.
Crushers starter Josh Roberts had no such problems, walking just one and not allowing an earned run over his complete game, while giving up three hits and striking out three for his sixth win of the season.
GAME TWO: SUSPENDED
The Cruisers jumped ahead early on an unearned tally for the second time in one night when Zach Pace scampered home on a groundout by Mike Epping, which should have been the third out of the inning.
Oakland County widened the gap in the top of the fifth against Jimenez. Zach Pace trotted home on a single by Joash Brodin before Kyle Maunus plated Brodin and Jeremy Jones with a two-run double to put the Cruisers up 4-0.
The Crushers answered immediately with three runs of their own, albeit in a slightly unorthodox fashion. Raphael Turner and pinch-hitter Casey McGrew walked to start the inning before a second pinch-hitter, Trae Gore, reached on a cather's interference by Ben Barrone to load the bases. On the very next pitch, Cruisers starter Andres Esquibel, who was still carrying a no-hitter, hit Julio Rivera with the first pitch to score a run. Jodam Rivera proceeded to break up the no-hitter in the next at-bat, lining a single through the middle to score two and pull the Crushers back to within one run at 4-3.
The Crushers then rallied in the seventh against all-star closer P.J. Zocchi, who leads the league in saves. A miscue on what would have been strike three to Trae Gore allowed him to reach and after two fielder's choices it was Dom Duggan who stood aboard first. Duggan stole second and scored on Jodam Rivera's second hit of the day, a double down the right-field line, tying the game and forcing extra innings.
Both teams had chances late into the night and the game continued until the top of the 14th when the contest was suspended. The game will pick up tied 4-4 when Oakland County visits again August 6-8. The exact date has yet to be determined.
Frontier League Stories from July 25, 2010
- Southern Illinois wins 8-2 at Evansville - Evansville Otters
- ThunderBolts Continue Rise - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Crushers Post 11 Hits in Loss - Lake Erie Crushers
- Normal Fails To Get Big Hit - Normal CornBelters
- Dempsey's Grand Night Helps Wild Things Power Past Cruisers - Washington Wild Things
- Grizzlies Take Opener in Normal - Gateway Grizzlies
- Alia Homers, Beach Bums Fall - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Kings Make Maloney Official - Kalamazoo Kings
- Crushers and Cruisers Play Deep into the Night - Lake Erie Crushers
- Grizzlies fall to Miners - Gateway Grizzlies
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