Lancaster, PA. – The MLB-Atlantic League partnership, and the rule changes thereof continue to make drastic impacts on the game of baseball. The Lancaster Barnstormers and the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs met for the series finale of a three game set, but the story line leaving today’s game was the one hour, fifty-nine time frame that the contest took place in, ending in a 3-1 Barnstormer victory.
The Blue Crabs have seen the impacts of the pace of play rule changes, such as the implementation of disallowing mound visits and shortening the amount of time between innings all year long.
The average MLB game this year has lasted three hours and seven minutes. When considering the longest game that Southern Maryland has played this year lasted just three hours and twenty minutes, it is evident that the game is evolving before our eyes.
It didn’t hurt that the Blue Crabs had their ace, Daryl Thompson (L, 2-4) on the mound who allowed just one run in his first seven innings pitched. Thompson’s counterpart, Kyle Davies (W, 3-1) allowed just one run in his eight innings of work as the pitcher’s duel had the final say. Nonetheless, considering that this is not the first time that the Atlantic League has seen a game under two hours this season, and the fact that there has been a game even shorter than Sunday’s remarkable contest, the pace of play initiatives have exerted undeniable influence on the future of America’s pastime.
Southern Maryland struck first in the ballgame, plating their lone run of the affair in the second inning thanks to a Tony Thomas groundout that was accompanied by an RBI.
Lancaster matched the Blue Crabs in the bottom half of the inning on a solo home run from K.C. Hobson, his eighth of the season.
The scoring subsided for the majority of the game as two MLB veterans duked it out. Despite earning the quality start, giving him 61 quality starts since the beginning of 2015, Thompson would fall on the sword in a pitcher’s duel, as a two run eighth inning from the Barnstormers’ bats would have the final say in the 3-1 ‘Lancaster victory.
The Blue Crabs will return home Friday, June 7th for the final game of the homestand, and it’ll be Girl Scout Night/Sleepover and Glow in the Park Night at Regency Furniture Stadium, with the first pitch at 6:35 PM.
Tune into all Blue Crabs home games on YouTube (@somdbluecrabs) or on Facebook (@somdbluecrabs).
About the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
The Blue Crabs play 140 regular season games in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Clubs. The Blue Crabs call Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Maryland home. The 12th franchise season will begin April 2019. For more information on the SOMD Blue Crabs, please call 301-638-9788 or visit http://www.somdbluecrabs.comfor more information.
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
With eight teams in the Mid-Atlantic and Texas, the ALPB is a leader in baseball innovation and a player gateway to Major League Baseball. Through its exclusive partnership with MLB, the Atlantic League tests Major League Baseball rules and equipment initiatives. The Atlantic League has sent over 900 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 40 million fans to its affordable, family-friendly ballparks throughout its 22-year history.For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.
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