Frontier League: Crushers' winning streak snapped ... suddenly

AVON — For the first time this season, Lake Erie got a taste of the Frontier League's new sudden-death rule. It was a bitter one. Tied with Gateway after 10 innings, the Grizzles managed to score the walk-off run on an Andrew Penner single in the 11th for a 2-1 win at Mercy Health Stadium on Saturday night. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Crushers. The Frontier League's sudden-death rule creates a unique situation in which the visiting team can win in a walk-off. After 10 innings, the home team calls a coin toss. The winner of the toss either chooses offense — with a runner on first base — or defense. If the offense scores, that team wins. If the defense holds, they win. It's the second straight year the league has used an unconventional tiebreaker after the 10th inning. Last year games were decided by a home run derby. Given that their pitchers combined for 10 innings of one-run ball, the Crushers chose defense. But a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt set Penner up with runners in scoring position and one out. "I like it a whole hell of a lot better than the home run derby," Lake Erie manager Cam Roth said of the new rule. "I think we keep the baseball aspect intact and fans like to see that. The manager and the coaching staff are able to implement some strategy. If I had to do it 50 times all over again, I'd choose defense." Crushers starter Joe Sgambelluri faced the minimum through four innings thanks to a caught stealing while allowing just one hit. He ran into trouble in the fifth when Gateway led off with back-to-back hits and Sgambelluri hit Clint Freeman to load the bases. Lake Erie (22-28) ultimately traded two outs for a run and Sgambelluri stopped the threat by inducing a fly out to center. He gave the Crushers seven strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits, no walks and one hit batter with five strikeouts. "Sgambelluri threw the hell out of the baseball today," Roth said. "I'm just impressed with the game plan that (catcher Casey) Combs and him had. With the wind blowing in, I thought he threw 80 percent fastballs. But hats off to them, as well, that's what you have to do in a game like this." J.P. Williams kept the Crushers off the board through seven innings, allowing 10 baserunners — six hits, three walks and one hit batter — with three strikeouts for Gateway (26-25). Lake Erie had its chances to break open the game, but left 11 on base to the Grizzlies' four. Lake Erie finally got on the board when Sam Gardner relieved Williams and Jackson Valera crushed a solo home run over the left field wall, tying the game. "He's come up clutch so many times," Roth said of Valera. "He's been clutch for us the whole year." Gateway went quietly in the ninth, but the Crushers had a golden opportunity to end the game in regulation. Kemuel Thomas-Rivero walked and Austin White reached on a grounder into left. Combs bunted the pair into scoring position, but Sean Cheely grounded out and Kenen Irizarry struck out. The Grizzlies ran themselves out of the 10th after Cesar Trejo got caught in a rundown when Jackson Pritchard couldn't get a squeeze bunt down. Combs made a nice fake throw to second, causing Trejo to come farther then ran him down for the second out. Curtis fanned Pritchard to end the inning, but Lake Erie left two on with one out in its half. Contact Chris Sweeney at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. Follow him @CSweeney1686 on Twitter.