Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

Crushers Blank Boomers

Four Crushers combine to toss three hitter in 4-0 win

Box Link: https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230621_10ge.xml

AVON, Ohio — One night after being shutout by the Schaumburg Boomers, the Lake Erie Crushers returned the favor on Wednesday night at Mercy Health Stadium, as they tossed a three hit shutout in a 4-0 win.

The victory for the Crushers (16-19) marked their fifth shutout victory of the season, while the loss for the Boomers (21-13) was just their sixth in 17 road games this season.

The combination of JD Hammer (1-1), Joan Gregorio, Brayden Bonner and Trevor Kuncl combined to toss the three hit shutout for the Crushers. Hammer picked up the win in his fourth start of the season. He pitched five scoreless innings and allowed just a pair of hits, walked two and struck out three. Gregorio allowed a hit and struck out three over two scoreless innings of relief in his Lake Erie debut, while Bonner and Kuncl both tossed perfect innings in relief.

Schaumburg’s best chance to score came in the top of the third when the game was still scoreless. With runners at the corners and one out, Gaige Howard hit a fly ball to left field that was caught by Jiandido Tromp near the line. Alec Craig attempted to tag up and score but Tromp threw a perfect strike to the plate and Craig was tagged out by Crusher catcher John Tuccillo to end the inning.

Lake Erie capitalized on that momentum very quickly in the bottom of the third. Tyree Bradley started the inning with a triple to right field, and he came around to score just a few pitches later on Tuccillo’s sacrifice fly.

The Crushers plated two big insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Sean Cheely began the inning with a single before stealing second and third. Jarrod Watkins reached on a walk and stole second, before Jack Harris belted a two out single center to bring Cheely and Watkins home.

Lake Erie added one final run in the bottom of the seventh. Tromp began the inning with a single to center, and he came around to score the game’s final run on Cheely’s two out RBI base hit to center.

Schaumburg’s starting pitcher, Kobey Schlotman (5-3), who had one his previous five outings, was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on four hits while issuing one walk and fanned seven batters through six innings. The Boomers’ lead off hitter, Gaige Howard, saw his 33 game on base streak come to an end after he went 0-for-4 on the night.

Cheely and Tromp paced the Crushers offensively, as they both hit safely two times on the night.

The Crushers will finish their series with the Boomers at Mercy Health Stadium on Thursday night. Lefty Kyle Seebach (1-2, 4.91) will get the start for the Crushers and the Boomers will counter with right-hander Aaron Glickstein (2-2, 2.89). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.