YOWIE WOWIE! Washington's Pitchers Dazzle in Win
AVON, Ohio (August 25) – Behind the strong mound work of four pitchers for Washington and a three-run fifth, Washington took the series opener against the Crushers by a final of 4-1 Friday night to win their second in a row.
The scoring didn’t start until the fifth inning when Washington was able to grab three in the frame. The Wild Things got RBI on two batted balls that didn’t even need to go 30 feet. Tomas Sanchez had a swinging bunt that scored Robert Chayka, as he eluded a tag from the catcher on the fielder’s choice. The second runner that scored, Melvin Novoa, came in on a failed pickoff and throwing error by Cal McAninch, Lake Erie’s first reliever. The third scored on a bunt by Carson Clowers where Sanchez came across and Lake Erie’s only play was at first.
Lake Erie didn’t score until the seventh inning against Washington starter Stephen Knapp, who ended up chucking a quality start as he made the Lake Erie Crushers’ offense follow the buzzards to sleep. An RBI single in the seventh chased Knapp, but it was only Lake Erie’s fifth hit of the night. Knapp allowed the five hits and one run in 6.1 innings before Kyle White got a double play to get Washington out of the inning with no further damage.
The Wild Things then plated a run on an RBI infield hit from Melvin Novoa, making it 4-1 in the eighth. Justin Goossen-Brown chucked a scoreless eighth.
Lukas Young worked the ninth to close the game and allowed back-to-back hits to start the inning. The first hit was a triple that was a single before it got by a diving effort by right fielder Robert Chayka and rolled. Jiandido Tromp singled him home for the second of those two knocks. A strikeout of Josh Rego and a double play induced off the bat of Hector Roa later and the game ended. Young earned his 13th save with the result and his second in as many days.
Washington and Lake Erie will play the middle game of the series tomorrow at 6:05 p.m. at Mercy Health Stadium.
