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FL Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers fall in rain-shortened rubber match

June 16, 2012 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - The Lake Erie Crushers dropped the rubber match of their three game series with the Traverse City Beach Bums, as the Beach Bums took a rain shortened, 7-4, contest in seven innings at Wuerfel Park on Saturday night.

The loss for the Crushers (11-16) marks the first time this year that they've lost a series on the road, while the win for the Beach Bums (17-10) gives them victories in four out of their last five games.

Chase Burch came home when Sean Gusrang reached on a fielder's choice in the second inning, before the Beach Bums capitalized on two Lake Erie errors and scored four times in the fourth.

All nine batters came to the plate in the aforementioned four run fourth. The inning began on Jeff Flagg's solo homer, his ninth of the year. Ryan Still reached on the second of four fielder's choice plays in the inning, and scored Gusrang in the process. Kyle Colligan's fielder's choice brought the next run in before Jose Vargas capped the inning with a run scoring single.

The Crushers answered with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Adrian Ortiz began the inning with his second single of the contest, and made his way to second on Kellen Kulbacki's free pass. The Crushers executed a double steal, and Ortiz scored on Brian Erie's groundout. Kulbacki came in moments later on Robby Kuzdale's double to the gap in left center.

Marcus Nidiffer smashed a solo homerun in the bottom of the fifth, before the Crushers answered with two more in the sixth. The bases were loaded with one out when Kulbacki hit a ground ball to second, which was too hot for Ryan Still to handle, and the error allowed Russ Moldenhauer to score. Erie followed with this second run scoring groundout to plate Wally Correa.

In the home half of the inning, Ben Klapfczynski retired the first two batters he faced, before allowing a single to Jose Vargas, walking Chase Burch, and then surrendered an RBI single to Flagg.

It had been raining lightly throughout the night, but the rain really picked up in the bottom of the seventh, and the game was delayed 45 minutes with a man on first base and one out, before the game was finally called. The game was called at 10:15 PM.

Bennett Whitmore (2-1) tossed 5.1 innings, allowed four runs on five hits to secure the victory, while Josh Rickards (1-1) allowed six runs on eight hits over five innings and was tagged with the loss.

Kuzdale's double in the fifth inning extended his on base streak to 15 games, while Jason Taylor stroked a two-out double in the fourth, extending his hitting streak to six games, and his on base streak to 14. Ortiz went 2-for-2, with a pair of singles and has hit safely in his last nine games, while Correa went 1-for-3, and went 6-for-11 in the series.

The Crushers will begin a three game series against the Florence Freedom at All Pro Freight Stadium on Sunday evening. Right hander Trevor Longfellow (2-0, 3.49) will start for the Crushers, and the Freedom will counter with right hander Maxx Catapano (2-0, 2.83). The first pitch is scheduled for 5:05 PM.

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