Frontier League: Anthony Escobar throws seven dominant innings as Crushers blank Grizzlies

AVON — The Crushers got back above .500 Saturday with a dominant 4-0 win over the Grizzlies that moved them to 21-20 on the season. Lake Erie starter Anthony Escobar was fantastic, throwing seven shutout innings and allowing just three hits. Saturday's performance dropped his ERA to 1.46 and was a major bounceback from his last start, in which he allowed a season-high five earned runs against Brockton. "I think Anthony's one of, if not the best, pitcher in this league," Crushers manager Jared Lemieux said. "He's a tremendous ballplayer and he's got a great work ethic." Saturday was the sixth time in Escobar's nine starts this season that he went at least five innings and didn't allow an earned run. He leads the Frontier League in ERA by 0.34 runs and ranks second in innings pitched. "He's made every start for me since I signed him," Lemieux said. "He deserves to move up." While Escobar was shutting down the Grizzlies offense, the Crushers' bats got things started early, taking a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo home run from Jarrod Watkins, a much-needed boost coming off Friday's 4-3 loss. "Jarrod's the captain of our team, and he's had a tremendous start here," Lemieux said. "He's another kid who has been an all-star in this league for a long time, and I'm just happy to have him on my side." The Crushers broke it open with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Jordan Harrison-Dudley singled in the first run, then came around to score on a single from Jaiden Quinn before Watkins notched his second RBI of the night with a sac fly to right. Lake Erie sent all nine hitters to the plate in the fourth, and with the way Escobar was pitching, a four-run lead after four was all that was needed to lock up the win. "Jordan Harrison-Dudley came through with a big RBI there to get us moving," Lemieux said. "I'm expecting big things from him as he gets himself settled into the lineup here." Even after the win, the Crushers are just 10-14 in the month of June, but Lemieux thinks that Saturday could be a sign of things to come. "(Brandyn) Sittinger and (Michael) Brewer came in and did their jobs, and the defense played well, turned a couple double plays," he said. "We're locked in now, moving as a group, and it's good to see. Everybody knows their role, and tonight we were able to put it all together without making any mistakes." A win today would give the Crushers back-to-back series wins for the first time since the middle of May. Contact Will Cunningham at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.