Eisenbarger, Unbelievable - Plenty of Syllables Describing a Crushers 3-2 Win

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FL Lake Erie Crushers

Eisenbarger, Unbelievable - Plenty of Syllables Describing a Crushers 3-2 Win

July 7, 2025 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


Sauget, IL - July 6, 2025 - The Lake Erie Crushers (26-22) launched their way to a 3-2 victory over the Gateway Grizzlies (30-20) on Sunday night to snag a huge series clincher on the road in Sauget.

The Grizzlies got right to work in their half of the 1st with four straight singles, the latter two of which being RBI knocks from DH Jose Alvarez and 3B Dale Thomas, giving Gateway an early 2-0 lead against LHP Jack Eisenbarger.

Similar to his rough first inning against Washington a little over a week ago, Eisenbarger settled down after giving up a crooked number. He scattered just three baserunners after the 1st inning and went into cruise control in the middle innings.

On the other side RHP Lukas Veinbergs was dealing into the 6th, and he got the first two outs quickly before C Alfredo Gonzalez poked a two-out single up the middle. It brought up SS Jarrod Watkins, who has been mere inches away from a power surge in the last week. This time the short porch at Arsenal BG Ballpark couldn't hold his blast.

Watkins cranked a 1-2 pitch from Veinbergs over the short wall in right field for his second homer of the season, tying the game 2-2 and knocking Veinbergs out of the game.

Then in the 7th, new pitcher RHP Francis Peguero faced rookie 3B Jaidan Quinn, who went with a low, outside pitch over the left field wall for an opposite field home run to give Lake Erie the lead, 3-2. Quinn has already displayed a ton of pop, and his first oppo taco came as his third professional homer in go-ahead fashion.

Meanwhile, Eisenbarger continued to deal, and after coming out for the 8th inning, it seemed like Jared Lemieux was playing matchups leaving his southpaw in with over 100 pitches. Eisenbarger punched out 2B Gabe Holt - an incredibly difficult hitter to strike out - then got LF Victor Castillo to fly out after Castillo had been 3-for-3 against Eisenbarger earlier in the game.

Skipper Jared Lemieux came out to get the ball from his lefty with two outs and a right-handed hitter coming to the dish, but Eisenbarger, along with help from Alfredo Gonzalez and Jarrod Watkins, convinced Lemieux to let him get the final out of the 8th - a la Mike Mussina to Joe Torre circa. 2006.

In such a world, Eisenbarger was retiring the next hitter 100 out of 100 times, and he did just that, getting Jose Alvarez to pop out weakly, completing a masterpiece in front of friends and family just a stone's throw from his hometown, Kirkwood, Missouri. Jack's final line: 8 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K on 113 pitches.

In the 9th, the Crushers went to RHP Leonardo Rodriguez to lock down the save. After retiring the first two batters, 1B Paxton Wallace chopped an infield single to put the tying run aboard, but it was all for naught as the game ended just a pitch later.

Cole Brannen pinch ran for Wallace having only been caught stealing one time this season in 16 tries. He took off on the first pitch. Alfredo Gonzalez put an absolute dime right on the bag at second base, and Jarrod Watkins put the tag on Brannen for the walk-off caught stealing - a fitting end to a cinematic series for Lake Erie.

Jack Eisenbarger (4-2) lowered his ERA to 3.21 with his masterful performances this week. Francis Peguero (2-4) suffered the loss and failed to record an out in his outing. Leonardo Rodriguez (2) remained red hot with a spotless 9th and got the save in a massive win for Lake Erie.

The Crushers return home this coming Tuesday, July 8th at 7:05pm against the Schaumburg Boomers for another $2 Tuesday. Get tickets online at lakeeriecrushers.com !

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 the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati markets!

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