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Going down to the wire
First-half title up for grabs after Blue Crabs lose twin bill
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by EMILY BARNES
Richard Giannotti bunts the ball, which is ruled foul, during the second inning of Friday's game.
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Oh, how the playoff picture can change so quickly in the course of one day — even to the detriment of the Atlantic League's hottest team in the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
Just when it seemed the Blue Crabs were primed to put a stranglehold on the Liberty Division's pennant race during this final week of the season's first half, Monday delivered a harsh reality that Southern Maryland has little wiggle room atop the standings with six games left in the playoff chase entering Tuesday.
All of Tuesday's action across the league finished too late for inclusion into this edition.
After winning 15 of their previous 19 games including a weekend sweep of two-time reigning league champion Somerset at home in Waldorf's Regency Furniture Stadium, the blistering ways of the Blue Crabs were cooled by host Lancaster Monday in a doubleheader.
The Blue Crabs were swept in the twin bill, 11-6 and 2-1, losing consecutive games for the first time in almost three weeks. Most damaging about the Blue Crabs' pair of Monday setbacks was Camden's sweeping of a doubleheader at the same time in Somerset.
Camden (36-28) edged Somerset, 4-2 and 2-1, to suddenly draw within one game of the Blue Crabs' 37-27 division lead through Monday after trailing by three games with eight to play through Sunday. Winning the division in the first half is the only way to clinch a league playoff berth at this point in the season.
And the schedule-makers guessed right with the Blue Crabs hosting Camden for what could be four intense, playoff-caliber games beginning Thursday through Sunday to conclude the first half given the teams' neck-and-neck status.
The playoff-hungry teams are 3-3 against each other thus far this season, each trading sweeps. The good news for the Blue Crabs is their sweep of Camden came at home where the teams meet up again this week to settle the first-half title.
"Anytime you go into the playoffs — and I know this is only the halfway point — you want to be peaking," said Blue Crabs left fielder Richard Giannotti, Sunday's hero in a thrilling 6-5 win over Somerset with a two-out, walk-off single in the ninth that enabled pinch-runner Shaun Cumberland to safely slide across the plate from second.
The Blue Crabs came back from a 4-0 deficit to Somerset through 4 1/2 innings to claim the gritty victory, mobbing Giannotti after his clutch hit during the postgame rejoicing. It was a small dosage of revenge for the Blue Crabs after they watched Somerset celebrate clinching the league crown on their field last year in Game 4 of the championship series.
"That was awesome," Blue Crabs first baseman Eric Crozier said about how his team refused to surrender in the series finale with Somerset, especially after stranding the bases loaded in the fourth and sixth without score. Crozier wore out Somerset's pitching in the series, going 5 for 9 with five walks while having a double and triple in Saturday's game. "Anytime you can sweep a team, it feels good. Seeing that it was the championship [matchup] last year, it does feel good."
Sunday was the only time the Blue Crabs trailed over the weekend after having their way with Somerset Friday and Saturday in 7-2 and 6-1 wins, respectively, highlighted by lefty Craig Anderson's stellar 8 1/3 innings on the mound in the latter contest. The Australian native improved to 3-0 since arriving to the Blue Crabs earlier this month with an impressive 1.61 ERA.
Anderson just missed a complete-game shutout, allowing his only run on a ninth-inning homer that signaled his departure from the game.
Reeling Somerset (33-31) desperately needed the series with the Blue Crabs, only trailing York (38-26) by one game entering Friday's action.
Somerset was virtually eliminated from first-half contention with its twin bill loss Monday to Camden, losing for the sixth straight time to fall five back with six to play.
"It's a little frustrating," Somerset relief pitcher Casey Cahill said Sunday. "There are a lot of games left. It's two halves. We've developed a good rivalry with everybody in this league. We've won a lot and made [winning] a habit. We get everybody's ‘A game' every day. It's nice to be challenged.
"If we don't win this [half], we're pretty confident we can take the second one."
"It's important to be up three [in the division] because we know we got [Camden] coming in for four games right at the end of [the first half]," Giannotti added Sunday. "Anything can happen in those games, and you want to win every game when it comes to this point. I know it's unrealistic to try and win every game, but from where we're at right now, that's our goal.
"The most important thing that we're thinking about is just continuing to keep winning. What happened last year [with Somerset celebrating the league championship on our field] — they had a great team and played better than us when it counted in the playoffs. All that stuff's in the past; that's last year. Now, we're trying to focus on getting this first half."
Giannotti then noted, "I think our focus is more on trying to distance ourselves from Camden. Long story short — we want to really get this first half."
Giannotti, who has been struggling with the bat all season with a sub-.200 average, displayed glimpses Sunday of his solid campaign a year ago, parking his third home run to lead off the fifth and beginning the scoring on the day for the Blue Crabs. Two batters later, Jamar Hill — batting atop the Blue Crabs lineup — slammed another solo shot over the fence to bring the Southern Marylanders within 4-2 at the time.
The Blue Crabs' comeback heroics Sunday loomed even larger given their Monday shortcomings. Camden already had won earlier on Sunday versus Lancaster, and the Blue Crabs were able to retain their three-game lead in the division at the time with the dramatic win over Somerset.
Still, Lancaster (29-35) adequately played the spoiler role in Camden as it had done through the opening two games of its series with the Blue Crabs. Lancaster knocked off Camden Friday and Saturday to enable the Blue Crabs to gain a bit of a cushion in the division.
By Monday, Lancaster proved it was no respecter of Liberty Division contenders with the doubleheader sweep of the Blue Crabs.
"This is a tribute to how hot [the weather has] been, I can't even think like that," Hill said Sunday about the Blue Crabs being on the brink of the first-half title to match how they made the playoffs a year ago. "I really like the energy in our locker room. There are a lot of things that have come together with this group. We have to relax and enjoy playing the game and not think things are crucial. That's when good baseball comes out."
