ThunderBolts Fall Just Short of Sweep
Published on July 5, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Windy City ThunderBolts News Release
AVON, OH - The ThunderBolts fought back from a seven-run deficit but fell just short in their bid for a series sweep, falling to the Lake Erie Crushers 9-8 at ForeFront Field Sunday afternoon.
Lake Erie (22-29) took a multi-run lead in the second inning, when they scored three runs on four hits. Nick Chavez's two-run single was the big blow in the inning.
It remained 3-0 until the bottom of the fifth. The Crushers loaded the bases on a walk, a single and a Hit by pitch. With two outs, Samuel Benjamin lined a grand slam inside the left field foul pole to put his team ahead 7-0.
In the sixth, the ThunderBolts (26-23) responded. Michael Sandle hit a leadoff single and still stood at first base with two outs when the floodgates opened. Carlos Pena hit an RBI double and Victor Cerny singled him in. After Daryl Ruiz walked, Robbie Ayers hit a three-run homer to make it 7-5.
Lake Erie further distanced themselves on a two-run Pavin Parks home run, but the Bolts continued to fight. Jared Beebe took the first pitch of the eighth inning over the wall to make it 9-6. Ruiz later hit an RBI single to cut the deficit to two.
With the bases loaded and no outs, the Crushers called on Brandyn Sittinger out of the bullpen. He got out of the eighth-inning jam, allowing only one run before he tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his seventh save.
Edwin Sanchez (4-2) was credited with the win. He went three innings and allowed five runs. Blaise Wilcenski (0-1) was tagged with his first loss.
The ThunderBolts return home on Tuesday to begin the final week of the first half. Dante Maietta (1-0, 5.18) gets the start on the mound for the Bolts in their opener against the Schaumburg Boomers. It's $2 Tuesday at Ozinga field with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 CDT. Broadcast information can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.
Frontier League Stories from July 5, 2026
- Wild Things See Four Named to Midwest Conference All-Star Team - Washington Wild Things
- Boomers Swept by Washington - Schaumburg Boomers
- Late Offense Nets Washington Doubleheader, Series Sweep - Washington Wild Things
- ValleyCats Pitching Stellar in Split with Brockton - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Rob Hensey Earns Second Consecutive All-Star Selection - Sussex County Miners
- Slammers Drop Doubleheader to Otters - Joliet Slammers
- It's Cerda Time; Closer Grabs Two Saves as Otters Sweep DH - Evansville Otters
- Bird Dawgs Drop Finale 8-2 But Claim Series over Jackals - Down East Bird Dawgs
- Three Titans Named to 2026 Frontier League All-Star Game - Ottawa Titans
- Wild Things Swipe Game 1 of DH Behind Six-Run Fifth - Washington Wild Things
- ValleyCats RF Dylan Broderick to Start 2026 Frontier League All-Star Game - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Pindel and Riedel Tabbed as All-Stars - Schaumburg Boomers
- AJ Wright Homers Twice in Rubber Match Loss - Ottawa Titans
- Three Bird Dawgs Named to 2026 Frontier League All-Star Game - Down East Bird Dawgs
- Miners Win Back to Back Series off the Back of Brothers - Sussex County Miners
- Four ThunderBolts Headed to Frontier League All-Star Game - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Five Otters Named to 2026 All-Star Game Roster - Evansville Otters
- Gage Vailes, Jose Alvarez Voted 2026 All-Stars - Gateway Grizzlies
- Florence Earns Three Y'all Star Selections - Florence Y'alls
- Three Boulders Voted Frontier League All-Stars - New York Boulders
- Los Loros de la Costa Erie Sneak out with 9-8 Sunday Win - Lake Erie Crushers
- ThunderBolts Fall Just Short of Sweep - Windy City ThunderBolts
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.
