Blue Crabs Crush Bluefish 8-1 in Series Finale

The Blue Crabs tied a season high with four home runs as they crushed the Bridgeport Bluefish 8-1 in the series finale on Thursday night, May 27 at Regency Furniture Stadium.

RHP Connor Robertson (1-0) made his first start of the year and earned the win, pitching five shutout innings and striking out four to lower his ERA to 0.52. Meanwhile, Bluefish right-handed starter Kevin Mannix (3-2) got shelled, allowing five runs in three innings of work and was tagged with the loss.

The Blue Crabs took a 2-0 lead in the second when second baseman Kody Kirkland hit a two run homer into left-centerfield, scoring first baseman Eric Crozier. Crozier led off the inning with a double, and advanced to third on a sac bunt by centerfielder Jeremy Owens. Robertson was lights out, retiring the Bluefish in order in the first and second before working around consecutive singles in the third. In one stretch, he set down seven batters in a row. The Blue Crabs crushed three of their four home runs in the third, beginning with rightfielder Shaun Cumberland, who led off inning with his first homer of the season.

Later in the inning, third baseman Patrick Osborn and Crozier went back-to-back with home runs to left and rightfield, respectively. For Osborn, it was his third of the year, while Crozier now has six homers, tying him with Matt Craig for the team lead. Left-handed reliever Jeff Ridgway came in for Robertson in the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings. The Crabs’ bullpen was superb, as Ridgway and right-handers Ryan Speier and Jim Ed Warden tossed a combined four innings and allowed just one run. The Blue Crabs tacked on three more runs in the seventh, putting the game out of reach. Osborn, Crozier, and pinch hitter Daisuke Yoshida all scored.

The Blue Crabs return to action on Friday night, May 28 as they travel to Suffolk County Sports Park in Central Islip, New York to begin a three-game series with the Long Island Ducks. Blue Crabs RHP Kenny Rayborn (2-2, 6.83) will face fellow righty Rick Bauer (1-3, 5.81) for the Ducks. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.