Stunning Loss in Windy City Epitomizes Season Series for Crushers Against the Bolts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:

Zane Bloom, zbloom@lecrushers.com

910-777-3871

Stunning Loss in Windy City Epitomizes Season Series for Crushers Against the Bolts

Crestwood, IL - September 3, 2026 - The Lake Erie Crushers (40-57) were stunned late once again by the Windy City ThunderBolts (54-45), who erased a 7-0 deficit to win 9-8 and put themselves in a playoff spot with just three games to go in the season.

CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE

In the top of the 2nd inning, Crushers loaded the bases with two hits and a hit-by-pitch, bringing RF Jeron Williams up to the plate with two-outs. With a full count, the pitch by RHP Tyler Biddinger was outside, walking Williams to first and a run to the plate. Biddinger got out of the inning with no further damage. 

1B Brayden Jobert led off with a double deep into center-field in the 2nd. A wild pitch allowed Jobert to move to third, and 2B Luis Acevedo took advantage of the mishap, plating Jobert on a groundout to make it 2-0 Lake Erie.

The Crushers loaded the bases again in the 4th and finally got a hit from SS Pavin Parks to get a run home. Then, an error by 2B Josue Urdaneta allowed another run to score, making it 4-0 Crushers.

Once again in the 5th, Lake Erie causes havoc with bases loaded. This time, it was a big swing from LF Joe Redfield. He cleared the bases with a triple into the left field gap. His swing put him just a home run shy of the cycle and gave the Crushers a 7-0 lead.

The bottom of the 5th saw the first cracks in the armor for the Crushers, though. RHP Fraynel Nova was through four scoreless innings but then ran into trouble. Five straight batters reached to start the inning, including an RBI triple from CF Liam McArthur and an RF Michael Sandle reaching on a fielding error by Pavin Parks. Sandle scored the fourth run of the inning (unearned), and the Bolts made it 7-4 in the blink of an eye.

Becoming a recurring topic in the game, Lake Erie had bases loaded and only one out in the 6th, attempting to respond to the four-spot. 3B Chayton Krauss bounced one to second base, and the double play attempt was late at first, which plated another run. Lake Erie got back up 8-4. But the Bolts were resilient, smelling an opportunity.

Like in the 5th, five ThunderBolts reached to start the bottom of the 7th inning. This time the first four reached against LHP Edwin Sanchez, who handed the ball to LHP Wesley Culley after giving up a run and having the bases loaded with nobody out. Culley plunked DH Carlos Pena to force in a run, then a sacrifice fly from SS Tony Livermore tied the game 8-8 with two outs and men on first and second.

The nightmare inning looked to be coming to an end on an Urdaneta ground ball to second. Acevedo dove headlong and made an incredible snag, but on his transfer, the ball fell out of his glove and trickled away from his grasp. Smelling blood, Pena scored all the way from second base to give Windy City their first lead of the game. They trailed 7-0. Now they led 9-8.

While the Crushers had scored in five straight innings from the 2nd to the 6th, they needed one more to tie the game in the 9th against LHP Justin Lovell, who was attempting his second save in as many nights.

After two quick groundouts, Lovell hit Williams with a pitch, then he walked Parks to put the tying run at second base and the go-ahead run at first. Brayden Jobert came up with a double and an RBI under his belt in the game. On an 0-2 count, Lovell painted a perfect fastball on the outer black to ring up Jobert, ending the game and completing another remarkable comeback in the story of the 2026 Windy City ThunderBolts.

The team returns to Avon for BOGO Fan Finale Weekend tomorrow, September 4th at 7pm. The first fans through the gates at 6pm will receive a BIGGBY Cup Giveaway, and kids are encouraged to arrive early and join the Crushers for a reading of “Casey at the Bat” at 6:30pm on the field before the game. Go to LakeErieCrushers.com/BOGO to get your tickets and find out all about the huge promotional weekend to finish off the 2026 season!

Crushers 2027 season tickets are now on sale! For information on 2027 season ticket memberships visit lecrushers.com or call (440) 934-3636, and be sure to follow our socials @LECrushers on Instagram/Facebook/X.

# # #

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.