Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

Crushers Clobber Otters

Big innings pace Crushers in 12-3 win over Evansville

Box Link: https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2021-22/boxscores/20220625_f05p.xml

AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers scored 12 times on 12 hits at Mercy Health Stadium on Saturday night and came away with a 12-3 win over the Evansville Otters.

The win for the Crushers (16-22) gives them a series victory at home for the first time since May 29, while the loss for the Otters (22-15) was their fourth in their last five games.

Lake Erie struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Austin White and Kenen Irizarry started the inning with back-to-back base hits and Jake Gitter brought White home on a RBI groundout.

Evansville responded in the top of the second inning. Justin Felix smashed a two-run homer to center field, his sixth of the season and Evansville’s fourth homer of the series.

The lead didn’t last long, as Lake Erie sent all nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the third and scored five times on just three hits to regain the lead. Irizarry drove in the first run of the frame on a RBI single to left to score Sean Cheely, who walked to start the inning. Gitter walked with the bases loaded to score White before Connor Owings brought Irizarry home on a sacrifice fly. Newly acquired catcher Casey Combs capped the big inning with a two run triple that went down the line in right and into the right field corner.

Owings came through for the Crushers again as he blasted a solo homer to center in the fifth inning, his seventh of the season. Lake Erie added another run in the seventh when Combs drew a bases loaded walk to score Jackson Valera.

Evansville plated their final run in the top of the eighth inning, when Jeffery Baez belted a solo homer to left.

Lake Erie removed all doubt in the eighth, when they scored four more runs. Valera singled in the first two runs of the inning before Owings belted a two run double down the line in right field to score Valera and Irizarry.

Jay Alvarez (2-2) picked up the win for the Crushers after allowing just a pair of runs on three hits over five innings of work and struck out seven. Steve Pastora (0-1) took the loss after surrendering six runs on five hits over two and two-thirds innings of work.

Four Crushers hit safely multiple times on the night. The top of the order combined to go 7-for-13 with eight runs scored. Irizarry led the way with his second straight three hit performance, going 3-for-4. White hit safely twice on the night, going 2-for-5 with three runs scored. Valera went 2-for-4 with a trio of runs scored and drove in two runs. Owings had another huge night, going 2-for-4 and drove in four runs. The multi-hit game for Owings was his seventh in his last 11 games, and he’s driven in 12 runs during that stretch as well.

The Crushers will finish their three game series with the Evansville Otters at Mercy Health Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Matt Mulhearn (0-1, 7.00) will get the start for the Crushers and the Otters will counter with righty Parker Brahms (3-1, 2.82). The first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM.