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AtL Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

Road Warriors Rally in the Ninth to Avoid Sweep

September 2, 2018 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release


(Waldorf, MD.) - The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (19-30) lost the series finale against the Road Warriors (10-41) 8-6, rallying for three in the bottom of the ninth.

The Road Warriors wasted no time getting the offense going, scoring a run in the top of the first. Osvaldo Martinez led off the game with a double, before Casey Delgado retired the next two batters. A two-out single from Jose Ruiz would bring home Martinez, giving the Road Warriors and early 1-0 lead.

The lead didn't last long, as the Blue Crabs grabbed it in the bottom of the first. After two quick outs for Kelvin Villa, the southpaw issued a walk to Devon Rodriguez. Back-to-back doubles followed, as Frank Martinez drove in both Rodriguez and Jon Griffin to take a 2-1 lead. Two more walks from Villa loaded the bases, before he got out of the inning with his second strikeout of the frame.

The offense kept going in the second, as the Blue Crabs added four more in the inning. A strikeout started that inning, before Ryan Strausborger and Edwin Garcia both put up singles off Villa. Rodriguez followed with a third straight single, bringing Garcia home from second. Two batters later a triple from Martinez scored both runners, with Martinez adding the fourth run of the inning when he came across on a wild pitch.

The Road Warriors got on back in the third, with Osvaldo Martinez reaching on a dropped third strike to start the frame. A walk followed that, before a double play put two away but moved Martinez up to third. Ruiz would come through once again with a two-out hit, easily scoring Martinez to make the score 6-2.

A pair of scoreless innings ensued, before the Road Warriors continued the trek back with three in the top of the sixth. Daniel Aldrich led off with a single, moving to scoring position when Ermindo Escobar was hit by a pitch. Matt Hibbert followed that with a three-run homerun, his first homerun of the season, to cut the lead to one run.

The bullpen took over for each side after the top of the sixth and were effective to start their nights. Luis Cruz ran into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh, as a pair of singles from Frank Martinez and Nina started his night. A walk two batters later loaded the bases with one out, but the lefty got a double play to strand the bases loaded and keep the game even at 6-5.

Southern Maryland stranded two more on base in the eighth, sending the one-run game to the ninth for closer Cody Eppley. After 11 pitches, Eppley hit the first batter of the inning, sending Anthony Ray to first as the tying run. A diving catch in left field saved extra bases and put an out on the board, but a walk moved Ray up to second. A single from Edwin Gomez brought home Ray to tie the game, before Ruiz put the Road Warriors ahead with another single that scored Melvin Rodriguez. Gustavo Pierre added a sacrifice fly, scoring Gomez to cap off the three-run inning.

The two-run lead was handed to Julio DePaula (S,1) in the bottom of the ninth, looking to hold on and avoid the sweep. Nina greeted the reliever with a single up the middle, bringing the tying run to the plate. A flyout and a fielder's choice put Craig Maddox at first with two away, with a single from Jose Gonzalez extending the game back to the top of the lineup. DePaula got a groundout from Strausborger, escaping the inning and closing out the 8-6 comeback win for the Road Warriors.

The Blue Crabs return to action Tuesday, September 4th for the series opener against the Sugar Land Skeeters. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 P.M. on Tuesday 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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