(Waldorf, MD., May 6, 2017) – The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (8-8), won game two of their three-game road series against the Long Island Ducks (8-8) 8-5, behind two homeruns from their first baseman Michael Snyder
The Blue Crabs got on the board early, putting up a run in the top of the first inning. Gary Brown singled to right field to lead off the game, and scored when Danny Muno followed him with a double in the right-center field gap.
Southern Maryland’s starter, Gaby Hernandez, struggled for the first time this season, giving up the lead in the bottom of the first. Hernandez, who entered with the third lowest ERA in the Atlantic League, gave up a two-run homerun to Angelo Songco, putting the Ducks up 2-1 early. Long Island extended the lead in the third, when Songco scored Delta Cleary Jr. for the second time in the game, this time on a single to right.
The Blue Crabs cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the sixth, when Zach Wilson hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot off of Long Island’s starter John Brownell. After a scoreless seventh inning, the Blue Crabs bats exploded in the top of the eighth, scoring five runs off of former Cy Young winner, Eric Gagne (0-1). Cory Vaughn led off the inning with a single, before Michael Snyder put Southern Maryland ahead, 4-3, with a two-run homer to left field. After an error in left field put Zach Cone aboard, Jose Lozada picked up his first RBI of the season with a single to score him. Gary Brown closed the scoring in the inning on a triple that plated both Lozada and Patrick Palmeiro, giving the Blue Crabs a 7-3 lead.
Long Island cut the lead back down to 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh, as Songco and Marc Krauss hit back-to-back homeruns. Snyder gave the Blue Crabs an extra insurance run in the top of the ninth, hitting an opposite field shot for his second homer of the night. Manager John Harris once again turned to his closer, Cody Eppley (S,6), to shut down the game in the ninth inning. Eppley worked his second one, two, three inning in a row, to close his second save of the series and give Southern Maryland a 2-0 lead in the series.
The Blue Crabs return to action Sunday, May 7th in the series finale of the three-game series on the road against the Ducks. Southern Maryland will send RHP Justin De Fratus (2-1, 1.30 ERA) to the mound, looking for their first sweep of the season. He will face-off against Long Island’s RHP Matt Larkins (0-0, 2.70 ERA), in his third start of the season for the Ducks. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 P.M. on Sunday at Bethpage Ballpark.
For more information on the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, or to reserve your seat today for any of the Blue Crabs upcoming home games, please visit our website at somdbluecrabs.com or call us at 301-638-9788.