Bridgewater, NJ – In the first two games of a four game set between the Blue Crabs and the Somerset Patriots, pitchers duels had become an expected occurrence. Wednesday afternoon, in the second game of the day, the theme of pitchers duels continued as one swing of the bat was enough to decide the contest as the Patriots took down Southern Maryland by a score of 1-0.
Michael Kelly (L, 1-3) got the start for the Blue Crabs, and he continued what has been a phenomenal string of games for the right-hander. Outside of one home run from the bat of Michael Crouse in the bottom of the third inning, Kelly was nearly perfect. The right-hander that is known for his fast paced style went right after Patriot bats all night long, allowing just three hits in six innings pitched. The one mistake that Kelly made would prove to be his downfall, as it ended as the only run of the contest.
Unfortunately for Kelly, the Patriots starter, Brett Oberholtzer (W, 3-1) was on his game as well. The MLB veteran southpaw didn’t skip a beat, as he would match Kelly step for step, allowing six hits and not a single run from the Blue Crabs bats.
Somerset called upon one of the most trusty closers in the Atlantic League in Mike Antononi (S, 13) to close the door on the Blue Crabs in the bottom half of the seventh inning, in what was a scheduled seven inning game. The right-hander got the job done, picking up the save in a slim 1-0 Somerset win to complete the sweep of the double header.
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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