Did he Catch It? No, he Did Knott: Crushers Win Walk-Off Thriller

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FL Lake Erie Crushers

Did he Catch It? No, he Did Knott: Crushers Win Walk-Off Thriller

August 28, 2024 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


Avon, OH - In ridiculously whacky fashion, the Lake Erie Crushers (48-43) got back in the win column with a come-from-behind, walk-off win on Wednesday afternoon against the Gateway Grizzlies (57-34). Their playoff positioning is pending the results of the Schaumburg vs Evansville game later tonight. Regardless, a win helps the cause of Lake Erie as they look to get back to the Frontier League playoffs.

SS Jarrod Watkins manufactured a run after his leadoff single in the first. He advanced on a balk, moved to third on a groundout, then scored on a 1B Scout Knotts sacrifice fly to open the scoring.

Gateway didn't allow Lake Erie's lead to hang around very long, though. They drew three straight walks to start the 2nd against LHP Darrien Ragins. All three came around to score in the inning, and Gateway took a 3-1 lead.

Back-to-back doubles in the 3rd by 1B Peter Zimmermann and DH DJ Stewart gave Gateway a little extra cushion, and they led 4-1 with the game approaching the 6th.

With two outs, Knotts drew a two-out walk against RHP Alvery De Los Santos, one of just a handful of Crushers to reach against him in the game. DH Vincent Byrd Jr. made De Los Santos pay by launching a home run that almost cleared the fence protecting the outside of the stadium. The blast put the Crushers within one, it was 4-3 Gateway.

The Crushers got two men on to lead off the 8th, but they failed to score. They came into the 9th trailing by just a run, still.

CF Burle Dixon laced a single with one out, then pinch hitter, Jason Agresti, snuck a ground ball through the 5-6 hole to put the tying run in scoring position.

SS Jarrod Watkins came up with the big hit, working a deep count, fouling off two-strike pitches, then finally depositing a single into center field to score Dixon and tie the game.

Walner Espinal pinch ran for Agresti, and he stood at third base with one out and Scout Knotts coming to the plate with a chance to win it for Lake Erie.

Knotts smoked a 2-1 pitch off the glove of the pitcher, Matt Hickey. Hickey knocked it straight down and flipped to home plate for a force out, but C Jose Alvarez took his eyes off the ball and it fell to the ground as Espinal slid (more like stumbled) into home to walk it off for the Crushers.

Their late inning heroics started by the bottom of the lineup prove paramount, as Lake Erie is now applying pressure to Schaumburg, who will play later tonight. A Schaumburg loss would mean the Crushers are back in a playoff spot, and they would control their own destiny with four games left to play.

Final 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E

Gateway Grizzlies 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 7 1

Lake Erie Crushers 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 5 8 1

Tomorrow is the final home game of the 2024 regular season at Crushers Stadium. First pitch is at 6:35pm EST, and it's our final Thirsty Thursday. We've got plenty of beer, and Great Lakes Brewing products will be half off all game long. So come enjoy an evening of baseball as the Crushers continue their push for the Frontier League playoffs.

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Frontier League Stories from August 28, 2024


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