Lake Erie defeated Florence, 4-0
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Florence, KY. – The Lake Erie Crushers (21-27) last series win came at the hands of a sweep. Lake Erie looked to do the same on Thursday as they faced off against the Florence Y’alls (17-30) who came into the contest with a nine game losing streak.
The offense shined in the first two games for the Crushers but it was Jay Alvarez and the Lake Erie pitching staff who shined in Thursday’s game that led to a 4-0 shutout win. Lake Erie sweeping the Y’alls and extending their win streak to four.
Lake Erie scored in the first inning for the second consecutive time. Once again it was the hot bat of Connor Owings. Owings doubled to right field, and Jackson Valera scored. The Crushers added on to their lead in the third inning. Kenen Irizarry scored on a wild pitch.
The fifth inning proved to be a historic one for a specific Lake Erie Crusher. Kemuel Thomas-Rivero hit a solo home run to center field. That home run proved to be the first of the professional baseball career of Thomas-Rivero.
Alvarez entered tonight’s start as one of the top strikeout pitchers in the Frontier League. Alvarez who has had his struggles on the road, put those past starts to rest. He threw six shutout innings, allowed three hits, one walk, zero runs, and struck out three. It was Alvarez’s first start with under five strikeouts but his first shutout performance since May 28.
On the other side for the Y’alls, Alex Wagner received the start. Even with early damage, Wagner kept the game close for his team. He lasted five and third innings, allowed five hits, three runs, two walks, four strikeouts, and one home run.
The Crushers called upon their bullpen in the seventh inning. It’d be hard throwing Gleyvin Pineda to relieve Alvarez. Pineda able to find his command, he threw a scoreless inning. Inning later, Manager Cam Roth signaled to Sam Curtis. Curtis has been nails out of the Lake Erie bullpen in 2022, he continued his dominant stretch in the eighth. He struck out the side, kept the Crushers lead at three.
Up by three in the ninth, Lake Erie added one more insurance run to the board. Jake Gitter drove a one out solo home run, the fifth home run of the series for the Crushers.
Alexis Rivero, who appeared in Tuesday night’s win, came out in the ninth. It was a non-save opportunity for Rivero as the Crushers led by four. The lead-off man reached but Rivero threw a scoreless ninth, providing the finishing touches to a Crushers sweep and a four game win streak.
Lake Erie returns to action on Friday, July 8. It’s the start of a six game homestand for the Crushers. The opponent is the Gateway Grizzlies for the first set of three in the homestand. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM. You can view the game on FloSports or listen on Meridix.
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