Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

August 30, 2023

Box Score: https://www.frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230830_5ub8.xml

Crushers offense held in check during loss to ThunderBolts

CRESTWOOD, IL – Scoring was limited as the Lake Erie Crushers were handed their second loss in a row by the Windy City ThunderBolts on Wednesday night at Ozinga Field with a final score of 3-1. 

The Crushers (36-56) fall to a season-worst 20 games below .500 after Windy City did their damage on just four hits tonight. 

Windy City opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. With Micah Yonamine doubling to left field and Peyton Isaacson walking, the Bolts capitalized on a Junior Martina double to score one.

Base runners were few and far between for both sides throughout the night. For the Crushers, they scratched across four knocks through seven innings but had nothing to show for it. Their lone run came during a frame with no hits.

In the top of the eighth, John Tuccillo, Jiandido Tromp and Scout Knotts walked. With two outs in the inning and the bases loaded, Sebastian Selways had no control of his pitches as the right-hander walked Kenen Irizarry for his fourth free pass of the inning — scoring a run and tying the game at one apiece. 

However, Lake Erie left the bases full and the door cracked for the ThunderBolts in the bottom of the inning. 

After a leadoff hit-by-pitch, Troy Viola reached base via a fielder’s choice. Bren Spillane followed later with two outs by smacking a double to right field. One batter afterward, Yonamine brought home the go-ahead runs with a two-bagger that scored a pair and gave Windy City a 3-1 lead. 

The damage was done, and that was all it took for the ThunderBolts to secure the win. They set down the Crushers in order to slam the door in the ninth inning.

Stephen Chamblee threw for 6.0 innings of one-run ball. The righty gave up just two hits and struck out six as the starter. Brayden Bonner (1-5) took the loss after giving up both runs in the final offensive frame for Windy City. 

Justin Miller (1-2) was the pitcher of decision after getting the final out with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning. Derrick Edington (Sv, 5) secured the win and picked up the final three outs. 

Knotts had half of the Crushers’ hits tonight, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a walk. The Lake Erie offense has now been held to three runs or less in 48 of their 92 contests.

Lake Erie will try and avoid the sweep tomorrow as they face Windy City one final time in the 2023 season. The first pitch is at 6:35 p.m. CT.