Skeeters Take a Heartbreaker
Waldorf, MD – Following back-to-back extra inning victories, the Blue Crabs saw a game slip through the cracks today. Southern Maryland stranded 11 runners on base, with many of them in scoring position. Two times the good guys had the tying run on base with one or less outs, and ended the inning with consecutive strikeouts. The Skeeters took one from the Blue Crabs, winning by a tally of 3-2.
Kyle Simon (L, 3-8) got the start for the Blue Crabs and fresh off a pair of starts that he allowed one combined earned run in, he struggled in the top of the first this evening. The right-hander plunked the leadoff man Rico Noel, and the next batter Cody Stanley hit a tailing fly ball to left field that dinged off the foul pole to put the Skeeters up 2-0 early.
After leading off the first, second, and third innings with singles and not putting up any runs to show for it, the fourth inning began without a leadoff baserunner. Nonetheless, the fourth inning would prove to be the most threatening to that point in the contest. The Blue Crabs loaded the bases with just one out, but the Skeeters’ starter Dallas Beeler (W, 7-4) struck out back-to-back batters to strand three and keep the Crabs at bay.
In the bottom of the fifth Southern Maryland finally broke through. Rubi Silva led off the inning by singling on a grounder that ricocheted off of second base, and Kent Blackstone drove him in on an RBI double. Joe Benson came up next and roped a single into right field to bring home Blackstone shaving the Skeeter lead to a narrow 3-2 margin.
In the bottom of the eighth, Southern Maryland had yet another terrific opportunity. Cory Vaughn singled, and a Skeeters error put runners on the corners with no outs. After committing said error, Jeff Ames came back to strike out back-to-back-to-back batters to keep the Skeeters ahead at a score of 3-2.
Nick Rumbelow (S, 6) pitched in the very first game of the 2019 MLB season as a member of the Seattle Mariners, but is now the closer for the Sugar Land Skeeters. He shut the door on the Blue Crabs in a devastating 3-2 defeat.
Simon rebounded by tossing eight terrific innings, allowing just five hits and three runs, but nine Blue Crabs hits led to just two runs through eight innings.
The Blue Crabs will return home tomorrow, Tuesday August 13th for game two of a four game set with the Sugar Land Skeeters, and a 6:35 p.m 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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