
Crushers Win Rain-Shortened Home Finale
Published on August 28, 2025 under Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release
Avon, OH - The Lake Erie Crushers (52-39) ended the regular season home schedule with a rain-shortened 8-2 victory over the Down East Bird Dawgs (36-56) on Thursday night.
With the win, the Crushers now have their most wins in a season since 2019 when they won 54 games. Additionally, Lake Erie's magic number to clinch the division is down to two with three games left to play.
Down East struck first in the opening frame, but the Crushers got a 1st inning run on a sacrifice fly from C Alfredo Gonzalez. After an inning, both teams were knotted 1-1.
In the 3rd, DH Sam Franco blasted an RBI double off the wall in left field to put the Crushers up. Then, in the 4th, Alfredo Gonzalez launched a moonshot just inside the left field foul pole for a three-run homer, his
Lake Erie kept scoring in the 5th. SS Jarrod Watkins recorded an RBI groundout ahead of a RBI double from LF Burle Dixon. Then, CF Dario Gomez added an RBI double of his own to put the Crushers up 8-1. Gomez ended the day 5-for-5 just a home run shy of the cycle (three 1B, 2B, 3B).
On the mound LHP Jack Eisenbarger was dealing. His first inning run came in unearned and was the only blemish on his line. Another quality start for Eisenbarger set up the Crushers victory in the home finale. Eisenbarger's final line: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R (unearned), 2 BB, 5 K, QS.
Down East scored again in the 7th, but the lone run was the only additional run they'd manage. RHP Brandyn Sittinger struck out the side in a perfect 8th inning.
Then, the rains came. It began dumping water from the heavens just before the bottom of the 8th began. After 30 minutes it was determined that the field was unplayable (seeing as how it was completely under water), and the 8-2 final-in-8 was confirmed with the Crushers coming away with a series win.
Jack Eisenbarger (10-4) reached the 10-win plateau with his outing, which was the first time a Crushers pitcher had done so since Joseph Sgambelluri in 2022. Down East starter Eric Waldichuk (0-4) was pinned with the loss.
The Crushers ship out to Joliet for the final series of the 2025 regular season. First pitch tomorrow, Friday, August 29th is scheduled for 7:30pm ET.
Playoff ticket packages and single-game stubs are on sale now! Visit
lakeeriecrushers.com to lock in your seats for the 2025 Frontier League Playoffs at Crushers Stadium!
Can't join us at the ballpark? You can stream Crushers games home and away in 2025 on the brand new Frontier League streaming partner, HomeTeam Network or watch live on local television on Rock Entertainment Sports Network (RESN) in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati markets!
Frontier League Stories from August 28, 2025
- Grizzlies Drop Rain-Soaked Road Finale - Gateway Grizzlies
- Scott Delivers Another Gem in Final Start of 2025 - Evansville Otters
- Boulders Drop Another to 'Cats - New York Boulders
- Boomers Claim West Division Title - Schaumburg Boomers
- ThunderBolts Shut out in Road Finale - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Bird Dawgs Drop Rain-Shortened Finale to Crushers 8-2 - Down East Bird Dawgs
- Florence Comeback Falls Short - Florence Y'alls
- Wild Things Blank Joliet in Regular Season Road Finale - Washington Wild Things
- Crushers Win Rain-Shortened Home Finale - Lake Erie Crushers
- ValleyCats Win Fifth Straight with 17-Run Rout - Tri-City ValleyCats
- The Southern Lights to Transform Trustmark Park into a Holiday Wonderland - Mississippi Mud Monsters
- Three Grizzlies Earn 2025 Frontier League Awards - Gateway Grizzlies
- Frontier League Awards Field of the Year to the Down East Bird Dawgs - Down East Bird Dawgs
- Calarco Named MVP as Boomers Rack up Postseason Honors - Schaumburg Boomers
- Zeisler's Incredible Season Ends with FL Honors - Florence Y'alls
- Boyce Named 2025 Executive of the Year - Ottawa Titans
- LJ Jones Named 2025 Fran Riordan Citizenship Award Recipient - Evansville Otters
- Three Boulders Named to 2025 All-Fron Er League Team - New York Boulders
- ValleyCats to Host Playoff Game against Miners on September 3rd - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Miners Clinch First Division Title in Frontier League - Sussex County Miners
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