(Sugar Land, TX., May 17, 2018) – The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (7-11) took game four against the Sugar Land Skeeters (11-6) 10-8, evening the series at two games each.

The Blue Crabs jumped out of the gate, taking a commanding lead in the top of the first inning. Johnny Bladel led off the game with a double, his first hit of the series, and Joey Wong walked right behind him. A double from Ryan Strausborger allowed Bladel to score, and put runners on second and third with still nobody out.  Back-to-back strikeouts followed, before an intentional walk to Devon Rodriguez loaded the bases. A walk to Cory Vaughn scored one, with a single from Austin Green adding two more to the total.

Sugar Land’s starter Tyler Badamo (1-3) was then removed from the game, but the bullpen immediately allowed a single to Edwin Garcia. The RBI hit scored Vaughn, and gave the Blue Crabs a 5-0 lead. After batting around, a strikeout finally ended the frame and sent Brandon Cumpton (2-1) to the mound for the first time on the night.

After a scoreless bottom of the first, the Skeeters began the fight back in the second inning. Courtney Hawkins drew a one-out walk, going around to third on a single from Barrett Barnes. Denis Phipps came through with a sacrifice fly, scoring Hawkins to get on the board. They continued on in the third, adding three more in that inning. A two-run homerun from Albert Cordero started the scoring, with a sacrifice fly from Barnes cutting the Blue Crabs lead down to just one run.

Southern Maryland responded in the top of the fourth, adding an insurance run to their lead. Garcia led off the inning with a single, but was caught stealing during Bladel’s at-bat. Bladel ended up replacing Garcia at first after he was hit by a pitch. A groundout moved him up to second, where he came around to score on a Strausborger single.

The offense continued on in the fifth, as the Blue Crabs added another pair of runs. Rodriguez walked to get a man aboard, scoring two batters later on a triple from Green. After a walk to Garcia extended the inning, Bladel drove in Green with a single. The Skeeters immediately responded in the bottom of the frame, as Hawkins singled in Cordero to put the score at 8-5 in favor of Southern Maryland.

After the bullpens trade two straight scoreless innings, Sugar Land got a run back in the bottom of the eighth. A walk to Barnes started the inning, with an error putting two men on. A fielder’s choice put runners on the corners with one out, setting up a sacrifice fly from Kyle Kubitza.

The Blue Crabs took their two-run lead to the ninth, and added two more to their total. Rodriguez doubled, with Vaughn reaching on a dropped third strike to extend the inning. A stolen base moved Vaughn to second, with a single from Green that scored both runners.

Those two insurance runs proved important in the bottom of the ninth, as Sugar Land fought back once more. A walk started the inning, before Cordero homered for a second time to cut the lead to just two. Another walk followed, before a fielder’s choice finally got the first out in the inning. A hit-by-pitch brought the winning run to the plate, leading to the move from the Blue Crabs to bring on Craig Stem (S,1). Stem got Phipps swinging for out number two, before a flyout to center finished off the 10-8 win for Southern Maryland.

The Blue Crabs return to action Friday, May 18th for game five of the seven-game road series against the Skeeters. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 P.M. on Friday at Constellation Field.

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.