News
RECAP | Home runs prevail again as Otters outlast Crushers
6/17/2022
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The Evansville Otters hit five home runs Friday, including two each from Miles Gordon and Dakota Phillips, to prevail to a 12-10 win against the Lake Erie Crushers and extend the Otters' winning streak.
Evansville starting pitcher Austin Gossmann saw threats early, but worked out of multiple jams, allowing a pair of runs in the top of the second inning.
Evansville answered in the bottom half of the second, scoring on a wild pitch and on Dakota Phillips' two-run home run.
The 3-2 Otters lead was expanded in the third, as Miles Gordon hit a no-doubt solo home run to right.
Lake Erie got Gossmann for one more in the fourth on an RBI single by Austin White.
Evansville took control in the fifth, scoring on back-to-back RBI plays from Steven Sinsley and J.R. Davis. Right after, Elijah MacNamee hit a three-run home run. Dakota Phillips made it back-to-back with a solo home run - his second home run of the day.
The Otters walked out of the fifth with an 11-3 lead, but Lake Erie wasn't done yet.
The Crushers grabbed a single run in the seventh, coming after an error on Davis at third, Evansville's lead was cut to 11-4.
Once again, White cashed in for Lake Erie, bringing in a pair of runs in the eighth on a double.
The Otters snagged an insurance run in the eighth as Gordon hit his second home run of the night, extending the lead to 12-6.
The final push from the Crushers came in the ninth as they chased Samson Abernathy from the game before he could record an out. Before his exit, Connor Owings hit a three-run home run to bring Lake Erie within three.
After bringing in Logan Sawyer, the Crushers snagged one more run but were left hanging two runs short, 12-10.
The win went to Austin Gossmann, his second of the year. Julio Vivas received the loss, his fourth in 2022. Logan Sawyer grabbed the save in relief, his league-leading 10th of the season.
Both Phillips and Gordon hit multiple home runs in Friday night's game. Every Otter starter recorded a hit in the game except Jeffrey Baez.
Despite winning the game, Evansville was outhit 15-11 in the contest. With the win, the Otters have won seven straight games and are now 8-3 in series openers.
The series continues Saturday for Superhero Night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
The Evansville Otters are the 2006 and 2016 Frontier League champions.
The Otters play all home games at historic Bosse Field, located at 23 Don Mattingly Way in Evansville, Ind. Stay up to date with the Evansville Otters by visiting evansvilleotters.com, or follow the Otters on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more information, visit evansvilleotters.com or call (812) 435-8686.
