Return of the Grapes: Crushers Walk Off (Again) on Star Wars Night

Avon, OH - August 9, 2025 - Tell me if you’ve heard this one before. The Lake Erie Crushers (45-30) walked off the Florence Y’alls (34-41) in a 7-6 final on a Star Wars Saturday night at the ballpark. Their third straight walk-off win kept them two games up for first place in the Central division.

The Y’alls got going offensively right out of the gate. In the top of the 1st, a couple weakly hit singles set up an RBI knock by 3B Brendan Bobo. Then, RF TJ Reeves cleared the bases with a three-run blast, blitzing RHP Ethan Smith for four runs in the opening frame.

In the 2nd inning, the Crushers loaded the bases with two outs, and known leader of the Galactic Empire, CF Dario Gomez, singled through the right side to drive in a pair of Crushers, cutting Florence’s lead, 4-2.

On a two-out, two-strike count in the 5th, Ethan Smith bounced a breaking ball that went back to the backstop. 1B Hank Zeisler was off on the pitch from second base, and he just kept running all the way home. It proved inconsequential, though, as TJ Reeves smoked an RBI single that would have scored two runs anyway without the extra base. The Y’alls led 6-2 going to the bottom of the 5th.

In the home half, the Crushers had 1B Alfredo Gonzalez at first base with two outs. C Derek Vegas lifted a mile-high popup into shallow left field. It got over the lights and LF Hank Zeisler never saw it. The ball dropped a few feet behind him and Gonzalez eluded the tag at home, stealing a cheap run for the Crushers to make the score 6-3 Florence.

2B Davie Morgan blasted the Death Star with his sixth homer of the season off new pitcher RHP Edgar Martinez to lead off the 6th to put Lake Erie within two. 

Lake Erie continued to chip away in the 7th. RF Sam Franco lasered a 114mph RBI double into the gap to put a run on the board in the home row for the third straight inning. Derek Vegas drove in Franco with a ripping RBI single of his own, and the Crushers knotted the game 6-6 going to the 8th.

In relief RHP Dayan Reinoso got through an important 1 ⅓ scoreless innings to allow the Crushers to get going at the plate. RHP Brandyn Sittinger came on in the 8th and got a strikeout in a 1-2-3 frame.

After a scoreless top of the 9th from RHP Michael Brewer, 3B Jaidan Quinn, who did not start, led off the bottom of the inning with a ripping double, putting the winning run at second base with nobody out. Sebastian Alexander came in to pinch run for Quinn.

And who stepped up to the plate? Yup, you guessed it: Kenen Irizarry.

Irizarry lifted a walk-off single to win the game 7-6 for Lake Erie, the third straight walk-off for the Crushers. Like the Rebellion in their early establishment, things looked grim. But heart, grit, and the power of friendship lifted them to ultimate victory. 

Michael Brewer (2-1) got the win, and Y’alls reliever Jett Lodes (1-5) failed to record an out in the loss.

The Crushers go for the sweep tomorrow, August 10th at 1:05pm against the Y’alls. It’s Princess Day at Crushers Stadium along with Kids Eat Free and Postgame Run the Bases and Autographs! Tickets 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!

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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.

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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.