Crushers Fall in 11th Inning in Fever Dream Bout with Washington

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FL Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers Fall in 11th Inning in Fever Dream Bout with Washington

May 28, 2025 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


Avon, OH - The Lake Erie Crushers (10-5) fell to the Washington Wild Things 7-6 in an 11-inning, Frontier League tiebreaker finish with the Washington Wild Things (10-7) on Wednesday night.

Washington cashed in a run in the top of the 2nd on a sacrifice fly by 2B Brett Roberts to give the Wild Things an early lead, but it wouldn't last long. CF Sam Franco poked a two-out RBI with a single in the bottom half to even the score at 1-1 through two innings.

Both offenses quieted down for a few innings, but the Wild Things got back to work in the top of the 5th. 1B Andrew Czech and SS Ethan Wilder tagged RBI singles off RHP Brandyn Sittinger, and Washington led 3-1.

Sittinger finished his fourth Crushers start with 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R (2 earned), 2 BB, and 6 K. For Washington, the pitching staff kept Lake Erie off the bases and the scoreboard. LHP Dominic Puccetti went five innings in his Wild Things debut.

Lake Erie would put a tally on the board in the bottom of the 7th on a two-out RBI single by DH Scout Knotts. A couple of wild [things] pitches in the inning allowed runners to move into scoring position, and the Crushers made them pay.

1B Seth Strong scored Knotts with a slap single to left field to chase LHP Ryan Chasse from the game. Then with the bases loaded, the Wild Things got into trouble but escaped with the score tied, 3-3.

In the 8th, the Wild Things got a shattered bat RBI single by pinch hitter Willie Estrada to retake the lead, 4-3.

Washington brought in RHP Jacob McCaskey to try for the save in the 9th, but walked the leadoff man, Seth Strong. That was their first mistake. Their second mistake would come a moment later.

RF Dario Gomez dropped down a dandy of a bunt down the third base line, and McCaskey tried to bite off more than he could chew. He airmailed the throw to first, allowing Strong to come all the way around to score and Gomez to scramble all the way to third with nobody out.

After grounding into two outs, the Crushers loaded the bases for the definitive final batter, LF Burle Dixon. On a 1-1 count, Dixon ripped a sharp ground ball up the first base line that was stopped by 1B Andrew Czech, who flipped to McCaskey to complete the houdini act.

Bonus baseball in Avon began with a bitter taste of deja vu. Pinch hitter AJ Orrico dropped down a beautiful bunt, a la Dario Gomez, and Davie Morgan's throw sailed on him, allowing the extra innings runner to score and Orrico to reach second base.

Washington would tack on the second run with an RBI single by DH Tyreque Reed. They led 6-4 going into the bottom of the 10th.

On the first pitch of the inning, C Alfredo Gonzalez hit a ball about 600 feet...but, unfortunately, just a few feet foul. The blast would have tied the game, but McCaskey came back to strike out Gonzalez for out number one.

Scout Knotts drew a walk to put the tying run on first, bringing up Dario Gomez with two outs as Lake Erie's final hope. Gomez singled to center field to drive in the automatic runner, and pinch runner Michael Brewer (yes, the pitcher) motored all the way to third base as the tying run.

On a 1-2 pitch in the dirt, Gomez swiped second base as the winning run. SS Logan Thomason, after falling behind 0-2, worked four straight balls to draw the walk, putting the game in the hands of Zach Campbell with the bases loaded.

On the 3-2 with the runners off, Campbell fouled off three straight pitches, then saw ball four for an RBI walk to score Brewer and tie the game, 6-6.

Now, once again, the game was decisively in the hands of Sam Franco. Bases loaded. Two outs. Tie game. Bottom 10.

After falling behind 2-0, McCaskey battled back to strike out Franco and end the 10th.

Now, into the Frontier League tiebreaker (where the home team chooses to pitch or hit with an automatic runner on first base), the Crushers put Franco on first base as the automatic runner and elected to hit.

To win the game, Lake Erie would need to score a run before the Wild Things recorded three outs. If the Wild Things kept a run from scoring, they would win.

Washington brought in LHP Jake Carroll. 3B Davie Morgan popped out to start the inning, but Franco swiped second base with one out, putting him in scoring position. Then, Burle Dixon with two strikes grounded a single up the middle and Jared Lemieux gave Franco the windmill.

New Wild Things CF Robert Chayka came up firing to the plate, and new C Willie Estrada applied a great tag on Franco to gun down the run. It was the right send. You play to win the game. You force the defense to make a perfect play, and Washington did.

Alfredo Gonzalez struck out to end the ballgame moments, and Washington eked out with a 7-6 (6-6) tiebreaker win in a fever dream of a game. And the best part? There's still another one left to play.

The Crushers look to take the series from Washington on Thursday, May 29th at 6:35pm ET. Enrique Saldana (3.60 ERA) will make his second start for Lake Erie.

It's Thirsty Thursday, meaning all 12-ounce domestic beer cans are only $2! Then come back this weekend for postgame fireworks on Friday and Saturday! Get your tickets online at lakeeriecrushers.com/tickets.

Can't join us at the ballpark? You can stream Crushers games home and away in 2025 on the brand new Frontier League streaming partner, HomeTeam Network or watch live on local television on Rock Entertainment Sports Network (RESN) in the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati markets!

Check out the Lake Erie Crushers Statistics



Frontier League Stories from May 28, 2025


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