AtL Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

Crabs Roast Ducks

Published on September 22, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release


Central Islip, NY - The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs used clutch two-out hitting, and great relief pitching on Thursday night as they picked up an 8-6 win over the Long Island Ducks at Bethpage Ballpark. The win tied the best-of-five Liberty Division Championship Series at one game apiece.

Southern Maryland started the scoring in the first. With no one on and two out, designated hitter Brian Barton singled then scored from first on a double from third baseman Travis Garcia. Garcia went to third on an errant throw to the plate by Ducks shortstop Javier Colina. He came home as right fielder Ben Harrison reached on a throwing error from third baseman Matt Padgett. It was the second of two errors in the inning for Long Island.

The Blue Crabs added two more runs in the second as a two-out, two-run double by Barton extended Southern Maryland's lead to four. In the third, the visitors went back-to-back as leftfielder Kody Kirkland (1) and shortstop Tanner Townsend (1) each went deep on a solo homers over the leftfield wall to give Southern Maryland a 6-0 lead. The back-to-back homers chased Long Island starter Josh Banks from the game.

Reliever Ruddy Lugo entered for the Ducks but couldn't stem the tide as an RBI double from centerfielder Adam Godwin gave the Blue Crabs a 7-0 advantage. All rallies for the seven runs for Southern Maryland began with two-out and no one on base.

However, the Ducks came storming back in the bottom-of-the-third as they batted around and scored four runs. With runners at the corners and one out, leftfielder Kennard Jones singled in a run to put the Ducks on the board. After a walk loaded the bases, Colina forced a walk off of Southern Maryland starter Ben Moore, which brought in a run and made the score 7-2. Designated hitter John Rodriguez followed with a ground ball to first, which was thrown away by first baseman Casey Benjamin on a fielder's choice attempt at second. The play allowed two runs to score and brought Long Island to within 7-4 of the Blue Crabs.

Things stayed that way until the sixth when the Ducks posted two bases-loaded walks from Blue Crabs' reliever Charlie Manning to pull to within one. The walks were garnered by pinch-hitter Matt Esquivel and right fielder Kraig Binick as Southern Maryland allowed three bases-loaded walks for the game.

Manning was pulled from the game with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth, which is where the game turned. Reliever Eduardo Morland entered the contest and promptly got a strikeout of Jones and a fly out by second baseman Ray Navarrete to get out of the inning and keep the Blue Crabs ahead 7-6. Morlan was brilliant as he retired all eight men he faced in 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. He also struck three.

The Blue Crabs scored a much-needed insurance run in the eighth inning as second baseman David Espinosa drove in a run with a fielder's choice to second to make the score 8-6.

From there, closer Jim Ed Warden came into the game and with two men on and two men out was able to get Rodriguez to ground out to the catcher to end the game.

Strangely enough, the Blue Crabs outhit the league's top offensive team for the second straight night as they received 12 base-knocks to Long Island's eight. Barton led the way by going 3-5 with a two-run double and a run scored. Godwin finished 2-5 with a double, RBI and run, while catcher Christian Lopez continued his good work by going 2-5 with a double and two runs scored.

The Ducks got two hits, an RBI, and a run apiece from Binick and Jones for the evening.

Moore (1-0) struggled but got the win for the Blue Crabs after allowing six runs on six hits in 5.1 innings. He also walked three and struck out seven. The loss went to Banks (0-1) for Long Island as he allowed six runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings of work.

The series will now shift to Waldorf, MD as the Blue Crabs and Ducks will do battle in game three of their best-of-five series at Regency Furniture Stadium on Friday with first-pitch scheduled for 7:05. The Blue Crabs will send right-hander David Trahan (1-0, 2.84 ERA) to the hill against fellow-righty Bob Zimmermann (2-2, 4.41 ERA). The game can be heard on www.somdbluecrabs.com.

Check out the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Statistics

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Atlantic League Stories from September 22, 2011


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