AtL Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

The Curse Is Broken

Published on August 24, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release


Central Islip, NY - The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs finally came away with their first win at Bethpage Ballpark this season as Southern Maryland defeated the Long

Island Ducks 13-10 on Tuesday night. The game lasted a season-high three hours and fifty-two minutes.

For the second consecutive night, the Blue Crabs struck first as designated hitter Brian Barton (8) belted a two-run homer in the first inning to give Southern Maryland

a 2-0 lead. Long Island answered Barton's homer with a two-run shot from second baseman Ray Navarrete (21)n the bottom of the first to tie the game.

The Blue Crabs would take the lead for good by scoring three runs in the second. After a throwing error by Ducks starting pitcher Mark Diapoules on a sac-bunt by

shortstop Bridger Hunt put runners at second and third with no one out, catcher Christian Lopez doubled in two runs to give Southern Maryland a 4-2 lead. Lopez

then went to third on a passed ball, then scored on a wild pitch by Diapoules to make the score 5-2.

Southern Maryland then added to the lead by scoring four in the third. After loading the bases with no one out and chasing Diapoules from the game, Hunt greeted

Ducks reliever Chris McCoy with a bloop double down the right field line before Lopez hit a sac-fly to center to increase the Blue Crabs' lead to six. Centerfielder

Adam Godwin followed that up with an RBI single to give Southern Maryland their biggest lead of the game at 9-2.

Long Island tried to creep back into the game by pushing single runs across in the third and sixth innings. Catcher J.R. House had a RBI double in the third, while

centerfielder Kraig Binick (3) went deep with a solo homer to cut the Southern Maryland lead to 9-4.

The Blue Crabs scored in the seventh on a sac fly by Godwin before the Ducks roared back with three runs in the bottom-half. Shortstop Javier Colina (19) led off the

frame with a solo homer, which was followed by RBI singles from first baseman Freddie Thon and Binick to cut Southern Maryland's advantage to three.

First baseman Casey Benjamin (12) and third baseman Travis Garcia (14) went back-to-back on solo homeruns to lead-off the eighth inning and push the Blue Crabs'

lead back to five at 12-7. The Ducks wouldn't go away, however, as a three-run dinger by right fielder Matt Esquivel (12) pulled Long Island to within two at 12-10.

But that was as close as the Ducks could get as a ninth inning RBI single by second baseman Brandon Pinckney scored the game's final run to give the visitors the 13- 10 win.

The teams combined for 25 hits, 13 of them belonging to Southern Maryland. The Blue Crabs got three hits from Lopez who doubled, singled twice, scored two times

and drove in three runs. Godwin, Barton, and Harrison each had two hits, while Hunt scored three times to aid the Blue Crabs' cause.

Long Island got a homer and single apiece from Navarrete, Esquivel, and Binick with Navarrete and Esquivel each scoring twice. Esquivel led the way with three RBI,

while third baseman Matt Padgett chipped in with a 2-5 performance including a double.

Jason Waddell (4-7) got the win in relief for the Blue Crabs and Diapoules (7-2) took the loss for Long Island after allowing eight runs on four hits in two-plus innings of

work.

The Blue Crabs will face the Ducks in the finale of their three-game series on Wednesday at 7:05. The Blue Crabs will send right-hander Eddie Rodriguez (6-4, 4.45

ERA) to the hill against fellow-righty Joselo Diaz (5-7, 6.90 ERA) for the Ducks. The game can be heard on www.somdbluecrabs.com.

Check out the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Statistics

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Atlantic League Stories from August 24, 2011


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