Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

Crushers Lose Lead, Then Game

Early lead not enough as Crushers drop 6-5 decision to Washington

Box Link: https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230826_giv3.xml

AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers saw an early 5-1 lead evaporate on Saturday night at Mercy Health Stadium, as they fell to the Washington Wild Things, 6-5 in 10 innings.

The loss for the Crushers (35-54) was their third in four extra inning contests this season, while the win for the Wild Things (43-46) was their fourth in their last five overall.

Washington took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Andrew Czech worked a walk to start the inning and he made his way to second on Anthony Brocato’s base hit. Robert Chayka brought Czech home on a RBI single to center.

Lake Erie’s offense went to work in the bottom of the second inning, where they scored three times on five hits to take the lead. The inning began with three straight singles from Josh Rego, Hector Roa and Jarrod Watkins. John Tuccillo drove in the game tying run with a RBI single to center. Sean Cheely gave Lake Erie the lead on the very next pitch as he stroked a two run single down the line in left.

The Crushers put two more on the board in the home half of the third inning with another barrage of base hits. This time, they started the inning with four consecutive singles. Jack Harris singled to left and Scout Knotts followed with an infield single. Rego drove Harris home with a base hit to left and Roa brought in the final run of the inning on a single to right which scored Knotts.

Washington fought back with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Brocato and Scotty Dubrule both reached on singles and Melvin Novoa drove them both home with a two out, two run single to center, brining the Wild Things within two (5-3).

The Wild Things tied the game in the sixth inning where they scored twice on one hit and capitalized on an error. Chayka walked to start the inning and Dubrule reached on Matt Mulhearn’s throwing error which allowed Chayka to get to third. Novoa brought Chayka home on a groundout and Carson Clowers reached on an infield single to score Dubrule to tie the game.

In the tenth, Brocato’s sacrifice bunt moved Czech to third, but Dubrule brought him home on another infield single to give Washington the lead for good.

Lake Erie had a chance in the bottom of the 10th. Sam Frontino’s groundout advance Jack Harris to third with one out, but Justin Goossen-Brown (6-0) struck out the next two batters to seal the deal.

Goossen-Brown picked up the win after tossing two scoreless innings and fanned a pair of batters in relief. Trevor Kuncl (0-6) took a hard luck loss after allowing just an unearned run on one hit while fanning four batters in two innings of action.

Rego and Roa paced the Crushers offensively with three hits each, as Lake Erie totaled 12 hits on the night.

The Crushers will wrap up the series with Washington and play their final home game of the season on Sunday afternoon at Mercy Health Stadium. Right-hander Yasel Santana (4-6, 4.48) will get the start for the Crushers and the first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM.