Scrappy Rebels Fall Short, Crushers Drop Star Wars Night to Bird Dawgs

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Zane Bloom, zbloom@lecrushers.com

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Scrappy Rebels Fall Short, Crushers Drop Star Wars Night to Bird Dawgs

Avon, OH - August 8, 2026 - The Lake Erie Crushers (30-46) weren’t able to celebrate with the Ewoks on Saturday night, as they fell 9-4 to the Down East Bird Dawgs (34-43) on a packed out Star Wars night at ForeFront Field.

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Both sides plated a run in the first inning. 3B Pavin Parks drove in newcomer CF Nathan Archer with a base hit, and the score was tied 1-1 after one.

Ali LaPread lifted a sacrifice fly in the top of the 3rd to regain the Down East lead, but Pavin Parks responded in the home-half with a blasted ball to another galaxy - a three-run home run to put Lake Erie up 4-2. It was Parks’ 15th homer of the season, which puts him just four away from tying the Crushers’ single-season franchise record.

However, the Bird Dawgs continued to be pests with the bats. Two of their outs in the top of the 4th produced runs, and the game was tied again, 4-4.

Then, Colby Backus gave Down East the lead again in the 6th with a solo home run, and Kenny Levari, who was a late addition to the lineup, drove home a second run on an RBI single.

In the 7th, two more Bird Dawgs touched home plate on a Kalee Harrison two-run homer. Meanwhile, the Crushers’ bats were struggling against starter Axel Andueza and bullpen arms Kendall Lyons and Miguel Cirino. 

Pavin Parks collected two of the three Lake Erie hits and all four RBIs in the game. The Crushers were held without a hit in the final six frames as the Bird Dawgs cruised to a 9-4 victory on Star Wars night.

The homestand concludes tomorrow, August 9th at 1pm with Sunday Family Fun Day. Kids 12 & under eat free, play catch on the field pregame, run the bases postgame, and get autographs from all their favorite Crushers players. 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.