Comeback cut short
Crushers drop close contest in 5-4 loss to Miners
AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers, presented by Mercy Health, rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning of Saturday night’s contest at Sprenger Healthcare Stadium, but their comeback attempt fell one run short in a 5-4 loss to the Southern Illinois Miners.
The loss for the Crushers (12-13) marks the first time that they’ve fallen below the .500 mark this season, while the win for the Miners (14-11) marks their first series victory on the road this season.
The Miners fired the first shot for the second straight night. In the top of the third, the Miners had runners on first and second with two outs, when Gianfranco Wawoe belted a run scoring single to right field to score Arturo Nieto.
Southern Illinois used the long ball to add to their lead in the top of the fourth. Stephen Lohr was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and came around to score two batters later, when Kyle Davis belted a two-run homer to left, his sixth of the season.
After being no-hit for the first six innings of the contest, the Crushers broke up the no-no and the shutout with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the seventh. Aaron Hill was on first with two outs in the home half of the seventh when Bodie Bryan stroked a run scoring triple to left to put the Crushers on the board.
The Miners plated a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning as Jonathan Pryor and Wawoe both scored on wild pitches to give the Miners a 5-1 lead.
Things got really interesting in the bottom of the ninth. The Crushers were down to their final out when James Davison Jr. belted a RBI single to left to score Bryan. Steven Kraft then reached on an errant throw from third baseman Alex Santana. Dale Burdick then walked to load the bases, bringing Jake Vieth to the plate. Vieth belted a double that went all the way to the wall in right. Two runs scored, and Burdick was thrown out at home plate while attempting to score the game tying run, ending the contest.
Nick Stroud (1-1) tossed 6.1 no hit innings, allowing an unearned run while walking six and striking out nine to score the victory. Vieth was the only batter that Gabe Gentner (2) faced in the ninth, giving him his second save in as many nights. Greyfer Eregua (0-3) took the loss after allowing three runs on four hits over six innings of work.
Burdick reached safely twice, and has now reached safely in nine straight games, while Vieth extended his on base streak to 13 games, reaching safely two times as well.
The Crushers will finish their three game series with the Southern Illinois Miners at Sprenger Healthcare Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Dylan Mouzakes (1-1, 3.47) will start for the Crushers and the Miners will counter with righty Cody Thompson (0-1, 5.40). The first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM.
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