Crushers overcome Kings in epic battle
Published on August 3, 2009 under Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release
Avon, OH - The 12th and final game of the regular season between the Crushers and the Kalamazoo Kings proved to be the best of the year on Monday night. In the end, the Crushers were left standing with a 7-6 victory as they took two out of three from the Kings at All Pro Freight Stadium.
Early on, both starting pitchers were virtually unhittable as Brent Lysander and John Brownell exchanged zeros on the board for the first three innings. Lake Erie finally came up with a run in the fourth as Andrew Davis led off the inning with a double and came home on Gordon Gronkowski's RBI single. Lake Erie would add a run in the fifth on Jodam Rivera's RBI double to take a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning.
Up until that point, Lysander had not allowed a hit in the game. But the Kings would go to work as they scored five times on six hits off of the Lake Erie right-hander. Josh Short's three run homer was the key hit as the Kings took a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth. The Crushers would come roaring back however, as Tyler Johnson came up with the bases loaded and none out and brought everyone home with a three run double. Wayne Bond followed two batters later with a two-run homer to left to lift Lake Erie back into the lead at 7-5.
"In a game like that, it's momentum swings that win it," said Lake Erie skipper John Massarelli afterwards. "It was really impressive how we responded after that Kalamazoo burst."
The Crushers turned things over to their bullpen after regaining the lead. Despite allowing a solo homer to Amos Ramon in the eighth, Josh Faiola, Ronnie Morales, and Jacinto Gonell were able to preserve the lead and give the Crushers perhaps their biggest win of the season.
The Crushers are now 37-28 on the season and have moved back to within two and a half games of Kalamazoo for first place in the Frontier League's East Division. The Crushers will head to Washington to start a three game series on Tuesday night at 7:05 against the Wild Things.
Frontier League Stories from August 3, 2009
- River City beats RiverHawks, 8-4, in 12 - Rockford RiverHawks
- With game-ending collision, Sliders sweep Wild Things - Midwest Sliders of Ypsilanti
- Grizzlies drop finale to Miners - Gateway Grizzlies
- Windy City takes down Evansville, 4-2 - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Crushers overcome Kings in epic battle - Lake Erie Crushers
- Reese, Beach Bums blank Freedom - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Wild Things swept by Sliders - Washington Wild Things
- Bums blank Freedom for series sweep - Florence Y'alls
- RiverHawks to join Northern League in 2010 - Rockford RiverHawks
- River City Rascals Events - River City Rascals
- Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report - OSC Original by Dan Krieger
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