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AtL Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

Patriots Walk-Off in Series Finale

July 26, 2018 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release


(Bridgewater, NJ.) - The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (6-9) dropped the final game of the series against the Somerset Patriots (14-3) 4-3, with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th serving as the walk-off winner.

The Blue Crabs got the offense going early with three runs in the top of the first inning. Ryan Strausborger and Edwin Garcia led off the evening with back to back singles. Teodoro Martinez kept it going with a double that brought home Strausborger to open the scoring on the night. The Blue Crabs kept the early scoring going when Frank Martinez scored Garcia on a fielder's choice. The Blue Crabs wouldn't stop there, as on a Devon Rodriguez double play, Teodoro Martinez scored from third base, to give the Blue Crabs a 3-0 lead.

Southern Maryland's southpaw Drake Britton allowed two runners to reach base through his first two innings on the mound, but neither would come around to score. The Blue Crabs lead diminished in the bottom of the third inning when the Patriots' Mike Fransoso drew a leadoff walk. Fransoso would later steal second, and subsequently advance to third base on a Britton balk. He would then score on an Alfredo Rodriguez groundout, cutting the lead to two.

After a scoreless fourth, the Patriots worked their way back to even things up in the fifth. Matt Oberste led off the inning with a single, and the next batter Mike Blanke blasted a two-run homerun to tie the ballgame. Britton was able to work his way out of the fifth, in what proved to be his final inning of the day. However, Blanke's first homerun of the season tied the game at 3-3 heading to the sixth.

On the other side of the ball, Somerset's starter Vince Mollesky settled in after a rocky start. The right-hander allowed five hits over his final five innings, holding the Blue Crabs scoreless. Mollesky was lifted after six innings of work with both teams handing the tie game to the bullpens.

First out of the bullpen for Southern Maryland in his Blue Crabs debut was left-hander Tommy Shirley. The reliever was able to quiet the Somerset lineup just when their bats were heating up, tossing two strong innings. Shirley blanked the Patriots in the sixth and seventh, allowing just two hits and striking out three.

Both teams stranded runners in the eighth, sending the 3-3 game to the ninth inning. Both bullpens worked 1-2-3 innings in the ninth to send it to extras, the second extra-inning affair between the two teams in the five-game series.

After a scoreless top of the tenth, Somerset set up a walk-off opportunity in the bottom half of the inning. Fransoso got it going with a single, stealing second and moving to third on a wild pitch. Back-to-back walks followed, loading the bases with nobody out but setting up a force out at home plate. A popup retired the next batter, before Alfredo Rodriguez would send a flyball to deep center. The ball was caught for the second out, but proved deep enough to score Fransoso and end the game in a 4-3 Somerset victory.

The Blue Crabs return to action Friday, July 27th for the series opener against the Long Island Ducks. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 P.M. on Friday night at Regency Furniture Stadium.

For more information on the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, or to reserve your seat today for any of the Blue Crabs upcoming home games, please visit our website at somdbluecrabs.com or call us at 301-638-9788.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 26, 2018


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