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FL Lake Erie Crushers

Five run lead not enough as Crushers fall to Freedom

July 23, 2012 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


FLORENCE, Ky. - The Lake Erie Crushers let an early, 7-2 lead slip away on Monday morning at the Home of the Florence Freedom, as the Freedom rallied back, and stole a 10-9 decision from the Crushers.

The loss for the Crushers (32-27) marks just the second time this season that they've dropped a series on the road, while the victory for Florence (31-28), gives them three in their last four games.

The Crushers took advantage of a rough start from Scott Moviel, who issued six free passes, and didn't make it out of the second inning, but did very little damage against the Florence bullpen.

Lake Erie plated the game's first run, in the top of the first inning when Adrian Ortiz scored on Jason Taylor's groundout. The Freedom responded with a pair in the bottom of the inning. John Malloy started the inning with a solo homer and Drew Rundle brought in the final run on a groundout.

The Crushers responded in a big way in the top of the second, sending 11 batters to the plate, and scored six runs on three hits to regain the lead. Wally Correa drove in the first run of the inning on his first of two RBI singles on the day. Ortiz followed with a run scoring double, before the Crushers benefited from a throwing error. With the bases loaded and one out, Russ Moldenhauer hit a ground ball to first. Florence retired Taylor at second, but Edwin Padua's errant relay throw to first base went into foul territory, allowing Correa and Ortiz to score. Daniel Bowman capped the big inning with a two-run double.

Florence began their comeback in the bottom of the fourth. All nine came to the plate in the fourth, and they scored four times on five hits. Kyle Bluestein and Padua stroked back-to-back RBI singles, and Pierre LePage capped the big inning with a two out single, which produced a pair of runs.

Lake Erie would get one of those runs back on a pair of two out hits in the top of the fifth. Kyle Shaffer extended the inning with a double down the left field line, and scored on Correa's second RBI single of the contest.

The Crushers held an 8-6 lead, until the Freedom took their second lead of the game, on Drew Rundle's homerun in the bottom of the seventh. Rundle's bomb followed back-to-back one out singles from LePage and Jim Jacquot. LePage came through again in the eighth inning, producing a two out single to score Malloy.

Lake Erie put one final run on the board in the top of the ninth inning. After Brennan Flick retired Moldenhauer to start the inning, he surrendered a solo homer to Andrew Davis, his sixth of the season, but that was all the Crushers would get.

Sean Gregory (5-5) tossed 2.1 innings of relief, holding the Crushers without a run and allowed just one hit along the way to score the victory, while Flick (2) scored his second save in as many nights, preserving the lead in the ninth. Travis Risser (2-3) had retired the first seven batters he faced, before allowing the singles to LePage and Jacquot, which set up Rundle's homer in the seventh. He went 2.1 innings, and allowed three runs on three hits, taking the loss.

The Crushers walked nine times on the afternoon, and registered eight hits. Ortiz and Correa paced the Crushers with two hits each. Ortiz went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, while Correa went 2-for-4 with a pair of run scoring singles, and has now reached base in 11 out of his last 16 plate appearances.

The Crushers will finish their three game series with the Florence Freedom at the Home of the Florence Freedom on Wednesday night. Left hander Paul Fagan (6-3, 2.76) will start for the Crushers, and the Freedom will counter with left hander Brent Chobin, who will be making his first start. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.

The Lake Erie Crushers, the 2009 Frontier League Champions, and 2011 Frontier League Organization of the year, play ball at All Pro Freight Stadium, a 5,000 capacity stadium located in Avon, Ohio. The Frontier League is an independent baseball league with 14 teams operating throughout the Midwest. Season tickets for the 2012 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 July 23, 2012


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