Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

Road Woes Continue

Big innings doom Crushers in 12-2 loss

Box Link: https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230901_i1fi.xml

SAUGET, Ill. — The Lake Erie Crushers surrendered a dozen runs on 15 hits on Friday night, as they dropped their series opener to the Gateway Grizzlies, 12-2.

The loss for the Crushers (36-58) was their fourth in a row while the win for the Frontier League’s Western Division Champion Gateway Grizzlies (58-36) was their sixth in seven games against the Crushers this season.

Lake Erie is now in a position where they need to win their final two games of the season to get to 38 wins, which would be tied for the fewest in a single season in franchise history.

Gateway scored three times in the bottom of the third to take a lead that they would not surrender. The inning was highlighted by RBI doubles from Clint Freeman and DJ Stewart.

The Crushers scratched a pair of runs across in the top of the fourth. Jarrod Watkins began the inning with a base hit and Kenen Irizarry followed a single as well. Jackson Pritchard’s base hit scored Watkins and Todd Isaacs Jr. belted a RBI double to score Irizarry.

Gateway used five homers to cushion their lead the rest of the way. Stewart belted a two run blast in the bottom of the fifth and Kyle Gaedele hit his first of two solo homers on the night in the fifth inning as well.

Gaedele struck again in the bottom of the seventh with another solo shot and Willie Estrada smacked a solo homer as well. Gateway capped the big inning with a three run homer from Mark Vierling.

Matt Mulhearn (5-7) had a difficult night for the Crushers, as he allowed seven runs on 10 hits and struck out four through six innings and took the loss.

Isaacs led the Lake Erie offense with three hits, going 3-for-4, while Watkins and Pritchard both hit safely twice.

The Crushers will continue their series with the Grizzlies on Saturday night at Grizzlies Ballpark. Right-hander Yasel Santana is scheduled to start for the Crushers and the first pitch is slated for 7:45 PM.