Notes
Blue Crabs designated hitter Matt Craig, second in the league with a .345 average through Monday, extended his hit streak in Monday's doubleheader to 14 games. His stretch is just two shy of tying second baseman Casey Benjamin's team-high 16-game hit streak from earlier this season.
Sunday, the Blue Crabs signed former major league everyday player Jason Lane. The outfielder played in the majors for six seasons, mostly with the Houston Astros from 2002 through 2007. Lane's best year came in 2005 when he slammed 26 homers and 78 RBIs while playing in a career-high 145 games for the Astros. He batted .267 that year. He was the starting right fielder in the 2005 World Series, making an impact in Game 3 against the Chicago White Sox with a solo homer and two RBIs. Unfortunately for Lane, his Astros were bested by the White Sox in that World Series.
DALLAS COGLE
Blue Crabs lead contingency at July 6 All-Star Game
The Atlantic League announced the rosters for its 13th annual All-Star Game at 7:05 p.m. July 6, and the Liberty Division-leading Southern Maryland Blue Crabs matched sister club York with a league-high seven selections each for the midsummer exhibition.
York, the Freedom Division leader, sported a league-best 38-26 record through Monday, one game better than the Blue Crabs. Long Island is hosting the All-Star Game at Suffolk County Sports Park in Central Islip, N.Y.
All-Star selections were decided via votes from fans, media, league officials and coaching staffs. The game pits the two divisions against each other. Adding to the Liberty Division's Blue Crabs-heavy lineup is Southern Maryland skipper Butch Hobson. He will manage the Liberty Division All-Stars, garnering the opportunity because the Blue Crabs won the division's championship last year in the playoffs. Blue Crabs pitching coach Marty Janzen will accompany Hobson at the All-Star Game.
Blue Crabs All-Stars (stats through Monday)
Second base: Casey Benjamin
First selection, .302 avg., 5 triples (t-third in league), 16-game hit streak
Designated hitter: Matt Craig
First selection, .345 avg. (second in league), 8 HR, 35 RBIs
First base: Eric Crozier
Second selection, 9 HR (t-fourth in league), 29 RBIs
Shortstop: Travis Garcia
Second selection, 9 HR (t-fourth in league), 27 RBIs
Center fielder: Jeremy Owens
Second selection, 10 HR (third in league), 34 RBIs
Pitcher: Dan Reichert
First selection, 7-5 (t-second in league, wins), 3.89 ERA, 63 SO
(third in league), 81 IP
Pitcher: Ryan Speier
0-1, 1.23 ERA, 16 SO, 8 BB, 22.0 IP, .195 opposing bat avg.
Dallas Cogle
Atlantic League standings
(Standings through Monday)
Liberty Division W L Pct. GB Streak Last 10
Southern Maryland 37 27 .578 ---- L-2 7-3
Camden 36 28 .563 1.0 W-3 5-5
Bridgeport 31 32 .492 5.5 W-2 7-3
Long Island 31 33 .484 6.0 L-2 3-7
Freedom Division W L Pct. GB Streak Last 10
York 38 26 .594 ---- W-1 7-3
Somerset 33 31 .516 5.0 L-6 3-7
Lancaster 29 35 .453 9.0 W-2 6-4
Newark 20 43 .317 17.5 L-1 2-8
Thursday
Newark 11, Blue Crabs 3
Newark 601 000 022 — 11 11 1
Blue Crabs 020 010 000 — 3 9 1
WP Loree (3-6), LP Reichert (7-5)
Extra-base hits: 2B — Suarez (N), Everett (N), Cooper (N), Craig (BC), Lopez (BC); 3B — Williams (N), Mejia (N); HR — Owens (BC, 10)
Friday
Blue Crabs 7, Somerset 2
Somerset 000 002 000 — 2 6 2
Blue Crabs 100 012 12x — 7 15 1
WP Mobley (3-2), LP Thompson (3-3)
Extra-base hits: 2B — Hall (S), Ayala (S), Garcia (BC), Kirkland (BC), Lopez (BC); HR — Hill (BC, 3)
Saturday
Blue Crabs 6, Somerset 1
Somerset 000 000 001 — 1 5 1
Blue Crabs 002 103 000 — 6 11 0
WP Anderson (3-0), LP Darcy (1-6)
Extra-base hits: 2B — Crozier (BC); 3B — Crozier (BC), Cumberland (BC); HR — Hernandez (S, 8), Craig (BC, 8)
Sunday
Blue Crabs 6, Somerset 5
Somerset 012 011 000 — 5 9 3
Blue Crabs 000 020 121 — 6 9 0
WP Warden (4-3), LP Dunn (1-1)
Extra-base hits: 2B — Housel (S), Garcia (BC); HR — Holden (S, 2), Hall (S, 1), Hill (BC, 4), Giannotti (BC, 3)
Monday
Game 1
Lancaster 11, Blue Crabs 6
Blue Crabs 010 032 0 — 6 11 1
Lancaster 020 045 x — 11 13 0
WP Overholt (2-1), LP Speier (0-1)
Extra-base hits: 2B — Owens (BC), Kirkland 2 (BC), Woods (L),
Herr (L), Turner (L); 3B — Hill (BC); HR — Nelson (L, 9), Taylor (L, 8)
Game 2
Lancaster 2, Blue Crabs 1
Blue Crabs 000 010 0 — 1 9 0
Lancaster 000 110 x — 2 5 0
WP Simontacchi (2-4), LP Mobley (3-3), Save Hamulack (3)
Extra-base hits: 2B — Perry (L), Herr (L); HR — Woods (L, 1)
