FL Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers fall in slugfest

Published on August 28, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


AVON, Ohio - The Lake Erie Crushers, presented by Mercy Health, fell victim to two big innings on Tuesday evening at Sprenger Healthcare Stadium, as they dropped the series opener to the Windy City Thunderbolts, 15-9.

The loss for the Crushers (46-45) dropped their record to 3-12 in series openers at home, while the Thunderbolts (38-52) have now won three of their last four overall.

The two teams combined to score 24 runs on 32 hits. Lake Erie scored in five different innings, while the Thunderbolts scored multiple runs in three innings and batted around in two separate frames.

Lake Erie fired the first shot, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Aaron Hill reached on a single to start the inning and Joel McKeithan reached on an error. Zach Racusin drove Hill home on a RBI double down the line in right and McKeithan scored on Terry McClure's RBI single.

Racusin struck again for the Crushers in the bottom of the third. Hill began the inning on a free pass, advanced to second when McKeithan was walked before coming around to score on Racusin's RBI single to right, giving Lake Erie a 3-0 lead.

Windy City went to work in the top of the fourth, sending 10 batters to the plate while scoring five times on four hits to take a 5-3 lead. The bases were loaded with one out when Terrance Robertson belted a two run single back up the middle to put the T-Bolts on the board. Two batters later, Omar Obregon gave them the lead with a two run single to right. Axel Johnson drove in the final run of the inning on a sacrifice flyout to left, scoring Joe Becht.

Lake Erie answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Dalton Wheat started the inning with a double to right field and made his way to third on a passed ball before scoring on Nick Roark's RBI groundout.

The Crushers tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth. A lead off walk was issued to Cody Lenehan, and he made his way to second on Racusin's groundout to third. McClure followed with a run scoring single through the left side to bring Lenehan home, tying the game.

Windy City then regained the lead in the top of the sixth on Tyler Straub's sacrifice fly which scored Obregon, before they put the game away by scoring six times in the top of the seventh, and added three more in the eighth.

The Crushers plated their final four runs in the bottom of the seventh. Racusin doubled in a run, McClure and McKeithan both scored on wild pitches and Bryan DeLaRosa drove in the final run with a RBI single to center.

Zac Westcott (7-8) picked up the victory for Windy City, after allowing eight runs, seven earned on nine hits over 6.1 innings of action. Micah Beyer (1-3) took the loss after surrendering six runs, five earned on eight hits over 5.1 innings of action.

Five Crushers hit safely multiple times, with Racusin leading the eway, going 3-for-5 with three runs batted in. Hill, McKeithan, McClure and Wheat all hit safely twice.

The Crushers will continue their three game series with the Windy City Thunderbolts on Wednesday evening. Right-hander Alex Romero (10-6, 2.86) will start for the Crushers and Windy City will counter with righty Eddie Avila (2-6, 4.62). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM.

The Lake Erie Crushers, the 2009 Frontier League Champions, and 2011 Frontier League Organization of the year, play ball at Sprenger Health Care Stadium, a 5,000 capacity stadium located in Avon, Ohio. The Frontier League is an independent baseball league with 12 teams operating throughout the Midwest. For more information on tickets, promotions and team news, visit the team website at www.LakeErieCrushers.com or call 440-934-3636.

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Frontier League Stories from August 28, 2018


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