Lake Erie finally solves Wild Things
AVON, Ohio — Joseph Sgambelluri allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings and Lake Erie defeated the Wild Things for the first time in six tries, 5-1, Sunday night in a series finale.
Sgambelluri (5-3) and Washington starter Kobe Foster (1-1) were locked in a scoreless pitchers’ duel until Lake Erie pushed across three runs in the fifth inning, getting RBI hits from Sean Cheely and Jackson Valera. The third run scored on an errant pickoff throw.
The Crushers pushed the lead to 4-0 with a run in the sixth. Washington scored its lone run in the seventh when Cole Brannen’s bases-loaded infield single scored Ian Walters.
The Crushers answered in the bottom of the seventh as Cheely scored on a wild pitch by Jake Pilarski.
Sgambelluri gave up five hits and walked four, but he struck out eight. Three relievers pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Foster gave up nine hits and four runs (three earned) in six innings. He did not issue a walk and struck out four.
The Wild Things will host Windy City tonight (7:05 p.m.). It is the Wild Things’ only Monday home game of the season.
The loss, combined with Evansville win at Gateway, trimmed Washington’s lead in the Frontier League’s West Division to 1 1/2 games.