Crushers Punch Back Late, Ultimately Fall 4-3 to Bolts

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Crushers Punch Back Late, Ultimately Fall 4-3 to Bolts

Crestwood, IL - June 12, 2026 - The Lake Erie Crushers (14-17) made a late comeback on Friday night against the Windy City ThunderBolts (13-16), but they ultimately came up short in a 4-3 defeat at Ozinga Field.

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The Crushers threatened to have a big inning in the opening frame, drawing three walks against RHP Dante Maietta, but Maietta was able to wiggle his way out of the jam and escape unscathed.

The ThunderBolts put up a crooked number in the bottom of the 2nd against LHP Edwin Sanchez. An RBI single from SS James Dunlap followed by a sacrifice fly from SS Josue Urdaneta and a wild pitch put home three Bolts runs. They led 3-0 into the middle innings.

Sanchez settled down after the 2nd. He didn’t allow a hit in his final three innings of work and pitched through the 5th inning in his second pro start. His final line: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K on 102 pitches.

Maietta flirted with fire on multiple occasions, walking six batters in 5+ innings, but he wouldn’t be burned until the top of the 6th when he walked C Alfredo Gonzalez to lead off the inning. Maietta’s replacement, RHP Zach Cameron, walked 1B Jacob Tobias, then RF Garret Pike smoked an RBI double to get Lake Erie on the board. Tobias scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2, but Pike was stranded as the tying run at third base to end the frame.

However, the Crushers had life in the top of the 8th inning against RHP Carsen Plumadore, who walked Tobias to lead off the inning. After a single from 3B Luis Acevedo, Windy City manager Tom Carcione went to LHP Justin Lovel to face CF Joe Redfield, who was 1-for-2 on the night.

Crushers skipper Jared Lemieux didn’t take the bait, though, immediately pinch hitting Redfield for Sebastian Alexander, who came up clutch. He tucked a sharp grounder just inside the first base bag to bring home Tobias, tying the game 3-3. The Crushers had the go-ahead run just 90 feet away, but Windy City 3B Jared Beebe made a great double play turn on a softly hit ball from SS Jarrod Watkins to end the inning.

Lemieux turned to the ever-reliable RHP Brandyn Sittinger in the bottom of the 8th, but the ThunderBolts small-balled him. A single from RF Carlos Pena to start the inning set up a sacrifice bunt to move him into scoring position. Sittinger struck out DH Justin Fogel for the second out, but on the two-out, two-strike pitch, Sittinger left a sweeper up in the zone to C Victor Cerny, who softly placed it into center field for a dump-in, go-ahead, RBI single.

The 4-3 lead for Windy City held as RHP Carter Delaney made quick work of the Crushers in the 9th. The Bolts remain unbeaten on Fridays in 2026.

Justin Lovell (2-1), despite surrendering the lead, got the win for Windy City. Brandyn Sittinger (4-1) was clocked for his first loss of the season. Carter Delaney (1) looked confident in his first professional save.

The Crushers are back at Ozinga Field tomorrow, June 13th to take on the ThunderBolts at 7:05pm ET. Catch the game live on HomeTeam Network. The Crushers return home next Tuesday, June 16th to begin a six-game homestand highlighted by Military Appreciation Night on Friday, June 19th at 7pm with a special military jersey auction and postgame fireworks display.

For information on season ticket memberships visit lecrushers.com or call (440) 934-3636, and be sure to follow our socials @LECrushers on Instagram/Facebook/X.

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About the Lake Erie Crushers

The Lake Erie Crushers are a professional baseball team based in Avon, Ohio, just 18 miles west of Cleveland at ForeFront Field. They compete in the Frontier League, a proud MLB Partner League, and have brought a family-friendly, fan-oriented baseball experience to Northeast Ohio since 2009. As Lorain County’s only professional sports franchise, the Lake Erie Crushers are the largest economic driver in Lorain County, hosting more than 200 events per year that include over 50 baseball games, concerts, charity functions, and other events that bring the community of Avon together. Len Komoroski is the Crushers Chairman and Managing Partner, and the team is led by President Vic Gregovits. Jared Lemieux, a Maine Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, is in his fourth season as field manager.