Subscribe
Community
Two out of three is not bad
Blue Crabs win two, lose series finale versus York
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by EMILY BARNES
Blue Crabs newcomer Jamar Hill doubles in the first inning of Friday's game, homers in Saturday's contest.
|
E-Mail This Article
With the Blue Crabs leading 3-1 in the top of the seventh inning, York took all of the muster out of the hosts as right fielder Steve Haake slammed the eventual game-winning, three-run home run over the left-field fence, giving the visitors a 4-3 win at Waldorf's Regency Furniture Stadium.
Haake went 2 for 4 at the plate and drove all four of York's runs on the day.
The game-clinching hit drove in second baseman Liu Rodriguez and center fielder Scott Grimes, who previously collected back-to-back two-out singles to set up Haake's blast.
There was a 40-minute rain delay as the eighth inning approached, and the Blue Crabs had chances to take back the lead in that frame as well as in the ninth, but could not get on the board.
"The way the weather was today you never know if the wind carried that ball," Blue Crabs manager Butch Hobson said on the big hit. "[Haake] left the ball up and flipped his wrist and that happens in this ballpark. We played against a very good York team and took two out of three and I'm happy with that, even though we would have liked to get this one. We have to work on some things here or there."
The Revolution (24-19 overall) prevented the three-game series sweep after the Blue Crabs won Friday night, 5-2, and followed things up with a 5-1 victory on Saturday. That was after the Blue Crabs fell to Newark in the final game of a four-game series on Thursday, 4-2.
The Blue Crabs (22-20) were two games back of league leader Long Island in the standings through Monday and returned to action on Tuesday in the first of a three-game homestand with Newark, which finished too late for inclusion into this edition.
Blue Crabs starting pitcher Connor Robertson pitched six innings, surrendering only one run, but ended up with a no-decision.
"I didn't have my best stuff today," Robertson said. "I was really concentrating on hitting my spots and keeping hitters off balance. We [had] some real nice double plays."
"Connor is a strike thrower and keeps the ball down," Hobson said. "He's very competitive and our pitching is strong; we just need to hit. I want to see seven, eight, nine runs."
Earning the win for York, out of the bullpen, was Ryan Basner, who pitched a scoreless sixth, while fellow teammate John Muller recorded his fourth save of the season.
For the Blue Crabs, pitcher Joe Newby earned his second loss of the season after pitching one inning of relief, which was the seventh.
First baseman Eric Crozier gave Southern Maryland the 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run double to right that brought designated hitter Matt Craig and shortstop Travis Garcia across home plate, who both were walked previously by York starter Jacob Marceaux.
Crozier was 3 for 3 at the plate with two doubles, a single and a walk.
"It felt good to not have the pain shooting down my leg today," said Crozier, who's been bothered by a back injury the last few games. "I felt like a contributor; we are starting to mesh and hit our spots now. That was a tough break in the seventh — [Haake] just made good contact and the wind was blowing in that direction. It's just one of those things. We are going to get ready for Newark."
Despite the loss, second baseman Casey Benjamin extended his hit streak to a team-best 14 games after his triple in the first.
Saturday, the Blue Crabs set a franchise mark with three consecutive home runs with a crowd of 6,194 in attendance.
Right fielder Jamar Hill, Benjamin and Garcia boasted back-to-back-to-back jacks opening up the sixth as York starter Corey Thurman was knocked out of the game.
It was the second homer for Hill, who also had a two-run blast to left in Friday's win in his debut with the Blue Crabs. Hill was acquired from York in exchange for Brian McFall also on Friday.
"I wasn't playing a lot in York and this is just a great opportunity to get some at-bats and hit in the leadoff spot," said Hill, who was 3 for 3 with a walk on Friday. "I just wanted to contribute and help the team win a couple games this series. It's nice to go into a game and already be familiar with pitchers that you played with, which led to the success this series."
Blue Crabs starter Jarrett Santos improved to 3-1 with the win on the mound, going eight innings with three strikeouts and allowing one run on four hits. Offensively, Crozier was 2 for 4 with an RBI double and a triple, while Craig was 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI.
Friday night, starting pitcher Dan Reichert struck out a season-high eight batters in seven innings of work to go to 4-4. Closer Jim Ed Warden pitched the ninth and earned his eighth save of the season.
Atlantic League standings
(Standings through Monday)
Liberty Division W L Pct. GB Streak Last 10
Long Island 24 18 .571 ---- W-1 6-4
Camden 23 18 .561 0.5 W-3 6-4
Southern Maryland 22 20 .524 2.0 L-1 6-4
Bridgeport 18 23 .439 5.5 L-4 4-6
Freedom Division W L Pct. GB Streak Last 10
Somerset 24 18 .571 ---- W-1 6-4
York 24 19 .558 0.5 W-1 7-3
Lancaster 16 25 .390 7.0 L-1 3-7
Newark 16 26 .381 8.0 L-1 2-8
