WALDORF, Md. (June 18, 2022)—The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs took down the Lancaster Barnstormers behind four runs in the seventh and eighth innings. The Blue Crabs battled from behind to secure their seventh consecutive win, 7-5. Southern Maryland also rebranded tonight as the Baltimore Elite Giants, a former Negro Leagues team for Juneteenth Night.
Denson Hull started for the Blue Crabs. Lancaster scored a run in the second, as Shawon Dunston tripled to the right-field corner, scoring Anthony Peroni and giving the Barnstormers a 1-0 lead. Lancaster added a run in the third inning when Andretty Cordero scored on a fielder's choice.
The Blue Crabs battled back in the fourth. Michael Wielansky led off with a walk and Zach Collier followed with a single. Jared Walker then drilled a three-run shot over the wall in left-center field, putting the Blue Crabs ahead 3-2.
Southern Maryland's lead was short-lived as the Barnstormers added three runs in the fifth inning. With Melvin Mercedes on first, LeDarious Clark destroyed a double that one-hopped the left-field wall, scoring Mercedes. Clark advanced to third on the throw home and scored when Haug's throw got past the third baseman, Alex Crosby. Later in the inning, Colton Shaver and Trace Loehr hit back-to-back doubles, putting Lancaster ahead 5-3.
The Blue Crabs fought back in the seventh inning off of Erik Manoah (L, 1-1). With a runner on first base, Michael Wielansky ripped a triple to left-center, scoring Shah, and getting the Blue Crabs within one run. With runners on the corners, Jared Walked struck out, but Zach Collier stole second. Anthony Peroni threw down to second base and Michael Wielansky stole home, tying the game at 5-5.
In the eighth, The Blue Crabs broke the tie. With runners on the corners and one out, Raul Shah singled to center, scoring Ian Yetsko to put the Blue Crabs ahead 6-5. With Ryan Haug on third base, Jack Sundberg lined a sacrifice fly to left-center, putting Southern Maryland ahead 7-5.
Meanwhile, the Blue Crabs' bullpen thrived. Patrick Baker pitched one and one-third inning perfect innings before Dalton Geekie pitched a scoreless seventh. Bradley Roney (W, 4-0) allowed a leadoff double but escaped the eighth inning unscathed.
In the ninth, Mat Latos (SV, 15) retired the first two batters, before surrendering two base hits. Latos then induced a lineout to left to end the game.
The Blue Crabs won 7-5, reducing the magic number to just three. With the win, Southern Maryland has won seven consecutive games and improved to 40-12. The Long Island Ducks won tonight, meaning that the earliest the Blue Crabs can clinch the division is on Tuesday on Staten Island.
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