Sports
Eric Gonzales-Diaz Pitches Lake Erie Crushers to Big Win over Traverse City
Crushers beat Beach Bums to widen lead for playoff spot
Eric Gonzales-Diaz pitched seven solid innings, and Travis Risser and Ruben Flores did the job in relief, as the won the opener of a critical series against the Traverse City Beach Bums, 4-1, Tuesday night in Traverse City, Mich.
With the win, the Crushers (41-37) expanded their lead over the Beach Bums for the final Frontier League Eastern Division playoff spot to 1 1/2 games.
The loss was the fourth straight for the Beach Bums (40-39).
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Gonzales-Diaz (2-0, 1.50 earned run average) allowed one run on eight hits, while striking out six and walking one. Risser pitched two-thirds of an inning with one strikeout. Flores pitched 1 1/3 innings to get his 16th save of the season.
Brian Erie had three hits and an RBI for the Crushers. Robbie Kuzdale had two hits and scored a run. Andrew Davis added two hits and an RBI, his 68th of the season.
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The Crushers and Beach Bums play again at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday. Josh Roberts (8-5, 4.37) starts for the Crushers.
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