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FL Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers playoff bound after extra innings

September 6, 2009 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


Avon, OH - In a game that defied logic, the Lake Erie Crushers battled back to beat the Midwest Sliders in 11 innings by the final of 11-10 on Saturday night at All Pro Freight Stadium. The victory clinches a playoff berth for Lake Erie in their Inaugural Season in the Frontier League. The Crushers also are still alive for the East Division title, as they trail Kalamazoo by only a half game entering the final day of the season.

Eddie Tisdale sent the Crushers to the playoffs with a game winning RBI single off of Midwest's Dan Horvath, as Jesse Gibson came around to score from second. "We always talk about trying to stay even around here," said a champagne-soaked Tisdale afterwards. "And I just tried to put all my previous at bats out of my mind and stay focused there at the end."

The hit culminated a night of comebacks for the Crushers as they battled back from deficits of 6-1 and 10-6. Drew Saylor kept the Crushers alive on two separate occasions with last-at-bat, game-tying hits. Saylor tied the game at 6 in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI single, and then hit an inside-the-park, two-run homer in the tenth after Midwest scored four runs in the top of the inning. "It's one of the things we've talked about all year long," said Saylor. "We never give up, we never quit and everybody one through nine kept at it. We fought back regardless the situation."

"I've been involved with baseball for a long time," said Crushers Manager John Massarelli afterwards. "But I'd have to put this down as an all time great one. For a franchise that is in its first year, and for that game to put us in the playoff, is truly special."

For several moments on Saturday, the game looked very much in doubt for the Crushers. After Andrew Davis hit an RBI double in the first to give Lake Erie a 1-0 lead, the Sliders scored six unanswered runs and led by five heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. The Crushers started their comeback with three runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Tim Binkoski, Tyler Johnson, and Eddie Tisdale. Johnson added a solo homer to left in the eighth to pull within one, before Saylor sent the game into extra innings with his RBI single in the ninth.

In the tenth inning, Midwest struck for four runs off of J.J. Pacella, three on a home run to right by Joash Brodin. But Lake Erie stormed back in the bottom of the tenth on an RBI single by Arden McWilliams, an RBI double by Nick Maragas, and Saylor's inside the park home run.

The Crushers are now 56-38 and will finish the regular season on Sunday against the Sliders. Alberto Rolon will start for the Crushers against Scott Van Es. The Crushers also have announced that playoff tickets will go on sale Sunday as well.

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