Skeeters Pinched by Blue Crabs, 8-5
Published on May 30, 2012 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release
SUGAR LAND, Texas - Southern Maryland (16-17) used a four run third and two run sixth to beat the Sugar Land Skeeters (15-17) on Wednesday night in front of 6152 fans at Constellation Field.
The Skeeters started the scoring for the first time in the series in the first inning off starting pitcher Deinys Suarez (1-2). Bubba Bell got the start as the designated-hitter after suffering his ankle injury four nights ago and stuck a single up the middle for the first hit of the game. Jason Botts grounded into a fielder's choice in the very next at-bat, but third baseman Matt Padgett threw wide of second trying to get Bell. Instead, the Skeeter's DH skipped to third putting runners on the corner with one out after the error. Ofilio Castro walked to load the bases allowing Josh Pressley to come to bat. Pressley nailed a curve ball deep to left field hitting the manual scoreboard scoring two runs to put the Skeeters up 2-0.
The Blue Crabs came back in a big way in the fourth. Ryan McKeller (1-4) made his seventh start of the season for Sugar Land, but for the second time in the home stand left after four innings. He started the inning off with a walk to Blue Crabs center fielder Jeremy Owens. In a last minute change to the lineup, Manager Patrick Osborn inserted left fielder Richard Giannotti into left field and into the nine-spot, and it paid off. He smacked a triple into the left center field corner scoring Owens from first to inch the Blue Crabs closer, 2-1.
The big inning continued after. Mike Daniel singled in the tying run from third to even the score at 2-2. Paco Figueroa was hit by a pitch on the hands putting runners on first and second, and Casey Benjamin capitalized with a two-RBI double pushing the Blue Crabs into the lead, 4-2.
The visitors managed one more run in the fourth to make the score 5-2 off an Owens triple and Giannotti double, but the Skeeters brought one back in the fifth off a fielder's choice from Castro with Bell on third. That made the score 5-3, but in the sixth, the Blue Crabs tagged reliever Sean Morgan for two runs, one off a wild pitch, to increase the lead to 7-3.
The Blue Crabs scored one more run in the ninth from a Matt Padgett RBI-double to make the score 8-3. Jim Ed Warden, responsible for the collapse in game one, came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth faring only slightly better. Drew Locke started off the inning with a single, and after a Bubba Bell fly-out to center, Botts smacked his second double of the game and fifth of the series into right-center scoring Locke from first. The Skeeters inched closer with the 8-4 scoreline. Pressley struck out looking, but Manny Mejia made a contribution with his first RBI of the season on a single into right scoring Botts from second, 8-5. However, Ryde Rodriguez grounded into a fielder's choice allowing Padgett to step on the bag at the hot corner for out number three.
Skeeters Bites: Jason Botts extends his hitting streak to 11 games, one shy of the franchise record...Botts also leads the league in RBI (27), 2B (13), Total bases (87), and extra base hits (22). Will Startup has thrown five innings of no-hit ball in his last four outings....The first 2,000 fans will receive a Skeeters Frisbee presented by ABC Home and Commercial Services. There will also be a special appearance by Frisbee, ABC Home and Commercial Services bed bug sniffing dog!
First pitch for the conclusion of the home stand and series against the Blue Crabs is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT before the team heads on the road for the third time this season.
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