Aug 18, 2022

Huge Win at Home

Huge Win at Home

Crushers back at .500 after 5-2 win over Boomers

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AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers capitalized on six extra base hits and a number of quality pitching performances at Mercy Health Stadium on Wednesday night, as they defeated the Schaumburg Boomers, 5-2.

The Crushers (40-40) clawed their way back to the .500 mark for the first time since May 31, while the loss for the Boomers (43-36) was just their fourth in their last 10 games.

The Crushers jumped on the board first, capitalizing on a pair of doubles in the bottom of the first inning. Jackson Valera smacked a one out double down the line in right, and he came around to score moments later on Kenen Irizarry’s RBI double to the gap in left center.

Lake Erie added a trio of runs to their advantage in the bottom of the fourth. The inning began with Kemuel Thomas-Rivera’s solo homer to left, his second of the series and sixth of the season. DJ Stewart began a string of three straight one out hits when he reached on a one out single and came around to score on Austin White’s RBI triple to the gap in left center field. Bryan DeLaRosa brought White home on a RBI single to left.

The Boomers were able to get on the board in the top of the fifth. They used a pair of solo homers to get on the board, getting solo shots from Brett Milazzo and Alec Craig. They had the tying runs aboard in the inning when Nathan Holt (1-0) came on in relief to strike out Blake Berry and he retired Clint Hardy on a groundout to end the inning.

The Crushers were able to get a big insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Valera reached on a single to start the inning before he stole second base and reached third on an errant throw from the catcher, Blake Grant-Parks. Thomas-Rivera drove him home on a double down the line in left to give Lake Erie a 5-2 lead.

Schaumburg put threats together in the seventh and the ninth, but lined into a pair of double plays to negate those opportunities. With runners on first and second and one out in the seventh, Elliot Carney was able to get Berry to line into an inning ending double play. The game ended with a line out that resulted in a twin killing as well. With a runner on first and one out, Craig lined out to Irizarry at short, who then threw to first to double up Wyatt Stapp.

Holt tossed an inning and two-thirds of scoreless relief to pick up his first professional victory, and allowed just one hit along the way. Alexis Rivero (15) tossed a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the save, while Sam Curtis and Elliot Carney worked scoreless innings in relief as well.

Valera and Thomas-Rivera led the Crushers offensively, as they both went 2-for-4 on the night. Valera has now reached in six straight games. DeLaRosa’s RBI single in the fourth extended his hitting streak to five games. Seven of Lake Erie’s starting nine hit safely at least once.

The Crushers will finish their series with the Schaumburg Boomers at Mercy Health Stadium on Thursday night. Right-hander Matt Mulhearn (4-3, 3.31) will start for the Crushers and the first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.

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