(Waldorf, MD., Apr. 29, 2017) – The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (5-4) picked up their first road win in dramatic fashion on Saturday, beating the Bridgeport Bluefish (5-4) 6-4 in extra innings.
The Blue Crabs fell behind early, as starter Brian Grening gave up four singles in a row to start off the bottom of the first, plating two early runs for the Bluefish. A Jonathon Galvez homerun in the second inning extended Bridgeport’s lead to 3-0. The Blue Crabs were able to respond in the top of the third, after Ryan Wiggins led off the inning with a double, later scoring to cut the lead to 3-1.
Back-to-back doubles from Michael Snyder and Cory Vaughn put another run on the board for the Blue Crabs in the fourth, bringing the Bridgeport lead to just one. Southern Maryland was able to tie the game in the top of the sixth, as a Patrick Palmeiro double scored Zach Cone, and ended the day for Bridgeport’s starter Chris Rearick.
Bridgeport responded, quickly regaining the lead in the bottom of the inning. A Sean Burroughs doubled with one out, before advancing to third on a wild pitch and scoring on a Jose Gil single. However, with one out in the top of the seventh inning, Danny Muno hit his first homerun as a Blue Crab, tying the game for Southern Maryland. Reliever’s Rob Carson and Jesse Beal (1-0) threw one inning each, and were able to keep the game tied 4-4, taking it to extra innings.
Palmeiro got the tenth inning started for Southern Maryland, reaching on an error by the Bluefish shortstop Yefry Reyes. Edwin Garcia attempted to sacrifice him over to second, but another error by Bridgeport put runners on first and second with nobody out for Wiggins. Another sacrifice attempt from Wiggins led to another error from the pitcher Frank DeJiulio Jr., his second in a row, and brought home Palmeiro from second. A Gary Brown sacrifice fly brought home Edwin Garcia for the second run of the inning, bringing the Blue Crabs lead to 6-4.
The Blue Crabs turned the game over to closer Cody Eppley (S,3) to shut the door in the bottom of the tenth. Eppley gave up a two-out single, but got the leadoff hitter Ozney Guillen to ground out to Garcia at short, ending the game and finishing off the first road win and extra inning win of the year for Southern Maryland.
The Blue Crabs road-trip continues tomorrow, as they will face Bridgeport in the series finale. The Blue Crabs will look to win the series sending RHP Austin Fleet to the mound (0-0, 5.40 ERA) for his first start of the season. He will faceoff RHP Charles Brewer (1-0, 0.00 ERA) for Bridgeport. First pitch is scheduled for 1:12 at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard.
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.
