Game Recap

Y’alls’ Bats Power Series-Tying Win

FLORENCE, KY – The Florence Y’alls (35-51), presented by Towne Properties, used an offensive breakout to score a 12-4 victory over the Lake Erie Crushers (34-52) and even their series at one game apiece.

After pitching dominated the first game of the series, both the Y’alls and Crushers saw their offenses take off to begin Game 2. In the first inning, the Crushers scored first off Florence starter Bobby Brabrand (6.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K). A one-out walk to third baseman Kenen Irizarry put a runner aboard for first baseman Josh Rego, who came to the plate with two outs to swat a two-run home run to dead center field. In the home half of the first inning, Florence plated a run off of former Y’all and Lake Erie starter Jonaiker Villalobos (3.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K). Third baseman Brian Fuentes hit a one-out ground rule double into deep center before center fielder Ray Zuberer drove him home with a two-out RBI double. After one inning, Florence trailed 2-1.

The Y’alls tied the game in the second with an RBI groundout off the bat of left fielder Lane Hoover that scored shortstop Ed Johnson from third base. The Y’alls then dialed up their offensive pace with multi-run rallies in the third and fourth innings. In the third, Ray Zuberer’s sacrifice fly to score Brian Fuentes from third and a two-RBI triple off the bat of catcher Nick Wimmers gave the Y’alls two more runs and a 5-2 lead. In the fourth, Florence scored three more when Zuberer hit a three-run home run to give the Y’alls an 8-2 advantage.

Lake Erie answered with two runs in the fifth when center fielder Jack Harris reached second on a leadoff error, moved to third on a passed ball, then scored on a sacrifice fly from shortstop Jarrod Watkins. Four batters later, Kenen Irizarry brought in another run with a bases-loaded walk, but Lake Erie would strand the bases loaded and come no closer. The Y’alls tacked on two runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings and cruised to victory behind three scoreless innings of bullpen work from righthanders Aaron Rund and Nick Ernst.

The Y’alls and Crushers are now tied at a game apiece in the series. The third and deciding game of the series is set for Thursday, August 24th at Thomas More Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:34 p.m. ET.

The Florence Y’alls are Northern Kentucky’s professional baseball team, and are proud members of the independent Frontier League, an MLB Partner League. With a purposeful focus on entertaining our fans, the Y’alls provide affordable, family-friendly entertainment. Y’alls home games are played at Thomas More Stadium, located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, Kentucky. More details can be found online at florenceyalls.com (http://florenceyalls.com/) or by phone at (859) 594-4487.