Lake Erie Crushers News & Game Recaps

Sixth Inning Surge

Crushers use five run sixth to score fourth straight win

Box Link: https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230610_0c8p.xml

AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers homered three times and scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning of Saturday night’s game at Mercy Health Stadium to pull away from the Windy City Thunderbolts in an 8-3 victory.

The victory for the Crushers (13-13) was their fourth in a row, tied for their longest winning streak of the season and puts them at the .500-mark for the first time since May 30. The loss for the Thunderbolts (9-17) was their fifth in a row.

While most of their damage was done in the aforementioned five run sixth inning, the Crushers plated their first two runs in the bottom of the first. Todd Isaacs Jr. walked to start the inning and came around to score on Jarrod Watkins’s RBI double to right. Sean Lawlor, in his first game back since May 23, delivered a two out RBI single to center to score Jack Harris to give Lake Erie a 2-0 lead.

The Crushers added to that in the bottom of the second. Isaacs and Santiago Chirino reached on back-to-back two out singles before Watkins struck again with his second RBI double of the night.

Windy City was able to get on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Jonathan Waite walked to start the inning and came around to score on Matt Morgan’s RBI double to right center.

In the top of the sixth, Windy City had runners on first and second with one out when Lake Erie’s starting pitcher Kyle Seebach (1-2) was replaced by Darrien Ragins, who struck out the next two batters to preserve Lake Erie’s 3-1 lead.

Lake Erie capitalized on that momentum in the bottom of the sixth, where they scored five times on three hits to pull away. Mike Blanke started the inning with a solo homer to left, his first of the season. Two batters later, Kenen Irizarry smashed a solo shot to right, his second of the season. Two out walks were issued to Chirino and Watkins, before Jack Harris delivered a back breaker. He belted a three run homer to to left field, his third of the current homestand and his fourth of the season to give Lake Erie an 8-1 lead.

Windy City scored single runs in the seventh and the ninth, but it was too little and too late.

Seebach picked up the victory for the Crushers. He allowed just a run on four hits while walking four and fanning seven over 5 1/3 innings of work. Windy City’s Cole Bellair (1-5) took the loss after surrendering seven runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Four Crushers hit safely multiple times on the night. Isaacs went 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs. He has reached safely in six straight games and scored a run in four consecutive games as well. Watkins went 2-for-4 with two RBI and extended his hitting streak to six games. Harris went 2-for-3 and Lawlor went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Chirino went 1-for-4 and scored a run, extending his hitting streak to four games and he’s scored a run in four straight games as well.

The Crushers will finish their six game homestand and their series with the Windy City Thunderbolts at Mercy Health Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Angelo Baez (3-2, 1.44) will get the start for the Crushers and the Thunderbolts will counter with right-hander Garrett Christman (1-1, 3.57). The first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM.