Boomers top Crushers
AVON, Ohio - The Schaumburg Boomers received contributions all over the field in tallying a 13-2 win over the Lake Erie Crushers on Wednesday night in Ohio.
Schaumburg scored a pair of runs with two outs in the first inning and never looked back. Chase Dawson stroked his 13th triple of the year as he continued his early assault on the record books, knocking home William Salas. The triple marked the first for the Boomers in seven games. Brett Milazzo singled home Dawson two batters later.
The first inning runs were more than enough for Blake Stelzer, who carried a shutout into the eighth. Stelzer allowed two hits in the first inning and then did not surrender another until the eighth. The righty retired 13 straight at one point and faced the minimum from the end of the first until the first batter of the seventh. Stelzer walked one and struck out seven in eight innings to nab his second win.
The offense continued to add to the lead, putting two more on the board in the second and one in the fifth to lead 5-0. The Boomers pulled away late, opening a 9-0 lead behind three runs in the eighth. After Kenen Irizarry broke up the shutout in the eighth, Jordan Wiley announced his presence in a big way. Wiley, who arrived at the ballpark in the sixth inning, connected on a pinch-hit grand slam in the top of the ninth, just the second in franchise history. The other belongs to Lake Erie hitting coach James Keller. Michael Slaten finished off the win.
The Boomers drew 11 walks and finished with 15 hits. Dawson finished with four hits and scored three runs. All nine members of the lineup reached base. Salas scored four runs. Alec Craig walked twice and has drawn multiple walks in five straight games while reaching base in 15 straight. Cris Ruiz walked in the eighth to extend his on-base streak to 14 while Milazzo owns a nine-game hitting streak. The wins marked the first back-to-back victories since May 29 and 31 as the Boomers won a series for the first time since taking two-of-three from Tri-City May 27-29.
The Boomers (18-21) conclude the series tomorrow night at 6 p,m. aiming for the sweep with RHP Shumpei Yoshikawa on the mound against former Schaumburg hurler LHP Gunnar Kines. The team returns home for four days of fun on Friday to celebrate Independence Day including three fireworks nights.