Crabs Take Series
Published on July 6, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release
Waldorf, MD - The Southern Maryland offense continued its good work with 15 hits as the Blue Crabs finished their six-game home stand with an easy 10-2 win over the Bridgeport Bluefish on Wednesday afternoon at Regency Furniture Stadium in front of 2,043 fans.
Southern Maryland started the scoring early as they plated three unearned runs off of Bridgeport starter Pat Ryan in the first inning on RBI singles from third baseman Kody Kirkland, right fielder Ben Harrison and an RBI fielder's choice by shortstop Yunesky Sanchez to take a 3-0 lead.
Bridgeport got one back in the second on a sac fly by catcher Luis Rodriguez, before the Blue Crabs broke the game open in the fifth on a three-run homer by Sanchez (7) to give the Blue Crabs a 6-1 margin. The Bluefish added a run in the sixth on an RBI groundout from third baseman Luis Lopez to pull the Bluefish to within four.
But the day belonged to the Blue Crabs as a two-run homer by second baseman Casey Benjamin (7) in the bottom of the sixth increased the Southern Maryland advantage to 8-2. For Benjamin, it was his sixth homer in his last 10 games.
The Blue Crabs finished the scoring in the eighth on a sac fly from Kirkland and a RBI double from centerfielder Brian Barton to make the final score 10-2.
The Blue Crabs were buoyed by designated hitter Brandon Pinckney, who went 4-5 with a double and four runs scored, and a 3-5 effort from Sanchez who went 3-5 with a homer, double, four RBI and two runs scored. Benjamin chipped in with a 2-3 performance with a homer, two RBI and three runs scored, while Kirkland, Harrison, and Barton had two hits apiece to aid the Southern Maryland cause. Kirkland had two runs driven in, while Barton and Harrison each had one RBI.
Bridgeport only had five hits for the ballgame, two of them by Lopez, who picked up his 500th hit as a Bluefish with a single in the third. He finished 2-4 with an RBI.
Blue Crabs starter Eddie Rodriguez (4-1) did another bang up job in getting the win as he went eight innings while scattering five hits and two runs.
He also walked four and struck out three. The loss befell Bridgeport starter Pat Ryan (3-5) who allowed six runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings of work. He also walked one and struck out five.
The Blue Crabs will finish the first-half of their season as they head to Camden, NJ for a three-game series with the Riversharks beginning on Friday at 7:05. The Blue Crabs will send righty Virgil Vasquez (3-5, 5.07 ERA) to the hill against a to-be-determined pitcher for the Riversharks. The game can be heard on www.somdbluecrabs.com.
Atlantic League Stories from July 6, 2011
- Riversharks Shutout by Barnstormers - Camden Riversharks
- Sanchez Named Player of the Month - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- Crabs Take Series - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- Eighth Inning Rally Leads Patriots to 4-3 Win - Somerset Patriots
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