Lake Erie Blows Three-Run Lead in Gut-Wrenching Loss
August 31, 2022 – Frontier League (FL) – Lake Erie Crushers News Release
Schaumburg, Ill. – The Lake Erie Crushers (48-43) entered Tuesday night as the hottest team in the Frontier League. Winning seven in a row, 14-3 last seventeen games, and coming off a sweep against the Wild Things. The Crushers were two games behind the wild card spot which is held by their opponent on Tuesday, the Schamuburg Boomers (51-40). ‘
The Crushers were hot early in the game having multiple leads including a three run lead. The Boomers didn’t go down quietly and came back twice to win the first of three pivotal games in the series, 6-5.
The Boomers came out early in the first inning, Braxton Davidson launched a solo home run to right field.
Lake Erie responded with four in the fourth and fifth inning. In the fourth, Kenen Irizarry hit his third home run in two games with a solo home run to right field to tie the game. In the fifth inning, Connor Owings lined an infield single to the second baseman, an errant throw by the second baseman allowed Austin White to score. Kemuel Thomas-Rivera followed with an RBI single to left field. The Crushers kept on the attack with a Jackson Valera RBI double down the left field line, extending the lead to three.
It didn’t take Schaumburg long to respond, the Boomers tied the game in the sixth inning. Blake Berry started the scoring with a two run double to center field, cutting the deficit to one. William Salas tied the game with an RBI single to right field.
Half inning later, Lake Erie took the lead once more. Jackson Valera reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed Austin White to score. The Boomers responded once more in the bottom half of the seventh inning. Schaumburg with back to back solo home runs helped the team take a late lead. Davidson for the second time hit a solo home, this time to left field. Mike Hart followed a clutch home run to right field.
Up by one, the Boomers called to the backend of their bullpen to close the deal. Jake Joyce came out in the eighth inning and threw a scoreless inning with a strikeout. Schaumburg closer Darrell Thompson called out of the bullpen in the ninth to seal the deal and that’s what he did. Thompson allowed the first two batters on but then struck out three Crushers in a row to give the Boomers a huge game one victory.
Both of the teams will meet for the second game of the series on Wednesday, August 31st. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET.
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