Waldorf, MD – The Blue Crabs took on the York Revolution, one of the hottest teams in the Atlantic League, in the first game of a three game series. Daryl Thompson (W, 4-6), the starting pitcher for Southern Maryland, pitched seven dominant innings, allowing only six hits and one run. Thompson put on a show as his terrific performance led to a series opening 5-1 victory.
The Blue Crabs started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Corey Walter (L, 1-3), York’s starting pitcher, ran into trouble with one with out in the frame. Southern Maryland had runners on first and second when Edwin Garcia drove a single into center field, scoring Frank Martinez and giving the Blue Crabs a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the third inning, Wellington Dotel led off Revs frame with a walk. The next batter, Justin Trapp, tripled on a ground ball down the left field line, scoring Dotel to tie the game. Thompson would settle down from there, not allowing Trapp to score the go-ahead run for the Revs thanks to a laser throw by Southern Maryland center fielder Cory Vaughn pegging out a runner heading home.
With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the third, the Blue Crabs rallied. After Joe Benson worked a walk, Jose Julio-Ruiz singled to right field. With two runners on base, Charlie Valerio roped a triple down the right field line, scoring Ruiz and Benson, putting the Blue Crabs up 3-1.
Southern Maryland struck again in the bottom of the fourth inning. Tony Thomas led off the frame with a walk before Edwin Garcia ripped a single into left field. With runners on the corners and no outs, Kent Blackstone singled on a sharp ground ball into right field, scoring Tony Thomas to give the Blue Crabs a three run advantage.
The score remained 4-1 going into the bottom of the eighth inning. Charlie Valerio hammered the first pitch of the inning over the left-center field fence to give the Blue Crabs a 5-1 edge. Valerio finished the game a double shy of the cycle.
Holding a four-run lead to start the ninth inning, Southern Maryland turned to Mat Latos. After two days off, Latos reigned supreme yet again, pitching a 1-2-3 inning on ten pitches. The former Cy Young candidate has pitched 13 consecutive hitless innings, and his ERA fell to 0.87. The Alexandria native’s appearance capped off a 5-1 victory over the Revolution, as the Blue Crabs are now within a game of notching their fifth series win in six tries.
The Blue Crabs will return home tomorrow, June 25th, for game two of a three game set against the York Revolution, with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.
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