Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

Crushers Fall in Series Finale

Late Florence rally pushes Y’alls past Crushers

Box Link: https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230521_ijzb.xml

AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers saw their attempt at a weekend sweep of the Florence Y’alls upended at Mercy Health Stadium on Sunday afternoon, as the Y’alls scored all six of their runs in the last three innings to come away with a 6-1 victory.

The loss for the Crushers (6-3) snapped a three game winning streak and was just their third loss in their last 18 games at home. The win for the Y’alls (4-5) brought their three game losing streak to an end.

Starting pitching was strong on both sides, as Lake Erie starter Yasel Santana tossed five scoreless innings of two hit ball and struck out five. Florence starting pitcher Nate Florence matched that with five scoreless frames of his own, fanning five and allowing two hits.

Lake Erie got on the board first in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Vince Byrd Jr. smashed a solo homer to right, his second of the year to give Lake Erie a 1-0 lead.

Unfortunately for the Crushers, that was one of only three hits in the contest.

The Y’alls tied things up in the top of the seventh. Jeremiah Burks singled to start the inning before walks were issued to Andres Rios and Jackson Pritchard to load the bases. Two batters later, Cole Brannen brought the game tying run home on a sacrifice fly to center.

Florence pulled away with a three run eighth inning. Brennan Price began the inning with a double, before Ray Zuberer was hit with a two strike pitch by Brayden Bonner (0-2). Burks laid a sacrifice bunt down to put runners on second and third when Bonner hit Rios with a two strike pitch. Brian Fuentes then delivered a pinch hit two run single through the left side to give the Y’alls the lead. Cooper Edwards brought in the last run of the inning on a RBI single to left.

The Y’alls removed any doubt with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth. Craig Massey reached on a one out single and scored on Price’s second double of the day. Price scored the final run of the game after Burks reached on Brendan Dadson’s two out throwing error at third.

Joe Dougherty (1-0) picked up the win for the Y’alls after allowing a run on a hit through two innings of relief. Bonner took the loss after surrendering three runs on a pair of hits in his lone inning of work.

Byrd’s homer in the sixth inning extended his hitting streak to seven games, and he’s driven in a run in each of his last five. Jack Harris doubled in the second inning, extending his hitting streak to seven games as well.

The Crushers are off on Monday, but will begin their first road trip of the season with a three game series against Trois Rivières Aigles in Canada on Tuesday night. Right-hander Matt Mulhearn (1-0, 1.00) will get the start for the Crushers and the first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.