Southern Maryland Blue Crabs defeated the Bridgeport Bluefish 8-7

Bridgeport 1 0 1 0 0 5 0 0 0 – 7 12 1

S Maryland 1 0 1 2 0 0 3 0 1 – 8 15 1

WP: J. Warden (2-0)

LP: T. Harris (1-2)

S: None

Attendance: 3,915

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs defeated the Bridgeport Bluefish 8-7 with a walk-off single by Jose Salas in the bottom of the ninth inning tonight at Regency Furniture Stadium. After playing a game of back-and-forth ball through the midway point of the game, the Bluefish would break away by scoring five runs in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead. Southern Maryland would quickly answer back however, as their three-run seventh kept the game locked at seven. The Blue Crabs would then blank the Bluefish in the eighth and ninth, as Southern Maryland managed to get runners in scoring position for Salas who sealed the deal with a single to left field in the bottom of the inning.

With Southern Maryland ahead 4-2 heading into the sixth the Bluefish would gain momentum by taking advantage of the Blue Crabs bullpen in the top of the frame. Blue Crabs manager Patrick Osborn would turn to relief pitcher Kyle Mertins halfway through the sixth inning, but starting pitcher Daryl Thompson, Mertins and Beau Vaughan, who would also make an appearance in the sixth would combine for five runs, four hits and three walks in the inning as Southern Maryland trailed 7-4. The Bluefish’s bullpen would have trouble of their own in the seventh however, as a bad throw by Bridgeport’s catcher Yusuf Carter on a dropped third strike would leave Blue Crabs Jose Julio-Ruiz safe at first with one out. Relief pitcher Mickey Jannis would then allow three runs to score off of two hits, while walking one as Brandon Jones, Wladimir Sutil and Renny Osuna all picked up RBIs with the game locked at seven after seven. The game would remain scoreless until the bottom of the ninth inning when outfielder Cyle Hankerd came to the plate with his hitting streak on the line. Hankerd would single and be replaced in favor of pinch runner Jeremy Owens. Catcher Alvin Colin would then hit a single, moving Owens to third. Two batters later Salas would slice a single down the third base line in left field to edge the Bluefish 8-7.

UP NEXT – Southern Maryland will remain home Wednesday before heading on the road to face the Bluefish for a single game at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard. The Blue Crabs will then go on to Bethpage Ballpark to face the Long Island Ducks for the second time in two weeks. Fans can tune into the Blue Crabs live