The Somerset Patriots were 7-3 victors over the Blue Crabs on Sunday night, Sept. 13, in Southern Maryland, as the teams split a four-game series this weekend at Regency Furniture Stadium.
After Somerset jumped out to a 3-0 lead, the Blue Crabs would tie the game before the Pats pulled away for the win. Somerset remains the only team in the league with a better win-loss record (81-51) than Southern Maryland (75-56).
There are just nine games remaining now in the 2009 regular season, as the Blue Crabs prep for their first playoff appearance with the best of five Atlantic League Division Series set to begin at Regency Furniture Stadium on September 24.
The Patriots jumped out to the early lead by posting a single run in each of the first three innings. RBI singles by Noah Hall and Elliott Ayala, and a solo home run to left field from Jeff Nettles (15) made the score 3-0 Somerset before the Blue Crabs got on the board in the fifth.
The Crabs would tie the game at three with a solo home run from John Ramistella (22) to left to lead off the fifth, and Cesar Nicolas followed suit with a leadoff homer of his own in the sixth, his first dinger and RBI as a Blue Crab. Southern Maryland found the equalizer later that inning, on a Ramistella RBI single following a Jeremy Owens walk. That would be it for Southern Maryland offensively however, as the Patriots pulled away in the seventh and eighth.
Each starter went six innings, with right-hander Kip Bouknight (6-8) earning the win for Somerset. He scattered seven hits, with three walks and five strikeouts, and all three runs were earned. Lefty Keith Ramsey was a no-decision for the Blue Crabs, allowing nine hits, three earned runs with a walk and four strikeouts.
Hall began the seventh with a leadoff triple, and came in to score on a sacrifice fly to centerfield from Nilson Teilon to put Somerset back on top 4-3. The Pats would plate three more in the eighth with the help of three Blue Crabs walks, as Hall drove in a run with a bases loaded walk, which was followed a batter later by a two-run single with the bases loaded from Nettles.
Righty Matt Righter (0-2), was the losing pitcher in relief for the Crabs, allowing the eventual winning run in the seventh. The Blue Crabs will next be in action Monday evening at home at Regency Furniture Stadium in Southern Maryland, for the first of a four-game series with the Newark Bears. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.