Saturday, July 24, 2010

Crushers win first game of doubleheader despite just one hit

Crushers end losing streak despite one hit
By ZACHARY DZURICK

AVON - Sometimes all it takes is one.
The Crushers have struggled to string together hits in their five game losing streak. Finding a two out hit with men on base has been even more difficult.
In the second inning, Arden McWilliams came through with a two-out, two-RBI double. It was the Crushers only hit of the game but the two runs were all that starter Josh Roberts needed as Lake Erie defeated first place Oakland County 2-1.
Roberts (6-1) continued his outstanding season. He allowed just one unearned run and three hits in going the distance.
Both games of the double-header were scheduled for just seven innings by Frontier League rules.
Roberts was asked how often he won a game when his team managed just one hit.
“I don’t think too many,” Roberts said. “We were lucky enough to put two runs on the board early and the defense came through in the end. We ended the losing streak and started a winning streak.”
There was a 16-minute rain delay in the bottom of the first inning. Roberts said it affected him a bit.
“After the rain delay I had to restart,” Roberts said. “I got stronger throughout the game and started locating my inside fastball a little more and played to my defense.”
Roberts lowered his ERA to 1.96. He missed all of 2008 with Tommy John surgery and spent last season bouncing around the Marlins system. This season Roberts has really pitched well and become the ace of the Crushers staff.
“This is by far my best, healthy season,” Roberts said. “It’s a lot of hard work paying off big time.”
Roberts allowed his only run when he returned after the delay. Oakland County’s Joash Brodin reached on shortstop Jodam Rivera’s error to start the second. Brodin advanced to third on Kyle Maunus’s single to right. Roberts struck out Martin Parra for the first out and Luis Fernandez for the second out but the ball got lost behind catcher Joel Collins. Brodin scampered home for the run. Parra, who was running on the pitch, went to third. The umpire ruled Fernandez out because first base was occupied.
The Crushers took their first lead since Tuesday in the bottom of the second. With one out, Wayde Kitchens (4-2) walked two but responded to strike out Wayne Bond. Arden McWilliams stepped up with a two-out two-RBI double.
“He went down on me 2-0 and I knew he was going to come with a fastball,” McWilliams said. “So I geared up for it and he threw one out over the plate and I got good wood on it.”
McWilliams said the team is about finding any way to win even if it is with just one hit.
“It shows how good our defense and pitching is,” McWilliams said.” Josh Roberts did a great job.”
Roberts has a habit of getting batters to hit the ball right back to him. He did four times against the Cruisers.
“(Roberts) has a lot of sinking action on his fastball and gets a lot of groundballs,” McWilliams said. “We laugh that he leads the league for most comeback plays.”

The Crushers had lost five in a row, all at home and dropped to third place. McWilliams admitted the team was starting to feel the pressure.
“For a little bit there, we were playing tight, trying to do too much,” McWilliams said. “Maz called us in the other day and said, ‘I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on you guys. I just want you to play loose and relax and play Crusher baseball.’”
The Crushers had a chance to score in fourth but could not take advantage. Kitchens walked the first two batters in the inning. Raphael Turner nearly beat out his bunt that moved up both runners. Bond worked a walk to load the bases and Kitchens day was done. He allowed just one hit but walked six. Taylor Wulf came and shut the door by striking out McWilliams and getting Dom Duggan to ground into a force at third.
Notes:
- Jodam Rivera crushed a ball down the right field line in the first inning. Rivera appeared to hit the ball over the foul pole for a home run but the field umpire ruled it foul. If Rivera had hit the pole, not only would it have a home run but also everyone in the park would have won a free chicken sandwich from Chik-Fil-A.
- The Crushers have new grill items created by chef Wilson. They have Philly and Chicken cheese steaks plus a Tuscan Cheese Burger, which is two beef patties, hot ham, white American cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato and Italian dressing. But for many the highlight is the four gourmet hot dogs. A Crusher dog features bacon, chili, cheese and onions. The Big Pig has bacon, pulled pork, BBQ cheese sauce and white American cheese. The Dagwood has ham, pepperoni, salami, cheese, lettuce, mayo and brown mustard. The BLT is exactly what it sounds like. All four feature ¼ all beef dog. All of these mouth-watering products can be found on the third base party deck for just $6.


