Jun 26, 2019

Crushers Fall Apart Late And Lose To Washington

AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers, presented by Mercy Health, fell apart late in the game with defensive miscues causing them to lose game two by a score of 9-4.

The Crushers (19-19) drop their fifth game in their last ten. While the Wild Things (17-24) improve to 7-13 at home this season.

Pat Ledet (1-3) started for the Crushers and is credited with the loss after he gave up five runs, four of them unearned, off of six hits over his 6.1 innings of work. John Havird (4-2) got the win today for Washington as he threw 7.0 innings, gave up three runs off of six hits, walked two, and struck out seven.

Lake Erie scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. James Davison Jr. led off the inning and was hit by a pitch. Steven Kraft then drew a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Davison Jr. stole third and then scored off an RBI sacrifice fly from Aaron Hill. Emmanuel Marrero jumped in on the fun with a solo home run over the left field fence to start the top of the fourth inning making it a 2-0 lead. John Cable helped the Crushers extend the lead in the top of the fifth when he hit an RBI double to score Hill and give Lake Erie the three-run lead.

Pat Ledet’s final stat line is not indicative of his outing. Ledet was strong in his start against the Wild Things through six innings and did not allow a run until the home half of that inning. JJ Fernandez got Washington on the board when he hit an RBI ground out to score Cameron Baranek to make it a 3-1 game.

Things started to unravel for Lake Erie in the bottom of the seventh. In that inning the Wild Things scored six runs off of four hits to take a 7-3 lead. The inning led off with Brett Marr hitting a fly ball in the infield. Poor communication between Ledet and first baseman Jake Vieth led to the ball dropping in the infield. Vieth’s late attempt to catch the ball hit off his glove and an error was given to him. Drew Bene followed Marr’s at-bat with a single to put runners on first and second. Chase Sudduth then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Both runners came across to score when Blake Adams hit a groundball to shortstop Emmanuel Marrero that Marrero could not handle cleanly. Lake Erie’s second error of the inning led to the tying runs making it a 3-3 game.

After Baranek went 2-4 in game one he continued to be a pain in the side of the Crushers’ pitching staff. Baranek hit an RBI double that scored Adams to give Washington the one run lead. With still only one out on the board and Baranek on second, Lake Erie chose to intentionally walk Shaine Hughes to create a force out at every base. Chris Pennell then came in relief for Pat Ledet to face Hector Roa. Roa hit a 2-run single off Pennell to keep the offense rolling for the Wild Things and make it a 5-3 lead. Hughes then scored off a double from JJ Fernandez to extend the lead by three. Lake Erie got their second out a batter later, but it was in the form of an RBI sacrifice fly from Mikael Mogues. The inning ended with Pennell striking out Marr, but the damage was already done.

The Crushers offense answered back in the next half inning with an RBI sacrifice fly from Karl Ellison to cut the lead down to 7-4. But Washington tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it a 9-4 game. Pene walked to lead off the inning and Adams hit a one out double to put runners on second and third. A single from Baranek scored both Pene and Adams to put the game out of reach.

The Crushers will finish the three-game series with the Washington Wild Things at Consol Energy Park on Thursday evening. It is still TBA for who will be on the mound for the Crushers. The Wild Things will go with right-hander Eric Morell (1-, 4.09). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.

The Lake Erie Crushers, the 2009 Frontier League Champions, and 2011 Frontier League Organization of the year, play ball at Sprenger Health Care Stadium, a 5,000 capacity stadium located in Avon, Ohio.  The Frontier League is an independent baseball league with 10 teams operating throughout the Midwest. For more information on tickets, promotions and team news, visit the team website at www.LakeErieCrushers.com or call 440-934-3636.

Audio: LE CRUSHERS VS. WASHINGTON WILD THIGS 6/26/19

Video: Crushers at Wild Things 20190626

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