AVON, Ohio — Erik Martinez retired 18 of the first 19 batters as the 2021 Frontier League Champion Schaumburg Boomers held off the Lake Erie Crushers to win the opener of a mid-week road series 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Martinez was staked an early lead as the Boomers scored in the first inning without a hit. Brett Milazzo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to account for the game’s first run. Martinez retired the first five batters of the game and then after a single from Kokko Figueiredo in the second, sat down the next 13.

The lead reached 2-0 with a run in the sixth when Milazzo tallied the third of four straight singles, but the Boomers left the bases loaded. Chase Dawson made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the seventh before Lake Erie plated a pair of unearned runs against Martinez in the seventh. The Boomers extended the lead to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the eighth, neither of which scored on a hit. Lake Erie’s Connor Owings hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth but Darrell Thompson was able to shut the door on the win, notching a strikeout to end the game.

Martinez worked seven innings and allowed just three hits with a walk and six strikeouts. Kristian Scott bridged the gap to Thompson with a scoreless eighth.

The Boomers logged 10 hits in the win as all nine slots in the lineup reached base. Milazzo drove home two while Dawson, William Salas, Clint Hardy and Thomas DeBonville all notched two hits. Hardy also drew a pair of walks as the Boomers walked seven times and were hit by a pitch on three occasions. Alec Craig walked twice and stole two bases.

The Boomers (17-21) continue the series tomorrow night at 6:00 pm with RHP Blake Stelzer (1-2, 4.00) on the mound against RHP Julio Vivas (1-5, 5.36). The team returns home for four days of fun on Friday to celebrate Independence Day including three fireworks nights. Tickets for the 2022 season are on sale now! Visit boomersbaseball.com.