The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs were on fire to start tonight’s ballgame, scoring six runs in the top of the first inning en route to a 7-4 victory over the Long Island Ducks. The Blue Crabs bats collected 14 hits in the first four innings in the victory.
In the top of the first inning, with two outs and nobody on, Jared Walker hit a solo home run off of Scott Harkin (L, 10-8). That would be the first nine consecutive hits the Blue Crabs mustered. From there, David Harris and Joe DeLuca singled before Zach Collier doubled down the right field line, scoring Harris to give the Blue Crabs a 2-0 lead.
The Blue Crabs added four consecutive RBI singles from there, as Santiago Chirino, Ryan Haug, Michael Baca, and Jack Sundberg each picked up a hit and an RBI, giving the Blue Crabs a 6-0 lead. The inning ended when Michael Wielansky singled to the left, but Michael Baca was thrown out at the plate, as that would have been the fifth consecutive RBI single.
In the fourth inning, with the Blue Crabs on top 6-1, David Harris added an RBI single into center field, scoring Michael Wielansky and giving the Blue Crabs a 7-1 lead. Harris’s hit was the team’s 14th of the night, but the bats did not muster another hit the rest of the way.
Alex Merithew (W, 8-3) got the start for Southern Maryland tonight. Merithew allowed only one run across the first four innings but ran into trouble in the fifth and sixth innings. He ultimately pitched five and two-thirds innings, allowing eight hits and four runs in the victory.
With the Blue Crabs ahead 7-4, Connor Law entered the ballgame in the sixth inning with two outs. Law retired the only batter he faced before Patrick Baker pitched a scoreless seventh inning. James Dykstra struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning, while Endrys Briceno (SV, 10) picked up the save in a 1-2-3 ninth inning, securing the 7-4 victory.
Santiago Chirino played in his first game with the Blue Crabs, notching two hits while playing strong defense at third base. Meanwhile, Michael Wielansky reached base four times at the plate, while David Harris had three hits in the ballgame.
The Blue Crabs return to Fairfield Properties Ballpark at 6:35 for game three tomorrow night.