WALDORF, Md., May 11, 2025 — The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs defeated the Charleston Dirty Birds 3-2 in a closely contested Atlantic League of Professional Baseball game on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at Regency Furniture Stadium. The 2-hour, 45-minute game, attended by 2,876 fans under partly cloudy 79-degree weather, saw the Blue Crabs improve to 8-7, while the Dirty Birds fell to 5-10.
The Blue Crabs secured the victory with a late surge, driven by John Taylor’s solo home run in the seventh inning. Taylor, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, a single, and a run scored, was pivotal in the win. “BAT BRO BOMB PAST THE BATTER’S EYE! BLUE CRABS IN THE LEAD!” posted the Blue Crabs’ official X account during the game []. Rafi Vazquez earned the win, pitching two scoreless innings, while Andre Scrubb secured the save. Nathan Gilman took the loss for Charleston, allowing the decisive run.
The game remained scoreless until the third inning when Southern Maryland struck first. Cael Chatham doubled to right field and scored on Jackson Loftin’s single, giving the Blue Crabs a 1-0 lead. Charleston responded in the fourth when Zach Daniels hit a solo home run, tying the score at 1-1. The Dirty Birds took a brief lead in the fifth, capitalizing on a balk by pitcher John Kelly that allowed Demetrius Moorer to score, making it 2-1.
Southern Maryland leveled the score in the sixth. Alejandro De Aza reached base, stole second, and scored on Dondrei Hubbard’s single, tying the game at 2-2. Taylor’s seventh-inning homer provided the go-ahead run, and the Blue Crabs’ bullpen held firm, with Vazquez and Scrubb retiring the final nine Charleston batters.
The Blue Crabs outhit the Dirty Birds 8-4, with Loftin adding two hits and an RBI. Charleston’s offense struggled, leaving seven runners on base. Daniels led the Dirty Birds with a home run and an RBI, while James Nelson, JJ Matijevic, and Alsander Womack each contributed a hit. Southern Maryland’s defense, despite one error by Loftin, turned a double play and limited Charleston’s scoring opportunities.
Charleston’s starting pitcher, David Lebron, threw five innings, allowing one run on five hits with one strikeout. Southern Maryland’s Kelly pitched five innings, giving up two runs on four hits. The game’s turning point came in the seventh, as Gilman, relieving Seth Nightingale, surrendered Taylor’s homer, which proved to be the difference.
The series, part of a six-game set split between Charleston’s GoMart Ballpark and Waldorf’s Regency Furniture Stadium, has been competitive, with both teams entering with identical 20-22 records earlier in the season []. Fans can watch replays and follow live broadcasts on FloBaseball, the Atlantic League’s streaming partner []. The Blue Crabs’ victory strengthens their position in the South Division, while the Dirty Birds aim to rebound in upcoming games.
