Knight Slays The Ducks
Waldorf, MD – Dusten Knight (W, 1-2), a right-handed starting pitcher for the Blue Crabs blew away the Long Island Ducks’ batsmen this evening time and time again. With the strikeout pitch as his weapon of choice, Knight fanned nine batters, allowing just four hits in eight and one third innings on the way to a Blue Crabs 2-1 win over the Ducks.
The offense was limited as pitching prevailed for either side through the better part of the contest, Knight and the starter for the Ducks, Darin Downs (L, 3-3) combined for 11 strikeouts, five hits allowed, and didn’t issue a single walk through the first five innings.
The only run that came in the early stages was from a Blue Crabs’ batsman. For the second night in a row, in his first at-bat of the contest Cory Vaughn smoldered a pitch over the left field fence. Each time it was the first Southern Maryland run of the contest, the only difference being that tonight Vaughn gave the Blue Crabs the lead, 1-0.
Both Knight and Downs continued to dominate their competition, as they combined for 18 strikeouts, one walk, and six hits through seven and a half innings of baseball. That point in the game would be the end of the evening for Downs. Despite getting the loss, Downs’s only mistake was a fastball he left over the plate for Vaughn in the second.
The biggest sources of offense were the final two half innings. Four of the combined ten hits in the game came in those frames. This night was very different from last night, a game that saw 13 runs and 22 hits in the first four innings played. Tonight’s high octane innings were the bottom of the eighth inning and the top of the ninth. In the eighth, Tony Thomas blasted a solo shot over the BurchOil Mini Monster, a crucial run that provided Southern Maryland with a 2-0 cushion.
After recording an out in the top of the ninth, Knight finally allowed a run, it was a solo shot from L.J. Mazzilli that cut the Blue Crabs lead in half. The Southern Maryland closer, Mat Latos (S, 14) then entered the contest, and while the Ducks put up a scare by putting a runner on second base, Latos closed the door on the Ducks, securing a 2-1 Blue Crabs victory.
The Blue Crabs will return home tomorrow, Tuesday August 7th for the third of a four game set with the Long Island Ducks, and a 11:05 AM first pitch.
Catch all Blue Crabs home games on the Blue Crabs Broadcast Network, live streamed on YouTube (@SOMDBlueCrabs) Facebook (@SOMDBlueCrabs) and Twitter (@BlueCrabs).
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, in their 12th season of baseball, call Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Maryland home. For more information on the Blue Crabs, please call 301-638-9788 or visit http://www.somdbluecrabs.com for 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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