Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

Bats erupt in 12-4 win over Florence

Box Link: http://pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=542529

AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers pounded out 12 runs on 16 hits on Sunday afternoon at Mercy Health Stadium, as they wrapped up their seven game home stand with a 12-4 victory over the Florence Y’alls.

The Crushers (28-31) set a season high with their 12-run output, and finished the home stand with a record for 4-3, while the loss for Florence (35-24) was their fifth on their six game road trip. After being shutout on back-to-back nights, the Crushers scored 19 runs on 27 hits over their last two games.

The Y’alls fired the first shot in the top of the first inning. Axel Johnson and Chad Sedio belted back-to-back one out singles, and Trevor Craport drove Johnson home on a sacrifice fly out to center.

Lake Erie went to work in the bottom of the second inning, sending eight batters to the plate and scored four times on five hits, scoring all of their runs with two outs. Connor Oliver started the inning with a double down the line in right, and scored on Javier Betancourt’s base hit to center. Betancourt’s single was the first of four straight two out hits. Eric Callahan followed Betancourt with a single to left field, and Shawon Dunston Jr. dropped a double down the line in left to score Betancourt. Steven Kraft then sent an 0-2 pitch through the left side of the infield for a two run single to cap the inning.

The Crushers used the long ball to add to their advantage in the bottom of the third. Oliver struck again as he blasted a solo homer off the scoreboard in right. It was his fifth of the season to give Lake Erie a 5-1 lead.

The Y’alls battled back in the top of the fifth inning. Harrison DiNicola reached on a two out single to right field, which was followed by Jordan Brower’s two run homer to right field, his sixth of the season.

Lake Erie answered with a trio of runs in the home half of the fifth. Brody Wofford snapped an 0-for-13 skid with a one out single to right and Trevor Achenbach knocked Florence starter Kevin Hahn (3-4) out of the game with a double to the gap in right center field. Connor Oliver drew a nine pitch walk to load the bases for Bryan DeLaRosa who drew a five pitch free pass to score Wofford. Steve Passatempo followed with a sacrifice fly out to center which scored Achenbach and Betancourt drove in the final run of the inning, on a two out RBI single to center.

The Y’alls scored their final run in the top of the seventh on DiNicola’s RBI double, before the Crushers batted around and scored four more runs in the bottom of the inning. Passatempo and Betancourt started the inning with back-to-back singles before Callahan doubled to score Passatempo. A wild pitch allowed Betancourt to score before Wofford singled to right to score Callahan and Oliver drove Kraft home later in the inning on a sacrifice fly to left.

Jose Fuentes (1-2) picked up the victory for the Crushers, allowing a pair of runs on two hits over 2 1/3 innings of relief. Hahn was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings.

All nine in the starting lineup reached safely at least once for the Crushers, with eight of the starting nine hitting safely at least once, and five Crushers hit safely multiple times. Kraft, Wofford and Betancourt led the way with three hits each, while Oliver and Callahan both it safely twice.

The Crushers are off on Monday but will begin a three game series on the road against the Joliet Slammers on Tuesday night. The first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 PM.