Bolts move into wild card lead with wild comeback
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CRESTWOOD, IL – The ThunderBolts overcame a seven-run deficit to beat the Lake Erie Crushers 9-8 in their regular season home finale at Ozinga Field Thursday night.
Lake Erie (40-58) took the early lead when Jeron Williams drew a bases loaded walk in the second inning. They added a run in the second and two in the third as Pavin Parks picked up an RBI single.
The Crushers broke the game open in the top of the fifth. After loading the bases, Joe Redfield hot a three-run triple to extend the lead to 7-0.
The Bolts (54-45) didn’t get the offense rolling until the bottom of the fifth, when they began their comeback. With two on, Liam McArthur got on the board with a two-run triple. McArthur scored when Michael Sandle reached on an error and Jared Beebe’s sacrifice fly brought them to within three.
After Lake Erie added one more run, the Bolts sent ten men to the plate in the seventh. Justin Fogel brought home a run on a single and, with the bases loaded, Carlos Peña was hit by a pitch, making it 8-6. Victor Cerny brought home a run on a groundout and Tony Livermore tied it up with a sacrifice fly. Josue Urdaneta followed with an infield single and Peña scored all the way from second base for the winning run.
Matt Bohnert (4-0) picked up the win and Wesley Culley (1-4) took the loss. Justin Lovell earned his eighth save.
The win put the ThunderBolts into the lead for the final wild card spot with three games remaining in Florence. The winner of the series is guaranteed a berth in the playoffs. Ramon Rodriguez (2-4, 4.80) will be on the mound for the Bolts for the opener at Thomas More Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:03 CDT and the broadcast details can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.
