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FL Lake Erie Crushers

Magic Crushers use ninth inning rally to defeat Florence

July 20, 2014 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


AVON, Ohio -- The Lake Erie Crushers won in walk off fashion for the ninth time this season, as they came from behind to take the series finale against the Florence Freedom at All Pro Freight Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with a 4-3 victory.

The victory for the Crushers (29-25) marked the first time this season that they won despite being behind after eight innings, while the loss for the Freedom (22-30) was their sixth in their last seven games.

Florence scored three times over the first two innings of the contest. Cole Miles began the game with a solo homer, his fifth of the year. A dropped third strike allowed Zak Blair to reach, before Rob Kelly and Sam Eberle recorded back-to-back singles to load the bases with nobody out, and Joe Staley drove in the next run on a groundout.

A groundout plated the next run for the Freedom as well in the top of the second. Devon Torrence reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on Miles's single, then an errant throw on a pickoff attempt from Crusher pitcher Mickey Jannis put him on third. Blair followed with a groundout to plate Torrence, making it 3-0.

Lake Erie had several chances to score over the first five innings of the contest, but cashed in just once. They had runners at the corners with one out in the second inning but couldn't score. In the third, they had runners on first and second with nobody out, but nothing came of that threat either, and they spoiled a chance to score with runners on second and third with nobody out in the fifth.

The Crushers used the long ball to get on the board in the home half of the fourth inning. Anderson Hidalgo reached on a walk to start the inning, and two batters later, Vince Mejia smashed a two-run homer, his seventh of the season to bring the Crushers within one (3-2).

Lake Erie went three innings without recording a hit, until Adam Ford belted a one out single in the bottom of the ninth. Two batters later, with the Crushers down to their final out, Craig Hertler delivered a pinch hit single to right. Juan Sanchez then reached on a two out error committed by first baseman Caleb Bryson to load the bases. Joey Burney then delivered the game winning pinch hit two-run single to right center on Jorge Marban's (2-3) 2-2 pitch, to seal the deal.

Jason Wilson (6-2) tossed a scoreless ninth inning to get the victory, while Marban allowed a pair of unearned runs on three hits over two-thirds of the ninth inning and suffered the loss.

Kevin Franchetti and Mejia led the charge for the Lake Erie offense with two hits apiece, in a game where seven Crushers in the starting lineup reached safely at least once. Mejia went 2-for-4, and hit .583 (7-for-12) in the series with four runs and five RBI's.

The Crushers will begin a three game series against the Frontier Greys at All Pro Freight Stadium on Monday night. Lefty Todd Kibby (5-1, 1.74) will throw for the Crushers, and the Greys will counter with right hander Lamarre Rey (1-2, 7.03). 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 2014 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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