Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

Crushers Snap 10 Game Slide

Lake Erie ends losing streak in dramatic fashion

Box Link: https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230808_u62c.xml

AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers snapped a 10 game losing streak on Tuesday night, as they defeated the Washington Wild Things in their final at bat, securing a 2-1 victory in 10 innings at Mercy Health Stadium.

The Crushers (28-45) needed just three hits to secure the victory and won in their final at bat for the fourth time this season while the loss for the Wild Things (33-40) was their fifth straight in Avon dating back to the 2022 season.

Opportunities to score were few and far between in the early stages of the game as both starting pitchers kept it a scoreless game through four innings.

Lake Erie plated the game’s first run in the bottom of the fifth. Jarrod Watkins singled to right to start the inning and Josh Rego followed with a base hit to center. John Tuccillo reached on a fielder’s choice as he laid a sacrifice bunt down which allowed both base runners to advance. Two batters later, Jiandido Tromp brought Watkins home on a sacrifice fly out to right.

Washington tied it up in the top of the seventh. Wagner Lagrange started the inning with a single to center and Andrew Czech followed with a bunt base hit. Robert Chayka’s sacrifice bunt moved them both over and Scotty Dubrule drove Lagrange home on a RBI single through the right side.

The game remained tied through nine innings, and in the 10th, Perry Bewley (3-0) worked a clean slate to keep the game tied at 1-1.

Watkins began the 10th inning on second base with the International Tie-breaker rule in play. After Lukas Young retired Rego on a groundout, Drew Galassi flew out to deep left field. Watkins tagged up from second to third on the play, and Tomas Sanchez’s errant throw from left field toward third base ended up going all the way to the backstop, which allowed Watkins to score the game winning run.

Angelo Baez turned in one of his finest starts of the season, allowing just a run on five hits and struck out a season high nine batters over seven innings of work. The bullpen combination of Darrien Ragins, Sam Curtis and Bewley tossed three innings of scoreless, no hit relief. Bewley picked up the victory.

The Crushers will continue their three game series with the Wild Things at Mercy Health Stadium on Wednesday night. Right-hander Matt Mulhearn (4-4, 3.86) will start for the Crushers and the Wild Things will counter with righty Justin Showalter (5-4, 5.73). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.