The game start time was delayed by an hour due to rain and then amounted to the Otters’ first three hour nine-inning game of the season, ending past 11 PM local time. The loss meant Evansville suffered their first time being swept this season.
Trailing 4-2 in the top of the eighth, the Otters mounted a rally. John Dyer led off with a base hit. Jake Green would later follow with a single and Bryan Rosario walked to load the bases.
Noah Myers grounded a ball to the Crushers’ second baseman, who threw the ball away – scoring two runs to tie the ballgame.
The Crushers responded in the bottom of the eighth. A leadoff base hit started the inning. The Crushers runner stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. A two-out wild pitch scored the game-deciding run.
The story early in the game was one-run innings. Jomar Reyes answered the Crushers’ first run of the game with a 351 foot solo home run to left field in the second inning. Evansville took a temporary lead on a Dakota Phillips RBI single in the third.
Lake Erie tied the game with a run in the bottom of the third before taking the lead with one run in the fourth and adding insurance with a run in the sixth.
James Krick provided key relief for the Otters, pitching a scoreless seventh inning. Jhon Vargas took the loss for Evansville, allowing three runs over four and two-thirds with four strikeouts.
Evansville received hits from eight different players and worked six walks but left 11 runners stranded.
Evansville returns home this weekend for a three game series with the Windy City Thunderbolts before the All-Star Break. Friday night’s first pitch is slated for 6:35 PM CT as part of Old National Bank Employee Appreciation Night.
All home and road Otters games this season are televised on FloSports with audio-only coverage available for free on the Evansville Otters YouTube page.
The Evansville Otters are the 2006 and 2016 Frontier League champions.
