FL Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers Win In 12-8 Slugfest

Published on May 31, 2011 under Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


Avon, Ohio - The Lake Erie Crushers and Normal Cornbelters combined to score 20 runs on 28 hits in Tuesday night's contest at All Pro Freight Stadium, as the Crushers scored multiple runs in four innings, and took the first game of the series, 12-8.

The win for Lake Erie (5-5) marked the second time this season that they've taken the series opener, while the loss for the Cornbelters (4-6) marked their fourth in a row.

The Cornbelters scored their first run of the contest and took their only lead of the game in the top of the first inning when Alavaro Ramirez scored on Jeff Dunbar's sacrifice fly. The Crushers took their first of five leads in the bottom of the second inning. Nick Mahin drove in the first run on a base hit, and Jason Taylor scored the final run of the inning on Joel Collins's groundout.

Normal tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the third inning on Daniel Cox's RBI double, but the Crushers responded quickly, and regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on Andrew Davis's two-run shot, his first of the season. Tyler Keeble doubled in a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 4-4, before the Crushers took the lead again on a solo homerun from Scott Houin in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Steven Alexander knotted the game up at 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning on another solo homerun, before the Crushers took the lead again by scoring three times in the bottom of the inning. Kellen Kulbacki begain the inning with a double, and scored on Taylor's single. Collins drove Taylor home moments later on a base hit, and Kyle Shaffer finished the scoring in the sixth inning by hitting his second homerun in as many games.

Frank Martinez hit the fifth homerun of the game with one out in the seventh inning, a solo blast that brought the Cornbelters within two runs, and Colin Moro made it a one run game moments later on a run scoring single. The Cornbelters tied the game in the eighth inning when Alvaro Ramirez drove Brad Agustin home on a two-out double.

The Crushers then scored four runs on five hits to put the game away in the bottom of the eighth. Lake Erie had runners on second and third with one out, when Zac Messer hit a chopper through the left side of the infield to score Mahin. Houin ripped a run scoring single two batters later, and Davis followed by stroking a two run double to put the game away.

Ruben Flores (2-0), allowed no runs on a hit while striking out two over an inning and two-thirds to score the victory, and Jeremy Brewer (2-0) was tagged with the loss after surrendering four runs on five hits over an inning and a third.

The second, third and fourth batters in the Lake Erie order, (Houin, Davis and Kulbacki) combined for eight hits, six runs and six RBIs. Davis led the way for the Crushers, going 3-for-5, with four RBIs. Kulbacki went 3-for-4 and scored twice, while Houin went 2-for-4 and scored three times.

The Crushers will continue the three game series against Normal (Ill.) at All Pro Freight Stadium on Wednesday morning. Left hander Paul Fagan (0-0, 0.00) will get the start for the Crushers, and the Cornbelters will counter with right hander Ryan Sheldon (1-0, 1.29).The first pitch is scheduled for 10:35 AM.

The Lake Erie Crushers, the 2009 Frontier League Champions, play ball at All Pro Freight Stadium, a 5,000 capacity stadium located in Avon, OH. The Frontier League is an independent baseball league with 12 teams operating throughout the Midwest. Season tickets for the 2011 season are on sale now! 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 May 31, 2011


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