After losing the series opener to Ottawa on July 14, the Lake Erie Crushers split a home doubleheader to close out the series with a 3-2 walkoff win and 3-1 defeat on July 16.
Rain postponed the July 15 game, and the Crushers (23-31) hosted the Titans (27-27) for two seven-inning games. All three games of the series, both teams were held to four or fewer runs, and the top margin of victory was two runs.
It was a competitive series as the teams combined for 14 hits for the doubleheader. The winning team had eight and the losing team had six in each.
“I think we’re playing good baseball, and again, another tight ball game,” Crushers manager Jared Lemieux said. “It’s tough to win both in a doubleheader, but I thought the guys played well, the pitchers did pretty good. (Ottawa) just hit a few long balls.”
Ottawa's two home runs were the difference in the second game, but the Crushers had a long ball of their own in Game 1. Tied, 2-2, entering the bottom of the seventh, Jarrod Watkins hit his first home run of the season to walk it off.
"It felt good, I was just trying to get on base and help my team win," Watkins said. "That was a good first home run of the season to win the game."
The Crushers had a consistent game at the plate with eight hits, none bigger than Josh Rego's two-RBI single in the sixth inning to tie it, and Watkins' home run. Rego went 3-for-3 for the game with three singles, and Watkins had two hits from his leadoff spot.
The Titans took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on a 2-RBI double from AJ Wright, but Lake Erie pitcher Angelo Baez kept them off of the board for the rest of the game. In another consistent outing, Baez gave up only six hits and had four strikeouts.
Otherwise a solid first five innings from Ottawa pitcher Damon Casetta-Stubbs, the Crushers rallied back in it during the sixth. Kenen Irizarry reached on a walk, and with two outs, Jackson Pritchard singled and Drue Galassi walked to load the bases. Erasmo Pinales entered the game in relief for the Titans in a tough position. Rego took advantage with his game-tying hit.
In the top of the seventh, Ottawa threatened with a leadoff single from Taylor Wright. However, Pritchard threw him out at second on a steal attempt for the inning's first out. Baez retired AJ Wright and Broc Mortensen to end the top half. Watkins led off the bottom of the seventh and delivered with a solo shot over the right field wall to end it.
"It was good to see, he's been working hard and he deserves everything he gets," Lemieux said of Watkins. "He put a good swing on a slider and did the job."
The Titans were able to turn the tables in game two with their home run hitting. All three of Ottawa's runs came on the aforementioned long balls. Taylor Wright hit a two-run shot in the fourth inning, and Broc Mortensen added a solo homer in the fifth.
Sam Frontino didn't bat in the first game, but knocked in Lake Erie's only run in the second game with an RBI single.
This was the first series for the Crushers coming off of the all-star break, and they're back on the road for six games on the road this week at Evansville and Joliet.
"I think we're playing good baseball, we're just losing a couple run games," Watkins said. "Other than that, I really think we're playing well and I'm excited for the second half."