Crushers 2, Cruisers 1
Oakland County (38-18) 100 000 0 – 1 3 0
Lake Erie (30-26) 020 000 0 – 2 1 1
2b – LE: McWilliams; WP – Roberts (6-1); LP – Kitchens (4-2)

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

July 20, 2010: Traverse City at Lake Erie

Traverse City Beach Bums (27-25) at Lake Erie Crushers (29-23)
Michael Moore (4-1, 2.46) vs Phil Rummel (2-4, 5.68)

Traverse City
Matt Brown RF
Jason Cordiroli CF
Michael Diaz 2b
Chase Burch DH
J.T. Hall LF
C.J. Ziegler 1b
Andrew Franco C
Bobby Spain 3b
Chris Engell SS


Lake Erie
Raphael Turner LF
Jodam Rivera SS
Andrew Davis 3b
Eddie Tisdale 1b
Drew Saylor 1b
Joel Collins C
Casey McGrew DH
Trae Gore RF
Dom Duggan CF

Notes:
- Andrew Davis had two more hits last night to improve his league leading total to 68.
- The Crushers turned three more double plays last night and lead the league with 60. They have also committed the fewest errors in the league with 42.
- Phil Rummel returns after missing his last start after spending a few days on the disabled list.

Crushers start big week with a loss

Monday, July 19, 2010

July 19: Traverse City at Lake Erie

Traverse City Beach Bums (26-25) at Lake Erie Crushers (29-22)
Enrique Lechuga (3-3, 4.04) vs Esmelvin Jimenez (5-2, 3.72)

Traverse City
Matt Brown RF
Chris Codiroli CF
Michael Diaz 2b
Chase Burch 1b
JT Hall LF
CJ Ziegler 3b
Andrew Franco C
Chris Engell SS
Brandon Howard DH

Lake Erie
Dom Duggan CF
Jodam Rivera SS
Andrew Davis 3b
Joel Collins DH
Drew Saylor 2b
Eddie Tisdale 1b
Raphael Turner LF
Arden McWilliams RF
Julio Rivera C

Pregame Notes: The Crushers had a busy night after Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Windy City. Outfielder and designated hitter Travis Vetters was released after the game. Vetter was hitting just .194 for the season with three home runs and 19 RBI. In the month of July, Vetters was just three for 32 with no extra base hits.
The team signed true rookie Casey McGrew, who is the third player this season the Crushers have signed from Wright State. A two-time Horizon League First teamer, McGrew hit a team high .383 this season for the Raiders. He led the Horizon League in hits and had 19 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 48 RBI. Last summer he played for the USA Collegiate National Team where he hit .341.
“He is a pretty good hitter,” Massarelli said. “He has some tools and put up some good numbers at Wright State. We will give him an opportunity and see what he can do. He is more of a gap-to-gap line drive hitter. He will probably hit for average.”
The pitching staff lost one but regained two. All-Star pitcher Travis Risser (5-2, 3.65) was placed on the seven-day disabled list. Risser left his start on Saturday in the fifth inning with a leg injury. Fellow starter Phil Rummel (2-4, 5.68), who was placed on the DL before the All-Star, was activated and will start tomorrow night’s game. Reliever Cristobal Mata was also activated for the DL. It was Mata’s second stint there. He has only pitched three innings for the Crushers this season.
King of promotions

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Crushers win with a walkoff HR

Last night may have been the best ballgame of the season so far. Watch video and read about the Crushers comeback and walkoff win here.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Four Crushers named to All Star team

You can read about it here

July 7, 2010: Crushers at Freedom

You can follow the game here

CRUSHERS (23-20)
Dom Duggan - CF
Drew Saylor - 2B
Jodam Rivera - SS
Andrew Davis - 3B
Eddie Tisdale - 1B
Lee Huggins - DH
Travis Vetters - RF
Wayne Bond - LF
Joel Collins - C

RHP Matt Smith (8th Start -- 5-3, 3.40)

