The Long Ball Sinks Crushers in Series Finale Against Washington

Avon, OH - May 29, 2025 - The Lake Erie Crushers (10-6) dropped a seesaw battle with the Washington Wild Things (11-7) on Thursday in a 6-5 final. With that, both Lake Erie and Washington sit tied atop the Central Division.

DH Tyreque Reed opened the scoring three batters in with a two-run home run, his third of the season for Washington, against RHP Enrique Saldaña. Lake Erie responded in kind, though. CF Dario Gomez plated a run with an RBI single, then 3B Joey Wright knocked in a pair with a two-out, two-strike RBI knock. The dude just drives in runs.

Reed struck again in the 3rd with his second two-run homer of the evening, giving Washington the lead right back. Then, in the 4th CF Robert Chayka drove in a run to extend the Wild Things lead to 5-3.

Lake Erie got to work in the bottom of the 4th. They tied the game with an RBI fielder’s choice from LF Burle Dixon followed by a sacrifice fly from Dario Gomez. Once again, the score was tied (5-5).

Washington’s 1B Andrew Czech pounced on Saldaña in the 5th, launching his sixth homer of the season to once again put the Wild Things on ahead (6-5).

Saldaña’s outing finished in the top of the 6th. His final line: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 2 K. Aside from the three homers, Saldaña did a nice job of damage control. He was lifted for LHP Darrien Ragins, who was making his first appearance of the season. After issuing a walk to load the bases, Ragins left them stranded, escaping the inning with the Crushers still down just a run.

Ragins came back out for the 7th and struggled finding the strike zone. He walked a pair, which allowed Washington to load the bases with nobody out. Ragins came back to ring up SS Ethan Wilder, then rolled a double play ball to make the Great Escape and keep the game 6-5. Gutsy stuff from El Gato.

RHP Leonardo Rodriguez got some help from his defense in a scoreless 8th inning with an around-the-horn double play started by Joey Wright. Still down a run, Lake Erie finally got into the Washington bullpen. Wild Things’ starter RHP Zach Kirby made it through seven innings giving up five runs (four earned).

RHP Dayan Reinoso pitched a scoreless top of the 9th, but the Crushers went quietly in the final frame. Wild Things pitching retired the final 14 Crushers hitters on their way to a slim 6-5 victory and a series win.

Zach Kirby (2-0) got the win, and Enrique Saldaña (0-1) was tagged with the loss. Washington reliever Hector Garcia (1) picked up his first save of 2025.

The Crushers will move on to host the Windy City Thunderbolts in a weekend home series starting Friday night at 7:05pm ET.

It’s a big weekend at Crushers Stadium beginning Friday, May 30th with ‘Eras Night: Crushers Edition’ with a Taylor Swift-themed Fireworks display after the game! The first 1,000 fans will get Swiftie friendship bracelets!

Then, on Saturday, May 31st at 7:05pm ET, it’s Country Night with all the best country songs blaring during another postgame Fireworks show! Get your tickets 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 the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati markets!

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Flexible 2025 Crushers ticket memberships are now on sale, giving fans the best experience on their terms and schedule. Plans start at $40 and include a priority selection of games, no ticket service fees, and the option of subscription-based payment plans. Fans can view more information at www.LakeErieCrushers.com.

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.