‘Not So Fast, My Friend’, Say Crushers in Unbelievable 13-10 Win

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‘Not So Fast, My Friend’, Say Crushers in Unbelievable 13-10 Win

Pearl, MS - June 28, 2026 - The Lake Erie Crushers (20-25) were in the driver’s seat, then heartbroken, then on top of the mountain in an asinine 13-10 victory over the Mississippi Mud Monsters (18-27) on Sunday.

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The trend all week has been that the team who scores first wins the game. The Crushers took that trend to heart by scoring twice in the opening frame. DH Samuel Benjamin muscled a jam-shot RBI single, then 3B Pavin Parks drove in a run on a groundout. Lake Erie led 2-0 and had a lead for their starting pitcher for the third time in the series.

RHP Bob Helt had to deal with two men in scoring position with just one out in the home half, but he got a clutch strikeout and then some help from CF Joe Redfield, who tracked down a deep fly ball in the game to keep Mississippi off the board.

In the 2nd, RF James Jett manufactured a run all by himself. He launched a leadoff double off the wall, stole third, then scored on a wild pitch to put the Crushers up 3-0.

Mississippi manufactured some runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, getting runs on two-out RBI singles from SS Slater Schield and CF Kyle Booker to make the score 3-2.

They threatened again in the 3rd, but Helt was able to get former Crusher 1B Scout Knotts to ground into the 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Helt really settled in in the next two innings. He gave up just one baserunner and finished off five solid innings, a start the Crushers desperately needed in the finale. Helt’s final line: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K on 83 pitches. 

In the 7th, the Crushers finally broke through and got another run on the board. 2B Luis Acevedo grounded a ball to second base and 2B Vantrel Reed threw home to try and cut down 1B Jacob Tobias, but his hard slide popped the ball out of the mitt of C Andrew Semo, and Tobias was called safe. It was the first run for either side since the 2nd, and Lake Erie was up 4-2.

RHP Christian Scafidi steadied the waters of the bullpen in the 6th and 7th innings. He faced one over the minimum and ended the 7th by twirling a double play to maintain the two-run lead for the Crushers.

Meanwhile, the Crushers got some huge insurance runs in the 8th inning thanks to a two-out double by Joe Redfield (now tied for the team lead with 12 on the season) and an RBI single from Samuel Benjamin. Lake Erie’s lead extended to 6-2.

However, the drama would boil for the first time in the series. LHP Branden Noriega walked four batters to start his outing without getting an out. RHP Dawson Hargrove came in to try and quiet the threat, but on the first pitch PH Brayland Skinner launched a go-ahead grand slam to give the Mud Monsters a 7-6 lead. They’d score three more runs in the inning to go up 10-6. An eight run inning flipped the game on its head.

But in the heart of SEC country, the Crushers had a statement to be made akin to what a certain Lee Corso would often say: “Not so fast, my friend.”

Down four runs and down to their final three outs, the Crushers had to deal with RHP Chris Barraza, who entered the game with 16 K/9 as the Mississippi closer. But then things started to get interesting.

Barraza walked Parks and Acevedo to begin the inning and Watkins singled to load the bases. Defensive replacement Garret Pike laced a two-strike pitch for a two-RBI single, and he represented the tying run at first base with nobody out.

C Nick Chavez fell behind in the count against Barraza, but he himself also battled and lined a two-strike single to put himself on as the go-ahead run. Alexander fell behind 0-2 against the new RHP Tristan House, but battled to a 3-2 count before walking in a run, putting Pike just 90 feet away as the tying run. Redfield then lofted a line drive to left field, Pike tagged up, and he scored to put things square at 10-10.

Then the sound of a bell rang deep into the Mississippi night. Samuel Benjamin, who had homered the night prior, barreled a baseball over the left field wall for a three-run, go-ahead homer to put the Crushers up 13-10 in an unfathomable upside-down flip of an already flipped-over game.

LHP Edwin Sanchez (yes, the starting pitcher), came in for the bottom of the 9th and nailed down the final three outs. Premium, precious outs to win the game.

Against all odds, the Crushers walked away with a series split in Mississippi with their improbable, unbelievable comeback in the six-game series finale.

Edwin Sanchez (3-1) was awarded the win. Tristan House (0-1) was addressed a blown save and the loss.

The Crushers will return to ForeFront Field on Tuesday, June 30th, to start a nine-game homestand. First pitch against the Joliet Slammers is slated for 6:30pm. Tickets are available at LECrushers.com. 

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.