(Waldorf, MD., Sep. 5, 2018) – The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (19-32) dropped the second game against the Sugar Land Skeeters (36-17) 9-5.
After a flyout started the game, the Skeeters got their offense started with back-to-back singles from Anthony Giansanti and Barrett Barnes. Juan Silverio followed that with a three-run homerun, opening the scoring on the night and giving Sugar Land an early 3-0 lead on Kyle Drabek (0-1).
Drabek retired the next seven batters he faced, before allowing a walk and a single with two outs in the third. The right-hander was then removed from the game, being replaced by Zac Westcott to make his debut with the team. Westcott got a groundout from the first batter he faced, finishing the inning and stranding the two inherited runners.
Pitching took over from there, as Westcott and Dallas Beeler (8-2) battled over the next few innings. Neither pitcher was willing to budge, as Beeler allowed just three hits through his first five innings, and Westcott allowed just one in his first three innings of relief. After a pair of quick outs started the top of the sixth inning, Sugar Land’s offense woke back up with a two-out rally.
Matt Chavez started the rally with a single, moving to scoring position on a hit-by-pitch of Derek Norris. Albert Cordero then doubled, bringing home Chavez for the first run of the inning. Daniel Robertson added a single after that, scoring Norris and Cordero to put the Skeeters ahead 6-0.
The Blue Crabs responded with one of their own in the bottom half of the inning, snapping the shutout from Beeler. A groundout started the inning, before a double from Ryan Strausborger put the first man in scoring position for the team on the night. A single from Edwin Garcia moved Strausborger to third, allowing him to score easily on a single from Devon Rodriguez.
The Skeeters offense wasn’t done though, as they added three more in the seventh. Giansanti led the inning off with a double, moving to third on a single from Barnes. A groundout from Silverio brought home Giansanti, with a Norris single scoring Barnes two batters later. A double from Cordero moved Norris around to third, allowing him to score on a wild pitch and make the score 9-1.
Southern Maryland got two back in the bottom half of the inning, rallying with two down in the frame. The two-out hits began with singles from Cory Vaughn and Craig Maddox, putting runners on the corners. Jose Gonzalez would follow with a triple, ending the night for Beeler. Reliever Kraig Sitton came on and stranded Gonzalez at third to maintain the six-run lead.
A scoreless eighth from both sides followed, sending the game into the ninth. Vincente Campos came on for Sugar Land in the bottom of the inning, getting an out to start his night. Angelys Nina then singled, moving around to third on a double from Vaughn. After a strikeout, Gonzalez came up with a double to score the pair and extend the game back to the top of the Blue Crabs order. Campos bounced back with another strikeout, finishing off the 9-5 win for the Skeeters.
The Blue Crabs return to action Thursday, September 6th for the series finale against the Skeeters. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 P.M. on Thursday at Regency Furniture Stadium.
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.