Frontier League

 

ThunderBolts snap skid, beat Lake Erie

Bolts 6 Crushers 1

CRESTWOOD, IL - Coco Johnson’s four-RBI night propelled the ThunderBolts to a 6-1 victory over the Lake Erie Crushers at Standard Bank Stadium Tuesday night.

After a string of four straight losses, the Bolts (21-20) were picked up offensively by Keenyn Walker, Larry Balkwill and the aforementioned Johnson.

Each team threatened in the first two innings, but it was Windy City getting on the board first in the third. Walker launched a towering solo-home run over the right-centerfield wall to put the ThunderBolts ahead early 1-0.

Right-handed starter Clay Chapman (1-4) ran into trouble in the fourth after he allowed the first two batters to reach. The Crushers (16-24) quickly tied the game on a Cody Lenahan RBI groundout.

That would do it for Lake Erie with the bats, as Chapman pushed through six innings of work and allowed just the one run on six hits, while striking out six and walking three.

The score remained tied until the fifth inning where the Bolts finally broke through against Payton Lobdell (2-5). Ransom LaLonde and Blair Beck reached to begin the frame and with one out, Coco Johnson ripped a two-RBI double to give the ThunderBolts a 3-1 lead.

The scoring did not stop there. In the seventh, Windy City added some insurance. With Beck standing at second base, Johnson launched a blast over the left-centerfield fence to increase the Bolts lead to 5-1.

For good measure, Balkwill later doubled in Andrew Dundon to cap the scoring.

Seven of the 10 ThunderBolts in Tuesday’s affair reached base. Beck had a season-high three hit performance.

Windy City’s bullpen, which consisted of Josh Glick, Scott Kuzminsky and Brian Loconsole, allowed just one base runner over three innings of work.

The ThunderBolts will play game two of their three game series against Lake Erie on Wednesday night beginning at 7:05 P.M. The scheduled starters are right-hander Zac Westcott (4-3, 5.75) against right-hander Steve Hagen (3-3, 4.70). The game broadcast can be listened to through wcthunderbolts.com.  

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