AtL Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

Blue Crabs Come Back, Defeat Riversharks

Published on July 29, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release


Camden, NJ-After much frustration over the first two weeks of the second-half of the season, the Blue Crabs got a much-deserved come-from-behind win, 7-6, over the Camden Riversharks on Friday night at Campbell's Field.

Of course it wasn't easy as the Riversharks scored five of the game's first six runs to take a 5-1 lead. Camden got a sac-fly in the first by third baseman Pedro Feliz for the game's first run, while the Blue Crabs came back with a sac-fly by second baseman Bridger Hunt to tie the game.

Camden surged ahead with a run in the bottom of the third on RBI single by Feliz following a 26-minute rain delay. The Riversharks then plated three more in the fifth on a solo homer by first baseman Brian Burgamy (12) and, later, a two-run triple by leftfielder Ruddy Yan who ended the series 6-10 with four RBI and three stolen bases.

From there however, Blue Crabs starter Virgil Vasquez would settle down and retire the next 10 hitters he faced to get through the seventh.

The Blue Crabs would claw their way back into the game with a three-run fifth. Hunt had an RBI groundout, which was followed by a two-out, two-run double from designated hitter Brian Barton to pull Southern Maryland to within 5-4. Barton then tied the game with a solo homer three innings later to lead off the eighth and tie the game 5-5. It was Barton's fifth homer of the season.

Later in the inning, the Blue Crabs got a single by first baseman Ben Harrison, which was followed by a sacrifice bunt from right fielder Adam Godwin, which was thrown away into centerfield by Camden reliever John Bale who tried to go to second to retire Harrison. The error allowed for Harrison to move to third and Godwin to second, which set the stage for shortstop Tanner Townsend who blooped a single into centerfield to give the Blue Crabs their first lead of the game at 7-5.

Feliz (9) kept the Riversharks close by belting a leadoff solo homer in the eighth to make the score 7-6, which chased Vasquez from the game. After an out, a single and a walk, Southern Maryland reliever Charlie Manning got pinch hitter Lloyd Turner to ground into a 5-4-3 double play and get the Blue Crabs out of the inning.

In the ninth, a one-out single and error put the tying run at second for Camden. But closer Jim Ed Warden got Yan to pop out and designated hitter Noah Hall to ground out to short to end the game and give Southern Maryland only their fourth win of the second half.

Barton led the way for Southern Maryland by going 3-5 with a homer, two doubles and three RBI. Townsend and third baseman Joe Jiannetti each had two hits, with Townsend knocking in the two go-ahead runs.

Camden got a homer and single from Feliz and Burgamy with Feliz driving in two runs. Centerfielder Jonel Pacheco went 2-4 with three runs scored, while Yan ended the night 2-5 with a triple and two RBI.

Vasquez (6-5) got the gutty win for the Blue Crabs as he wound up allowing six runs in seven innings of work. Bale (1-1) suffered the loss for Camden after giving up three runs in the eighth. The save for Warden was his 20th of the season.

Southern Maryland heads to York, PA to take on the Revolution in the first of a three-game series on Saturday at 6:30. The Blue Crabs will send righty Brian Slocum (3-4, 4.62 ERA) to the hill against southpaw Shaun Garceau (2-5, 5.91 ERA) for the Revolution. The game can be heard on www.somdbluecrabs.com.




Atlantic League Stories from July 29, 2011


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