wcthunderbolts.com

CRESTWOOD, IL – After losing a one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning, the ThunderBolts took just two pitches in the bottom of the inning to walk-off to a 5-4 victory on a Blair Beck home run that beat the Lake Erie Crushers at Standard Bank Stadium Saturday night.

The Bolts (12-25) took an early lead as Omar Obregon singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch in the first inning. Riley Krane led off the second with a double and Jonathan McCray singled him home to make it 2-0.

Sean Hurley hit a solo home run for Lake Erie (22-16) in the fourth inning to cut the ThunderBolts lead in half but the Bolts quickly responded as Beck hit his first of two homers in the game, making it a 3-1 score.

Devin Raftery, making his first career start for the Bolts, did not allow any other runs over five innings but did not factor in the decision as Lake Erie came back again. They got a run in the seventh when Bryan DeLaRosa doubled and scored on a groundout but Windy City came right back again as Matt Brown doubled and scored on an error.

Doug Trimble’s homer in the eighth cut the lead to 4-3 and the Crushers loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth. Aaron Hill tied it up with a sacrifice fly and they loaded the bases again before Drew Peden got an inning-ending groundout.

That set up Beck, who took an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall to end the game.

Peden (1-2) was the winning pitcher while Branden Nunn (0-2) allowed the walk-off to take the loss. 

The rubber match of the series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Zac Westcott (2-5, 3.38) takes the hill for the ThunderBolts. Lake Erie will counter with Alex Romero (3-3, 4.54). It is Family Day at Standard Bank Stadium, presented by JULIE and featuring a petting zoo courtesy of Animal Quest-Chicago. First pitch is at 2:05 and the radio broadcast can be heard on WXAV 88.3 FM and wxav.com.

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