It was a tough week for the Crushers, but a “dome run” from Jarrod Watkins got them back in the win column after a 10-game losing streak.
Without a victory since July 26, the Crushers won on their home field over the Washington Wild Things, 2-1, in 10 innings on Aug. 8.
Standing on second as the game-winning run, Jarrod Watkins tagged to third on a fly out by Drue Galassi. The throw from left field hit Watkins in the helmet as he was sliding into third, and the ball bounced all the way to the backstop. He took advantage of the play and was safe at the plate.
“I tagged up and I saw him in a position that if he threw the ball perfectly and it didn’t my head, then I’d be out,” Watkins said. “He threw it off the bag where I couldn’t slide or get away. I’m glad that it happened.”
It was a grind-it-out game for Lake Erie (28-45), and there couldn’t have been a crazier way to get a win on the board. Through the struggles of the 10-game skid, the Crushers stayed the course and continued to stay in the fight. A lot of pressure fell off the players’ shoulders.
“It’s been a tough week, but it really helped being in front of our home fans,” Crushers manager Jared Lemieux said. “Angelo pitched a great game, and we did enough to get the win.”
Both starting pitchers threw well in this one, and the offenses had to work for everything. Baez and Washington’s Zach Kirby both threw seven innings and allowed one run each.
The Crushers got on the board first in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice RBI from Jiandido Tromp. Watkins scored both of the teams’ runs as he tagged up and scored from Tromp’s flyout. Back-to-back singles from Watkins and Josh Rego kicked the inning off, and Lake Erie took advantage.
Washington evened the score back up at 1-1 in the top of the seventh. Wagner Lagrange led off the inning with a single, and an infield single from Andrew Czech put two runners on. Scotty Dubrule drove in the tying run with an RBI single, but the Crushers were able to prevent more damage.
On a ground ball to Watkins at shortstop, he threw out Czech at home to save another run. In all facets of the game, he was lights out for the Crushers.
“As a defender, baseball is a hard thing, especially hitting,” he said. “Anything I can do to help the pitchers and help my team, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Neither team could produce anything offensively until the 10th inning when each team started with a runner on second base. Carson Clowers advanced to third for the Wild Things, but we got caught in a pickle and was thrown out. Watkins sealed the deal in the bottom half to win it for Lake Erie.
“Baseball can kick you down sometimes, and that’s what it did to us,” Watkins said. “This was a big one for us. It showed us that we can persevere and try to win ball games.”
The Crushers are back hosting Washington at 7:05 p.m. on Aug. 9.
