Lake Erie manager John Massarelli is a big fan of Johnny Cash. He often has the Man in Black's songs play during batting practice. Many of his players aren't quite enamored by the music.

They better get used it.

The Crushers have not hit all season and it has been profoundly bad since the All-Star break. Massarelli told his team if they didn't start hitting they would lose their walk up music.

In the 7th inning, Arden McWilliams picked up the Crushers third hit of the game. He hit a solo shot to break what was a scoreless tie.

In the 8th inning, Jodam Rivera walked to the plate and stopped. Instead of his music, the PA was blasting Walk the Line.

It worked as Rivera doubled. Up next was Andrew Davis and instead of country music it was Ring of Fire. Davis who broke an 0 for 24 the day before, singled and drove home Rivera. The Kings went to their pen and the All Pro Freight crowd may have become the first baseball crowd to hear Folsom Prison Blues in its entirety. Saylor walked and then music guy Bill Dziatlcowicz had a problem. He was out of Cash songs. He played Big John by Billy Dean for Joel Collins. Collins flew out but Davis went to third. Billy D started the Cash list over. Lee Huggins hit into a fielders choice which scored Davis. Wayne Bond singled and an error allowed Huggins and Bond into scoring position which paid off when a passed ball scored Huggins. The Crushers went on to win 4-0.

After the game Massarelli explained the reason for the music.
"I told them if I had to continue watch them not hit at least I would enjoy the music," Massarelli said. "We are going to play Johnny Cash until we score 10."
Massarelli liked the music but wasn't ready to credit it with the hits.

"I don't know if that had anything to do with it but we strung some at bats in the eighth."

Travis Risser made his first start since coming off the DL. He pitched well but was limited to five innings. He was one of three Crusher pitchers to hold the Kings scoreless. Ronnie Morales pitched the sixth and Cinadr the last three.
Cinadr is now 4-1 and his ERA is 1.68. He has become the team's go to reliever.
Cinadr said the Johnny Cash music moved from pregame to the game.

"They play it a lot during batting practice," he said. "Not a whole lot of people like it but is is Mas's favorite artist or one of them. Mas said it is Johnny Cash walk ups now for everyone."

When asked if he liked Johnny Cash, Cinadr said, "I like some of his stuff but I can't listen to it all day every day like Mas could."

McWilliams had a confession after the game.

"Until the movie came out I had no idea who Johnny Cash was."
McWilliams is a fan now.

"Now I like it is our rally song. In baseball it’s weird there are superstitious guys and there are guys who aren’t but whenever we have a rally and believe it could be due to anything,” McWilliams said. “If a Johnny Cash song is key to our rally then so be it. I would be happy to have Johnny Cash be my walkout song for the rest of the season.”

Notes:
- On July 24 game the Crushers had scheduled two seven-inning games against first place Oakland County. The Crushers won the first game 2-1 despite getting only one hit. The second game was still tied 4-4 after 13 innings. That game will be completed on Friday, Aug. 6 with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. The originally scheduled 7:05 game, by minor league rules, will be seven innings.
- First baseman Eddie Tisdale was put on the 14-day disabled list for a wrist injury.