The Blue Crabs closed out a four-game series with Lancaster on Sunday at Regency Furniture Stadium, picking up their third straight win. Lancaster (28-31) jumped out to a quick three-run lead in the top of the first. Michael Woods hit an RBI triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly.
Gerard Haran capped off the first inning for the Barnstormers with a home run to left field. Haran then scored in the third inning after reaching base with a double to increase the lead to four runs. However, the lead evaporated in the fourth inning when the Blue Crabs (36-23) put six runs on the board against Lancaster starter Jason Scobie.
Jeremy Owens led off the inning with a homerun. Four more hits and a sacrifice ground-out accounted for five more Blue Crabs runs as they batted around in the inning and put Scobie out of the game. Bicondoa then gave up two runs in the top of the fifth inning, to tie the game back up, before being pulled as well.
Neither pitcher got a decision in the game. Bicondoa went 4.1 innings, giving up 6 earned runs on 8 hits and 3 walks. Scobie pitched 3.2 innings, allowing 6 runs with 4 earned, on 6 hits and 3 walks.
The Blue Crabs retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning on an Octavio Martinez single that scored Jermy Acey. Acey continued to be a run producer as he hit a two-run homerun the next inning to give the Crabs a three-run lead. Edward Rodriguez (2-1) pitched solid relief innings for the Blue Crabs, retiring the first eight batters he faced. In 3 innings of work, Rodriguez picked up the win, allowing no runs on 1 hit with 2 strikeouts.
Matt Hensley picked up a four-out save, his fourth of the season, to preserve the Blue Crabs 9-6 win. Southern Maryland remains five games ahead of Long Island with 11 games to play in the first half. The Blue Crabs magic number for a first-half title and playoff spot is 7.