Crushers Outlast Mud Monsters in 8-6 Grinder

by Zane Bloom

Avon, OH- July 25, 2025 - The Lake Erie Crushers (34-27) and the Mississippi Mud Monsters (32-31) went back and forth on Friday night, and the Crushers came out with a Midwest Conference win, 8-6.

Mississippi scored a run in the opening frame after RF Kyle Booker singled and stole his way into scoring position. He came in on a groundout back to LHP Jack Eisenbarger with the run scoring unearned.

2B Travis Holt lined an RBI double in the 3rd to extend Mississippi’s early lead. The Mud Monsters continued to pepper the opposite field against Eisenbarger.

Mississippi’s starter RHP Luis Devers was cruising through 3 ⅔ innings, having given up just a walk. C Alfredo Gonzalez came up with two outs in the 4th and took three straight pitches as if he was taking on a 3-0 count, standing up in his stance completely stationary. The veteran’s mind games worked.

Gonzalez came out of his cryofreeze and unloaded on a slider for a solo home run, his third in two days. The blast inspired the lineup wonderfully. 1B Scout Knotts smoked a single, then DH Jaidan Quinn crushed an opposite field moonshot to put the Crushers ahead 3-2, his third homer in three days.. The Crushers loaded the bases after the homers, but Devers was able to avert the crisis.

The Mud Monsters responded in the 5th, manufacturing a run on a steal of third and a wild pitch. They knotted the game up at three.

The Crushers got a huge double play in the 6th inning, but Eisenbarger was lifted for RHP Dayan Reinoso after his second hit batsman of the inning. Reinoso entered with two outs and men on 1st and 2nd. He fell behind C Andriel Lantigua 3-0, but then came back with three straight fastballs to strike him out and strand the runners. Eisenbarger’s final line: 5 ⅔ IP, 3 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 7 K, 2 HBP.

The Crushers put a pair in scoring position in the bottom of the 6th to set up 3B Kenen Irizarry. He worked a deep count then singled into right center field to drive in two runs. Then, LF Burle Dixon added on two more with an RBI single through the drawn-in infield. Dixon stole second and third on back-to-back pitches, manufacturing his own run with Alfredo Gonzalez driving him in on a sacrifice fly. After the five run 6th, Lake Erie led 8-3.

The Mud Monsters scrapped across another run on a wild pitch in the 7th. Otherwise, Reinoso struck out the side to send the game to the late innings, 8-4. In the 8th, Karell Paz pinch hit with the bases loaded and lifted a sacrifice fly to poke across another run for Mississippi. Brayland Skinner drove in a run with an RBI groundout, but RHP Brandyn Sittinger was able to escape the inning without further damage. The score was 8-6 Lake Erie going to the 9th.

RHP Michael Brewer came on to try for the save. He logged a pair of strikeouts in his 12th save of the season to cap off the 8-6 win.

Dayan Reinoso (1-0) got the win in relief. Mud Monsters lefty Gage Bihm (1-2) got the loss. Michael Brewer (12) is now alone for the most saves in the Midwest Conference.

Tomorrow, the Crushers continue their series with the Mud Monsters in a fun collaboration with the Cleveland Monsters hockey team! Before the game, come join the Monsters for a hockey clinic from 5-6pm, then stick around after the game for Cleveland Monsters themed fireworks! On the field, the Crushers will be wearing sweet Crushers x Monsters jerseys that can be bid for online. Tickets to the game are online at lakeeriecrushers.com/tickets!

Can’t join us at the ballpark? You can stream Crushers games home and away in 2025 on the brand new Frontier League streaming partner, HomeTeam Network or watch live on local television on Rock Entertainment Sports Network (RESN) in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati markets!

____________________________________________________________________________

Whether it’s a birthday celebration, youth sports night, corporate event, or family reunion, group outings with the Crushers offer great fan experiences and benefits, including reserved seating and special perks. Visit www.LakeErieCrushers.com/groups or call (440) 934-3636 for more information.

XXX

About the Lake Erie Crushers

The Lake Erie Crushers are a professional baseball team that plays just 18 miles outside Cleveland at the 5,000 seat Crushers Stadium in Avon, Ohio. They compete in the Frontier League - a prestigious MLB Partner League. Since its founding in 2009, the Crushers have been dedicated to delivering exciting baseball and family-friendly entertainment to fans in Northeast Ohio.