Table setters Hertler, Stevens pace Crushers in win over Rockford
Published on August 8, 2014 under Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release
ROCKFORD, Ill. -- Craig Hertler and Trevor Stevens, the top two batters in the Lake Erie batting order combined for seven hits, four runs and four RBIs on Thursday evening, as the Crushers defeated the Rockford Aviators, 8-6.
The victory for the Crushers (39-32) brings them within two games of the Schaumburg Boomers for the final wild card spot, while the loss for the Aviators (30-41) was their fourth in their last five games.
Just like the night before, the Crushers got out to a sizeable lead, before Rockford made their run. The Crushers led, 6-0, but the Aviators battled back and made things interesting, by scoring all of their runs in the final two innings.
Lake Erie belted out 15 hits on the night, and got three of those in the first inning. Andrew Davis belted a two-out double to center, and he scored the game's first run moments later, on Anderson Hidalgo's RBI single down the right field line.
Stevens had a huge night for the Crushers, as he hit safely three times, and his first hit was a single to start the third inning. He made his way to second after Hidalgo reached on an error, and he scored on Vince Mejia's RBI single through the left side.
Lake Erie was able to double their fun in the fourth inning, as the combination of Hertler and Stevens went to work with two outs. Hertler kept the inning alive with a two-out single, and Stevens followed with his first homer of the season, a two-run shot over the wall in right to give Lake Erie a 4-0 lead.
Adam Ford led off the sixth inning with a walk, stole second base, and moved to third on Kevin Franchetti's groundout. With the infield in, Hertler singled through the left side to score Ford, and terrific hustle got him to second base on the play. Hertler then stole third, and scored on a wild pitch.
The Crushers saw their lead cut in half in the bottom of the eighth inning, as the Aviators scored three times on three hits. The bases were loaded with one out when Kenny Bryant drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly, and the next better, Ryan Breen belted a two-run single.
Lake Erie then relied on their two table setters again in the top of the ninth inning to provide more two-out thunder. Hertler and Stevens stroked back-to-back two-out run scoring singles to increase the Crusher lead to five (8-3).
Rockford put together one last threat in the bottom of the ninth. With two on, and two out, Dusty Robinson belted his fifth homer of the season to bring the Aviators within two (8-6) before Trevor Longfellow (5) retired Bryant on a pop out moments later to seal the deal.
Jason Wilson (7-4) was fantastic for the Crushers in a winning effort. He tossed six scoreless innings, and allowed just four hits while fanning six, while Longfellow allowed three runs on three hits over 1.1 innings of work but still came away with the save. Kyle Bruegemann (2-8) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on 11 hits over 5.1 innings of work.
Hertler led the Lake Erie offense, reaching five times on the night, while going 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. Hertler has now reached safely in 23 consecutive games, scored at least one run in seven straight games, and has a 15-game hitting streak. Stevens went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and three RBIs while reaching four times on the night, and Ryan Hutchison went 2-for-5, giving him three straight multi-hit games.
The Crushers will finish their three-game series with the Rockford Aviators at Aviators Stadium in Loves Park, Ill., on Friday night. The first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 PM.
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