(AVON, OH) - The lead changed hands four times at All Pro Freight Stadium on Sunday afternoon, but the Gateway Grizzlies pulled away in the ninth, completing a sweep of the Crushers, with a 5-4 victory.   

The Crushers (7-14) have now lost four in a row, and fall to 1-11 at home with the loss while the Grizzlies (10-11) have won three straight since losing five in a row.

Both teams plated a pair of runs in the first inning.  Antone DeJesus was on first base when Jerod Yakubik stroked a single through the right side of the infield.  Robbie Kuzdale's throw from right field toward third in an attempt to get DeJesus, ended up in the first row of seats, allowing DeJesus to score.  Jon Myers then belted an RBI single to cap the two run inning.

The Crushers answered in the next half inning.  Kuzdale walked, and moved to second on Adrian Ortiz's base hit.  Andrew Davis then belted an RBI single to cut the deficit in half.  Kellen Kulbacki hit a fly ball to right field, that landed between Casey Allison and right and Jonathan Johnson at second.  Davis was thrown out at second on the play, but Ortiz scored to tie the contest.

Lake Erie then took its only lead of the series, when Kulbacki smashed his first homerun of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead.  It would only last for a half inning, as the Grizzlies tied it up in the top of the fifth on Yakubik's RBI single. 

Gateway took their second lead of the contest in the top of the sixth inning, as Vladimir Frias, Chris McClendon and Mike Schwartz hit three consecutive singles to start the inning.  Schwartz's base knock scored Frias to give the Grizzlies a 4-3 advantage. 

The Crushers plated their final run in the bottom of the eighth.  Davis walked with one out, and made his way to third on Russ Moldenhauer's double down the right field line.  Kulbacki brought in his third run of the game, grounding out to second, scoring Davis in process.

Allison walked at the start of the ninth inning, made his way to second after Jonathan Kountis (0-1) plunked Justin Dunning with a pitch, and advanced to third on Johnson's sacrifice bunt.  DeJesus knocked in the eventual game winning run, on a sacrifice fly.

Paul Tremlin (2-0) retired all four batters he faced and secured the victory for the Grizzlies, while Kountis took the loss, allowing a run on no hits in the ninth inning.

Kulbacki went 1-for-3 on the night, and drove in three of Lake Erie's four runs, while Ortiz and Brian Erie both posted multi-hit games.  Kuzdale went 0-for-3, which brought his eight game hitting streak to a close.

The Crushers will begin a three game series against the Washington Wild Things at All Pro Freight Stadium on Monday night.  Left hander Josh Rickards (1-0, 4.61) will start for the Crushers, and the Wild Things will counter with right hander Justin Hall (1-2, 5.32). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
sports@lakecounty-sentinel.com or follow Us on Twitter @SportsSentinel also check out our Indians Nation Fan Page 

POSTED 06/10/2012  22:14