Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

Crushers Sweep Otters

Lake Erie comes from behind to defeat Evansville, 3-2

Box Link: https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2021-22/boxscores/20220626_gpv1.xml

AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers completed their second sweep of the season on Sunday afternoon at Mercy Health Stadium, as they won in walk off fashion in a 3-2 victory in 10 innings over the Evansville Otters.

The win for the Crushers (17-22) marks their second sweep of the season, while the loss for Evansville (22-16) was their fifth in their last six games.

The pitching was fantastic on both sides. Matt Mulhearn started for the Crushers and allowed a run on five hits over six innings while striking out eight batters. Parker Brahms was terrific as well for Evansville, fanning 7 of the first 11 batters he faced. He allowed just a run on five hits over seven innings and struck out 12.

Evansville scored the first in the top of the fourth inning. Elijah MacNamee started the inning with a double and came around to score on J.R. Davis’s sacrifice fly.

Lake Erie tied the game in the top of the seventh. Kokko Figueiredo began the inning with a walk and scored on Sean Cheely’s two out RBI single to center.

The Otters responded quickly with a run in the top of the eighth. Jeffrey Baez was hit by a pitch at the start the inning and came around to score on Dakota Phillips’s sacrifice fly.

The Crushers tied things up in the bottom of the eighth. Jackson Valera had four hits on the night, and his third was a solo homer to left, his fourth of the year, tying the game at 2-2.

In the top of the 10th, Sam Curtis (2-1) kept the Otters off the board. He retired Baez on a groundout and then induced an inning ending 5-4-3 double play.

Valera struck again for the Crushers in the bottom of the 10th. Austin White started the rally with a bunt base hit to put runners at the corners. After Kenen Irizarry popped out, Valera lined Logan Sawyer’s (0-1) 0-2 pitch into right field for the game winning single to score Cheely from third.

Curtis picked up the victory after tossing a scoreless 10th inning and Sawyer took the loss. The run he surrendered in the 10th inning was the first he’s allowed this season in 14 appearances.

Valera led the Crushers offensively, going 4-for-5 with three base hits and a solo homer. White turned in a multi-hit game as well, going 2-for-5 with a pair of singles. Cheely’s single in the seventh inning extended his on base streak to eight games.

The Crushers are off on Monday but will begin a three game series with the Schaumburg Boomers at Mercy Health Stadium on Tuesday night. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.