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Sports

Lake Erie Crushers Swept Out Of Playoffs

Crushers' 5-2 loss at home Saturday ends 2011 season

The ' remarkable run is over.

Avon's pro baseball team lost to the visiting Joliet Slammers, 5-2, Saturday night at as the Slammers completed a three-game sweep in the Frontier League's Eastern Division playoffs.

"I just told the guys that this was a special group," disappointed Crushers manager John Massarelli said after delivering a brief end-of-season talk to the team. "I'm not one to have long goodbyes, but these guys are different. I've been fortunate to have some good teams and had some success. I've never had a group of guys like this who battled like they did."

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The squad, which moments before had trudged to the clubhouse, broke into applause in the locker room.

"I told them that Ruben (Flores) had his contract bought by the (Boston) Red Sox," Massarelli said.

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Flores worked two perfect innings of relief, striking out four. The right-hander had 21 saves during the regular season. Overall, including three scoreless innings in the playoffs, Flores compiled a 2.12 ERA and struck out 81 in 59 1/3 innings.

"I would not be surprised to see him go to the (Class AA) Eastern League and then see him in Fenway Park next season," Massarelli said. "He has the tools to be next Frontier League player in the major leagues."

Getting players back on track is always one of Massarelli's goals. Flores' success could be a good recruiting tool for the Crushers next season as they gain the reputation for being a well-run franchise. Before the game, Crushers vice president Dan Helm accepted an award from the league proclaiming Lake Erie the top organization for 2011.

Massarelli was proud of the Crushers' determination in battling back from a season-low 7-17 record on May 15 to go 33-20 the rest of the way and make the playoffs. It wasn't easy. They needed to win their final game of the regular season, on the road, and in extra innings, to do it.

There wasn't much magic remaining in the post-season, especially with star infielders Andrew Davis and Jodam Rivera out with injuries. Davis' offense was particularly missed. He finished second in the league in batting (.339) and RBI (87) while hitting a team-high 12 homers.

"That's like the (New York) Yankees going into the first round without Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter," Massarelli said. "It's a different level, of course, but then again it's not. They're the heart and soul of your team. Other guys tried their best against a really good team.

"We were close, but it was like I told them, we were going into a gunfight with a big knife. They (the Slammers) didn't walk all over us."

Joliet, which won the regular-season crown in the East, won the first two games of the series at home, 5-2 and 3-1. Slammers pitchers held Lake Erie hitless into the sixth inning on Saturday, though the Crushers drew a few walks and had early opportunities to score. Lake Erie's nine strikeouts negated its eight walks, however.

"We got good pitching throughout the series, but they matched it," Massarelli said.

Trailing, 4-0, the Crushers tried to rally against Joliet starter Jeremy Tietze in the sixth. Jereme Milons drew a leadoff walk and was safe at second when Patrick Norris got credit for an infield hit on a ball that was dropped bobbled by the second baseman. Milons later scored on a sacrifice fly by Kellen Kulbacki.

Joliet made it 5-1 in the top of the seventh before the Crushers rallied again in the bottom half against reliever Billy Petrick. Brian Erie and Chris Luick drew leadoff walks and Kyle Boe beat out a nubber down the third-base line for a bases-loading single.

Milons then lined a 1-1 pitch right at the center fielder that turned into a sacrifice fly, scoirng Erie to make it 5-2. Norris was called out on strikes to end the threat.

"Milons crushed that ball and if it finds the gap, it's a 5-4 game there and who knows?" Massarelli said.

It didn't and the 2011 version of the Crushers couldn't match Lake Erie's magical run to the 2009 championship.

"We'd like to thank our fans," Massarelli said, pointing out that support from Avon residents and surrounding communities has helped the Crushers become established in three quick seasons.

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