(New Britain, CT., Jul. 14, 2018) - The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (3-2) took game two against the New Britain Bees (2-3) 8-4, moving them in to a tie for first in the Freedom Division second half standings.
The offense got going early in the night once again, as both teams put up runs in the first for the second consecutive night. Ryan Strausborger doubled to lead off the game for Southern Maryland, moving over to third on a single from Edwin Garcia. That set up Teodoro Martinez for a sacrifice fly, which brought Strausborger home from third to open the scoring.
New Britain didn’t stay down long, as they quickly responded with two of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Darren Ford started off the inning with a single, before Drake Britton (4-5) got a popup for the first out in the inning. Deibinson Romero then launched his 10th homerun of the season, a two-run shot the gave New Britain an early lead.
Southern Maryland bounced back immediately, scoring three runs in the top of the second. Josh Outman (2-3) walked two of the first three batters of the inning, putting two on with one out. A single from Garcia brought Austin Green home, before a third walk loaded the bases two batters later. Frank Martinez came through with a two-out single, scoring Strausborger and Garcia to grab a 4-2 lead.
The Bees got one back in the bottom of third, cutting the lead to just one run. Vincente Conde walked as the leadoff hitter in the inning, putting good speed aboard for New Britain. Conde stole second two batters later, before Brock Stassi singled to bring him home from second and make it a 4-3 game.
After a scoreless fourth, the Blue Crabs added another run to their lead in the top of the fifth. Devon Rodriguez led off the inning with a single, but was forced out on a fielder’s choice that put Cory Vaughn on first. Vaughn stole second to put himself in scoring position, where he would score on a two-out single from Angelys Nina.
After five innings from Britton, Southern Maryland turned their two-run lead over to the bullpen. The Bees immediately took advantage, putting up a run in the sixth. Romero led off with a single, moving to scoring position on a single from Matt Tuiasosopo two batters later. A fielder’s choice followed, putting runners on the corners with two outs, before a walk loaded the bases. Ryan Wagner was then hit by a pitch to bring home Romero, before a groundout ended the inning to strand the bases loaded and maintain a 5-4 lead.
Southern Maryland extended their lead back out to three with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth. Garcia got the offense going with a one-out double, his fourth hit of the game. After a lineout put two away in the inning, Jon Griffin came through with a single to bring Garcia around from second. Griffin advanced to second on the throw home while Garcia scored, allowing him to score also on a single from Frank Martinez.
The offense added another run to their total in the ninth, when Garcia picked up a fifth hit to bring Strausborger home from second. The 8-4 lead was then handed over to their closer Cody Eppley, looking to finish off his second straight game. Eppley allowed a leadoff single, before a double play and a strikeout finished off the win.
The Blue Crabs return to action Sunday, July 15th for the final game in the three-game series against the Bees. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 P.M. on Sunday at New Britain 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.
About the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
The Blue Crabs play 126 regular season games in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Clubs. The Blue Crabs play at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Maryland with affordable family fun. The franchise will begin its 11th season in April 2018. Please call 301-638-9788 or visit http://www.somdbluecrabs.com for more information.
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 38 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 900 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment.
For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.