AtL Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

Four Run Fifth Inning Propels Blue Crabs To Victory

Published on August 9, 2010 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release


In a rematch of the pitching duel that resulted in the Blue Crabs first no-hitter in franchise history on Wednesday in Newark, right-handers Bob Zimmermann and Joe Newby went head-to-head in the first of a four-game series Monday night at Regency Furniture Stadium. Both arms got off to a fast start, but the Blue Crabs broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth with four runs, erasing a 1-0 Bears lead.

Newark jumped on top in the first after Tim Raines Jr. led the game with a walk and a stolen base, later scoring with one out on a Brian Barton single. Newby and Zimmermann would lock horns from there, until the Blue Crabs touched up Zimmermann in the fifth. Catcher Christian Lopez reached on an error on shortstop Randy Gress to begin the half inning, and later scored after a bunt by second baseman Justin Armiger was thrown away by third baseman Randy Gress past Daryle Ward at first. After a single from leftfielder Shaun Cumberland at the top of the order, Crabs first baseman Casey Benjamin drilled a three-run homer to right field (15) to break the 1-1 tie, putting Southern Maryland ahead 4-1.

That would be the final inning for Zimmermann (loss, 1-3), who tossed five, allowing six hits and four runs, three of which were earned. He struck out six, walking two. Newby (win, 5-3) would toss one more inning than his counterpart, allowing just the one earned run on three hits, in the encore after tossing eight no-hit innings on Wednesday. He struck out three, walking just one.

The Blue Crabs tacked on another run in the seventh, after Benjamin smoked a one-out double over Barton's head in left. After advancing to third on a groundout by DH Matt Craig, Benjamin (3-for-5) scored on a Travis Garcia RBI single. Garcia currently leads Southern Maryland in RBI with 56. An inning later in the eighth, the Crabs wrapped up their night offensively with a two-out Justin Armiger double that rolled down the leftfield line, and Armiger would score on a Cumberland RBI single a batter later for the 6-1 final.

Newark relievers Drew Coffey and Willie Banks gave up each run, respectively. Blue Crabs lefty and former Tampa Bay Ray and Atlanta Brave Jeff Ridgway struck out three batters in the ninth to close it out.

At 62-39, the first place Blue Crabs maintain the best overall record in the Atlantic League and are a season-high 23 games over .500. They also hold the circuit's best second-half record as well at 21-10.

The Blue Crabs will be back in action Tuesday evening at Regency Furniture Stadium, in game two of this four-game series against Newark, continuing a seven-game homestand. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with RHP Mike Loree (4-8, 5.79) on the mound for Newark, against LHP Craig Anderson (7-2, 3.86) for Southern Maryland.

Check out the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Statistics

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Atlantic League Stories from August 9, 2010


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