FLORENCE FREEDOM (18-25)
Billy Mottram - CF
Tim Grogan - 2B
Jimmy Baker - DH
Michael Campbell - RF
Stephen Shults - SS
Johnny Welch - 3B
Michael Wheeler - LF
Justin Pickett - 1B
Curt Marshall - C

LHP Bryan Banes (8th Start -- 3-3, 4.32)

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Pregame notes – Evansville Otters at Crushers, 7.4.10

Crushers
Duggan CF
Rivera SS
Davis 3B
Tisdale 1B
Huggins DH
Vetters LF
Bond RF
Collins C

Otters
Rose 2B
Harris CF
Alexander LF
Wiley DH
Cohen 1B
Rogers SS
Scarduzio RF
Ross 3B
Killian C

Pregame notes:

– Crushers are seeking to sweep the Otters, after defeating them 6-1 Friday and 7-2 on Saturday.
– Crushers are 4-4 on this nine-game homestand entering play Sunday.
– Lake Erie's best starting pitcher, Josh Roberts, takes the hill. He is 4-0 with a tidy 1.83 ERA. Roberts exited his last start with a no decision after pitching nine innings of of four-hit, zero-run baseball Tuesday, June 29. Designated hitter Lee Huggins smashed a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th to secure the win.
– In his last four outings, Roberts has not given up more than three runs.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

July 3, 2010: Evansville at Lake Erie

Evansville Otters (14-26) at Lake Erie Crushers (22-18)
Chad Edwards (0-4, 4.38) vs Travis Risser (4-2, 3.33)

Otters
Zack Stanton SS
Patrick Rose 2b
Brandon Cohen 1b
Derek Wiley DH
Estee Harris CF
Gregory Alexander LF
Vinnie Scarduzio RF
Billy Killian C


Crushers
Dom Duggan CF
Jodam Rivera SS
Andrew Davis 3b
Eddie Tisdale 1b
Travis Vetters LF
Drew Saylor 2b
Lee Huggins DH
Davis Phillips RF
Julio Rivera C

Pregame Notes:
- Crusher catcher Joel Collins was activated from the disabled list before the game but was not in the starting lineup.
- Crushers won the opener between the two teams in front of 4,617 fans, the second largest crowd of the season.
- Jodam Rivera seems to be out of his mini slump as he had two hits in each of the last two games.
- Risser makes his ninth start of the season. He has won four straight decisions. Risser has performed well after missing all of last season with a back injury.
- Tomorrow's Fourth of July Morning Journal is the special Ben Franklin edition and will have a story about the Crusher Super Fans in 113.

July 2 2010:

Crushers 6, Otters 1

Lake Erie snaps two game losing streak in front of the second largest crowd of the season with 6-1 win over Evansville.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

July 1 2010: Freedom at Crushers

EDIT: Freedom 7, Crushers 4


Florence Freedom (15-23) at Lake Erie Crushers (21-17)
Bryan Barnes (2-3, 4.67) vs Matt Smith (5-2, 2.41)

Starting lineups

Florence
Billy Mottram CF
Tim Grogan 2b
Justin Pickett C
Michael Campbell LF
Stephen Shults SS
Johnny Welch 3b
Jimmy Baker DH
Cory Wine 1b
Justin Jacobs RF


Lake Erie
Dom Duggans CF
Jodam Rivera SS
Andrew Davis 3b
Travis Vetters LF
Eddie Tisdale 1b
Drew Saylor 2b
Lee Huggins DH
Arden McWilliams RF
Julio Rivera C


Pregame Notes:
- These same two teams have combined to play 23 innings the last two games. The Crushers won 1-0 in 11 innings on Tuesday while the Freedom won 5-4 in 12 innings yesterday.
- The Crushers pitching staff matched a season high with 12 strikeouts last night. It was the third time this season they achieved it. The team has a league low 230 strikeouts this season. The team ERA of 4.00 is the second lowest in the league

More classic Mas videos

Crusher manager John Massarelli on being asked about Keep LBJ in C-L-E night




Mas on whether he was shocked about the amount of national attention: