Sports stats

FL Lake Erie Crushers

The Crushers lose a four run lead in a wild game that included 18 total runs

August 21, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


AVON, Ohio - The Joliet Slammers beat the Lake Erie Crushers 11-7 in an entertaining back and forth contest filled with offense while both starting pitchers, who usually come out of the bullpen, struggled to go deep into the ballgame for their ballclubs.

The loss for the Crushers (34-47), is their third straight and fourth time they were defeated in the past five games. For the Slammers (34-48), the win marks their third victory over the Crushers in four tries this season.

In the first inning, the Crushers sent nine men to the plate and knocked Slammers' starter Patrick Dyer out of the ballgame after 1/3 of an inning. Justin Cureton singled to start the inning. Trevor Stevens, Jose Barraza and Daniel Aldrich walked to load the bases and plate Cureton. Stevens then scored on a sacrifice fly by Juan Sanchez. Jose Barraza moved to third on the fly ball as well. Boo Vazquez hit a ground ball to first, Jeremy Nowak picked the ball up and fired to third to try and get Barraza, however, the throw was low and everyone was safe, Aldrich moved to second. The bases were loaded and Brendan Costantino singled up the middle, scoring Barraza and Aldrich and put the Crushers up 4-0.

The Slammers responded in the third inning as they sent nine batters to the plate. Hunter Ridge singled on the left side of the infield off the glove of Sanchez at short. With one out, Carter Bell walked and Nate Roberts singled to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Ridge to score, Bell went to third and Roberts scrambled to second. Alfredo Rodriguez walked to load the bases and Nowak hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored Bell. Marc Flores walked to load the bases again and Mike Garza tripled to right field to clear the bases. Garza would score on a passed ball to give Joliet a 6-4 lead.

In the fourth, Bell came up and hit his sixth home run to left center field and the Slammers went up by three runs.

Neither team scored again until the eighth inning when Flores singled to center and moved to third on a ground rule double by Garza. Joe Staley hit a sacrifice fly to center that plated Flores. The Slammers lead 8-4 after seven and a half innings.

The Crushers threatened in the bottom of the eighth inning as Sanchez singled to center and then stole second. Vazquez doubled to left center field, scoring Sanchez. Chandler Brock then doubled to the right field corner, plating Vazquez. Brock would steal third base and the throw from home plate tipped off of third baseman Garza's glove and rolled into foul territory, allowing Brock to score and the Crushers trailed by one run. With one out, Yuta Okazaki walked, and later in the inning Stevens also walked but Barraza struck out to end the inning.

Joliet came right back in the top of the ninth inning. Ryan Connolly came on to pitch for the Men of Crush and Max Casper led off the inning with a single. Casper moved to second on a groundout to third by Bell. Kolby Moore entered the game and walked the next two batters, Roberts and Rodriguez, to fill the bases. Nowak then singled off of Daniel DeSimone to score Casper. A wild pitch would later score Roberts, and a Flores sacrifice fly to center plated Rodriguez and the Slammers lead extended to four runs, 11-7.

The Crushers started Trevor Longfellow (5-7) for the first time this season and he went five innings, giving up six hits, seven runs, six of them earned, and struck out four but walked three batters. He picked up the loss. Ryan Richardson went two innings followed by Matt Brankle who worked an inning and allowed a run. Connolly worked 1/3 of an inning and allowed a run, Kolby Moore allowed two runs and did not record an out. Daniel DeSimone came on and closed it out in the ninth.

For the Slammers, starter Patrick Dyer, also making his first start, was pulled after getting an out in the first inning. He allowed four earned runs, a hit and walked three. David Kubiak (6-5) entered in the first inning and was tremendous in relief, going 6 2/3, allowing no runs and striking out five. Navery Moore (16) worked an inning and two-thirds to get the save.

The Crushers and Slammers will play the second game of this weekend series tomorrow at All Pro Freight Stadium. The Crushers will announce their starter tomorrow and Joliet will start left hander Michael Carden (2-5, 4.82). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

Check out the Lake Erie Crushers Statistics



Frontier League Stories from August 21, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Lake Erie Crushers Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central