The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Crushers’ losing streak extended to five games
All setbacks have occurred at home; skid is second-longest of the season
The Lake Erie Crushers’ struggles continued Aug. 2 when the visiting Gateway Grizzlies handed them a 9-1 loss to extend the their losing streak to five games.
The five straight losses at Sprenger Stadium makes it the Crushers’ longest losing streak at home and second-longest this season behind a sevengame stretch in early July.
It’s been especially frustrating for the Crushers (3633), who managed a mere four runs in the three-game series with last-place Gateway and have been outscored, 31-10, in their last five losses.
“We’re still coming up short with the big hit when runners are in scoring position or on base period,” Crushers manager Cam Roth said. “They’re just having to play catch-up and it’s tough. They put pressure on themselves . ... It’s tough to win baseball games when you play like that. We didn’t deserve to win the last five games, realistically.”
With plenty of opportunities to score, the series finale turned out to be more of the same for a Crushers team who entered the game batting .175 with the bases loaded.
Lake Erie loaded the bases in the first inning, but with two outs, Bryan De La Rosa struck out to end the threat.
The Crushers left the bases loaded again the bottom of the third while a handful of base-running and fielding errors kept them from truly being competitive against the Grizzlies.
“It doesn’t help the situation,” Roth said. “That’s another thing of where you lose four games and you’re pressing with bases loaded that you have to get the job done. You’re tense, you’re anxious and then all of a sudden you start doing things you shouldn’t do and you’re not playing your game.”
Gateway did most of its scoring early and took a 5-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a two-out, three-run home run off the bat of Blake Brown.
The Grizzlies added three runs the following
half-inning but never needed more than a pair as the Crushers, despite tallying eight hits, couldn’t produce anything timely.
Crushers starting pitcher Oriel Caicedo (12) was pulled after three innings, having given up eight runs on seven hits and a walk. Caicedo didn’t receive nearly enough help, however, as his defense had three errors leading to only two earned runs of the eight surrendered.
“There wasn’t enough opportunity to squander the bad luck,” Roth said.
Lake Erie falls four games out of first place behind Washington (1 1/2 back) and East Division leader Joliet after having been tied with the Slammers for first less than a week ago.
The Crushers head off on a six-game trip starting with a three-game series beginning Aug. 3 at Florence before moving on to Windy City Aug. 7.