Beach Bums sweep Lake Erie

FROM STAFF REPORTS

August 31, 2009 07:15 am

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TRAVERSE CITY -- The Traverse City Beach Bums turned solid pitching and timely hitting into a doubleheader sweep of the Lake Erie Crushers at Wuerfel Park on Sunday.

Brian Lapin singled in the winning run in the eighth inning as the Beach Bums won the Frontier League opener 2-1.

Traverse City (41-48) used a three-run fifth to capture the nightcap 4-1. It was the first doubleheader sweep of the season for the Beach Bums.

Traverse City trailed 1-0 in the seventh inning of the opener when Mike Epping hit a 2-1 pitch off Lake Erie starter Cardoza Tucker over the right field fence for his ninth homer of the season -- and his club record 17th as a Beach Bum.

In the eighth, Andrew Franco walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Lapin's single.

David Nathanson tossed 7.1 innings, allowing one run on eight hits. The run came in the second on singles by Eddie Tisdale, Arden McWilliams and Wayne Bond. Nathanson struckout five.

B.J. Hagen (1-2) earned the win in relief.

The Beach Bums had just five hits, two by Lapin. Michael Campbell reached base four times on a single and three walks.

Lake Erie jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the nightcap as well by scoring an unearned run in the fourth.

Campbell evened the score with a solo homer in the fourth. It was his third of the season.

Traverse City then pushed three runs across in the fifth to win it. Mike Victor led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice and then took third on Jorge Araiza's single. Brandon McArthur's infield single snapped the tie and then Brad Miller plated Araiza with a single to center. A delayed steal of home accounted for the final run in the inning.

David Dinelli (3-5) went five innings, surrendering one run on six hits. He picked up the win. Ryan Kruszka and David Hurst each pitched a shutout inning of relief. Hurst registered his fifth save.

The Beach Bums will entertain the Midwest Sliders of Ypsilanti tonight in the start of a three-game set. Jason Kiley (6-8, 5.00) will pitch for Traverse City. He'll be opposed by former Beach Bum Jon Haldis (3-3, 4.37).

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