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FL Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers hold off Rascals' rally

July 20, 2009 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


O'Fallon, MO - The Lake Erie Crushers exploded out to an 11-4 lead but had to hold off a charge from the River City Rascals to win their third straight game by the final of 14-10.

The Crushers fell behind 3-1 in the second inning after a three run homer by River City's Ryan Groth. But Lake Erie would start to flex their offensive muscles in the third as Drew Saylor and Luke Hetherington each hit two run homers and Tim Binkoski added an RBI groundout to put the Crushers ahead 6-3. After River City tacked on a single run in the third, the Crushers would add an Andrew Davis two-run homer in the fourth, and run scoring doubles in the fifth by Jodam Rivera and Drew Saylor to take a commanding 11-4 lead. But River City would not go quietly.

The Rascals scored five runs on six hits off of Josh Faiola in the sixth inning to march right back in the game. River City was poised to take the lead with the bases loaded and two outs, but Rivera speared a line drive off the bat of Joe Billack to end the Rascals' threat.

The Crushers went back to work offensively in the eighth inning as Saylor hit his second homer of the game, a solo shot to left field. Saylor finished the game with two homers and five runs batted in. Eddie Tisdale would put a cap on the night of homers for the Crushers with a two-run homer to right-center field in the ninth inning. Faiola got the win for the Crushers while Jacinto Gonell earned his eighth save.

"Guys have been responding to adversity this whole road trip and we did a great job tonight of staying poised after they came back," said Manager John Masarelli.

The game was not without controversy as the two teams combined to hit five batters, causing the benches to momentarily clear in the fourth inning. Then after Davis was called out on strikes in the eighth inning, he was ejected by home plate umpire Mark Winters for comments made from the dugout. Paul Fagan was likewise ejected.

The Crushers improve to 28-23 on the season and will continue their series with the Rascals on Tuesday night. Chris Rigo will make his first professional start for the Crushers against Pablo Lopez.

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