FL Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers drop one to the Slammers

Published on May 22, 2015 under Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


JOLIET, Ill.-- The Lake Erie Crushers came from behind to erase a four-run deficit on Thursday evening at Silver Cross Field, but eventually fell in the final at bat of the game, as they dropped the rubber match of a three-game series to the Joliet Slammers, 8-7.

The loss for the Crushers (2-4) was their second in as many nights against the Slammers (2-4), who have now won two in a row after starting the season with four straight losses.

Both teams used the long ball to light up the scoreboard, as the two teams combined to hit six bombs on the night, as the Slammers went deep four times, while the Crushers hit a pair.

Nate Roberts hit a pair of solo homers on the night, and his first one came in the bottom of the first inning to give the Slammers a 1-0 advantage.

Lake Erie came right back with a pair of runs to take their first lead of the game in the top of the second, on a two-run blast from Ty Nelson, his first of the season.

Joliet then used a two-out rally in the third to regain the lead. Charlie White, and Roberts, stroked back to back two out singles, with White scoring on Roberts's base hit, and Chris Serritella completed the two-out rally with a two-run homer to right. Former Crusher Russ Moldenhauer went deep an inning later, with a solo shot to start the fourth, giving the Slammers a 5-2 lead, and they added another run in the fifth inning, as Roberts scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a two-out error.

Down 6-2, the Crushers began their comeback in the top of the sixth inning, as Justin Cureton belted a solo homer, his first of the season. The Crushers then took advantage of three walks, and scored four times on just two hits to take a 7-6 lead in the top of the seventh. Trevor Stevens started the inning with a single and scored the first run on a wild pitch. Frank Desico was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in the next one, and Cureton struck again to finish the inning with a two-out, two-run single back through the middle to give the Crushers the lead for a second time.

The Slammers used the long ball to tie the game, as Roberts hit his second bomb of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at 7-7.

Alfredo Rodriguez started the bottom of the ninth inning with a base hit, and on the play, he advanced to second on an error. A wild pitch moved Rodriguez to third, and Hunter Ridge hit a fly ball to left center field, which was caught by Juan Sanchez, but his throw to the plate got there late, allowing Rodriguez to score the game winning run.

Kevin McNorton (1-0) scored the victory for the Slammers, tossing 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, while Mike Devine (0-1) took the loss after allowing a pair of runs on two hits over 1.1 innings out of the pen.

Four Crushers hit safely multiple times on the evening. Stevens, Hidalgo, Nelson and Cureton all turned in two-hit performances on the night, and Cureton drove in a game high, three runs.

The Crushers will begin a three-game series with the Schaumburg Boomers at Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg, Ill., on Friday night. Lefty Peter Gehle (0-0, 1.92) will throw for the Crushers and the Slammers will counter with right-hander Edwin Carl (0-0, 9.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:35 PM.

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Frontier League Stories from May 22, 2015


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