Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

July 08, 2023

Box Score Link: https://www.frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230708_nz5q.xml 

SCHAUMBURG, IL – The Lake Erie Crushers won the middle contest of a three-game saga against the Schaumburg Boomers tonight by a final score of 2-1. 

Taking down one of the best teams in baseball is not easy, but the Crushers (22-28) out-dueled the Boomers (30-19) and have been holding their own in the series with one game to go.

Lake Erie jumped on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. They came from a two-out rally, which the Crushers have befriended over the last five games. 

After a Josh Rego walk, Jackson Pritchard singled up the middle putting runners on first and second base. Jiandido Tromp, who was activated off the disabled list before the game started, doubled to left-center field to score both runners and give the Crushers the lead.

Although that would be all the support the offense could give, it was all the pitching and defense needed. Lake Erie held Schaumburg to one run on three hits.

Crushers starter Matt Mulhearn (3-3) was absolutely terrific. He allowed all the traffic on the bases, which totaled just six men including the hits plus a trio of walks. Mulhearn went 6.0 innings and picked up his third win of the season. 

He allowed the run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mulhearn issued back-to-back hits to begin the frame but was able to limit the damage to just a sacrifice fly from Gaige Howard.

Lake Erie finished the contest with two more arms coming out of the pen. Thomas Bruss and Darien Ragins finished the final three frames without allowing a baserunner. Ragins took the final 2.0 innings and earned his second save of the year.

Lake Erie totaled two runs on seven hits, with Pritchard being the only multi-hit man of the night. The Crushers struck out 11 times as opposed to the Boomers’ zero, but it did not matter as the Grapes capitalized when they needed to.

They will be back on the slab tomorrow for the rubber match with Schaumburg. It is the final game before the All-Star break with the first pitch being tossed at 1:00 PM ET.