By: Brandon Ritsos
Joliet, IL – The Slammers (3-9) came into the rubber match of their series with the Lake Erie Crushers (7-5) looking to come out with a victory and take some much-needed momentum with them as they hit the road for a weekend series with Washington. While the Crushers look to sweep the Slammers tonight.
The Crushers would yet again open up scoring plating 1 run to start the first inning courtesy of LF Samuel Benjamin who hit a double into left field to kick off the scoring for Lake Erie.
Joliet would respond with a run of their own in the bottom of the first which came off of the bat of DH Blake Berry courtesy of a fielder’s choice.
The Slammers would add 3 more runs to take the lead early from the Crushers. Off a triple to left field from LF Cam Suto to plate 3 runs to give the Slammers an early advantage.
Both starting pitchers would pitch into the 6th inning Joliet’s SP Ryan Daly went 6 full innings with 4 earned runs and Lake Erie’s Andres Parra went 6.2 innings and also had 4 earned runs
The Crushers would retake the lead from Joliet off of a huge 5 run inning for Lake Erie. With RBI’s from 1B Jacob Tobias, RF James Jett who drove in 2 runs. Also joining the party was 3B Pavin Parks, and CF Joc Redfield each driving in a run of their own. That would cap off an inning that gave Lake Erie all the momentum they needed to get across the finish line.
The Slammers would attempt a late game rally Joliet would get 1 run to decrease the Crushers advantage to a 1 run lead. This came off the bat of PH Josh Phillips who laced a ball to left field to drive in the lone run for Joliet in the inning. Ultimately the Slammers would fall short losing to the Crushers 6-5. Lake Erie completed their sweep of the Slammers. As Joliet hits the road and heads to Washington in hopes to find some much needed answers to their early season struggles.
