Waldorf, MD. May 21 — The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (13-17) fell short in the series finale of their three-game series against the Bridgeport Bluefish (18-13), with Bridgeport walking off in the ninth by a score of 7-6.
The ball was jumping off the bats all day long in Bridgeport, and it got started early for the Bluefish against Southern Maryland’s starter Brian Grening. A two-out homerun from Jonathon Galvez scored Sean Burroughs and Jose Cuevas, putting the Bluefish ahead 3-0 in the second inning. The Blue Crabs responded in the top of the fourth, hitting a two-run shot of their own. After an error allowed the leadoff man, Edwin Garcia, to reach base, Michael Snyder hit his second homerun of the series. Cory Vaughn crossed the plate three batters later, scoring from second on a Devon Rodriguez single.
Bridgeport extended their lead in the bottom of the inning, when Galvez hit his second three-run homerun of the day. This one brought across Jose Gil and Cuevas, bringing the lead to 6-3. Snyder cut into the lead once again, hitting his second homer of the day, a two-run shot in the eighth off Bridgeport’s starter Cory Riordan. The homerun was Snyder’s sixth of the season, and his second multi-homer game this year.
Riordan was lifted after walking the next batter, as Bridgeport turned to their closer David Carpenter to record the four-out save. Carpenter (1-1) got out of the eighth inning, but gave up a run in the ninth to tie the game at 6-6. Rodriguez continued his hot streak at the plate, hitting his first homerun since joining the team, and picking up his fourth multi-hit game of the week.
The Blue Crabs turned the tie game over to reliever Rob Carson (2-2), to work the bottom of the ninth. Carson gave up two singles, before an error at third loaded the bases for Bridgeport, with just one out in the inning. Cuevas was next to bat, hitting a flyball to deep center, giving Alberto Callaspo enough room to tag up and score the winning run. The sacrifice gave the Bluefish a walk-off win in the game, and a 2-1 win in the series.
The loss drops the Blue Crabs to 13-17 on the season, and is their second series loss in a row. The team has now lost six of their last seven games. They will look to turn things around Monday, May 22nd, as they open a four-game home series against the Lancaster Barnstormers. Southern Maryland will send RHP Gaby Hernandez (1-0, 3.27 ERA) to the mound, looking to take the series opener. He will matchup with Lancaster’s LHP Nate Reed (0-0, 3.80 ERA), in his third start in a row against the Blue Crabs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 P.M. on Monday at Regency Furniture Stadium.