Two Crooked Numbers for the Crushers Sink Washington in Series Opening Loss to Lake Erie, Club Still in First
WASHINGTON, Pa. (July 13) - The Washington Wild Things returned home after the 2018 All Star break and dropped the series opener at home against Lake Erie 8-2. The Crushers scored all eight of their runs in the fourth and fifth innings and collected 15 hits in the contest.
The first three innings of the game featured scoreless play and five hits combined. Washington (30-22) had just one of those hits, coming from shortstop Brett Marr with a single to lead off the third inning.
Lake Erie (27-24) had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the first inning, but a fly out by designated hitter Cody Lenahan and strikeout by right fielder Doug Trimble sat the Crushers down in the first.
The Crushers plated the first runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning, scoring three runs in the frame. Center fielder Dalton Wheat brought in the first run, scoring left fielder Dustin Williams from second on an RBI single to make it a 1-0 game. Second baseman Dane Hutcheon drove in catcher Bryan DeLaRosa and Wheat the next at-bat with a two-RBI triple into right center for a 3-0 Lake Erie lead.
Lake Erie would then bat around in the top of the fifth, scoring five runs on five hits. Lenahan and Trimble had back-to-back RBI singles against Washington reliever BJ Sabol, creating a 5-0 deficit for the Wild Things. Trevor Bradley replaced Sabol with no outs in the fifth and immediately allowed DeLaRosa to drill a bases-clearing, three-RBI double to center to extend the Lake Erie lead to 8-0.
Washington would answer back in the bottom of the fifth as center fielder James Harris launched a two-run home run over the left-field fence to score designated hitter Mick Fennell and cut the deficit down to 8-2. The long-ball was Harris’ ninth of the season.
The scoring would cease for the remainder of the game after the two-inning outburst by both teams as Lake Erie took the road win in the series opener.
Five Crushers earned multi-hit performances in the contest as first baseman Kewby Meyer, third baseman Joel McKeithan, DeLaRosa, and Trimble all evenly shared eight hits, while Hutcheon collected four hits and two RBI. DeLaRosa also added three RBI.
Harris led the way offensively for Washington with his two-run homer in the fifth, while second baseman Carter McEachern added two hits.
Lake Erie starter Sean Renzi (6-3) snagged the win with his six-inning performance. He allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits while allowing four walks and striking out four.
Sabol (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Washington. He allowed five runs (all earned) on four hits and walked one without recording an out.
Washington still remains in first place in the East division and will attempt to collect its first victory in the second tier of the 2018 season Saturday night at home. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Tomorrow is Hockey Night at Wild Things Park as former Pittsburgh Penguin Phil Bourque will be in attendance. The first 1,000 fans that enter the park will receive an “Ole Two-Niner” t-shirt.
