The Curse is Broken

The Blue Crabs were finally able to win in red jerseys, however they would only be able to win the first game in the double header against Newark. Both teams seemed to have their bats quieted following yesterday rain delay. After combining for 23 runs in the first game of the series the teams only had 9 runs between the two games tonight.

In the first game the Blue Crabs started Kenny Baugh who would get the win going 5 innings, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs both earned. Kenny walked, hit, and struck out two batters. After giving up a solo shot in the first Kenny calmed down and didn't allow another run until the 4th. After giving up a single he hit two batters and walked in a run. He would however get back to form in the 5th sitting the Newark batters down in order. Matt Hensley came in to pitch in the 6th and despite giving up a lead off single he was able to get the next three batters out in order and set up the potential save for Jim Ed Warden who would come on in the 7th. Jim Ed faced 4 batters, struck out two, walked one and gave up no hits. This save would be his 11th of the season making him perfect in his save attempts.

Offensively in the first game we were pretty quite. Though we were able to get the win we only had 6 hits. Our first run came in the first after a lead off single by John Ramistella who would come into score of an RBI ground out by Travis Garcia. The winning run and RBI both belong to Eric Crozier who in the top of the sixth hit a two run bomb off the scoreboard. He scored himself and Patrick Osborn who had been walked. Travis Garcia extended his hit streak to 15 games by safely hitting in this game.

Travis would extend his hit streak to 16 games in the second game on a solo shot in the 6th, which would count for our only run in the second game. His previous two at bats he had struck out swinging, and worked the count in his home run at bat to full. Collectively the Blue Crabs struck out 10 times which is one shy of their team record for strikeouts in a game. We were unable to get a hit until the 5th inning where we would get back to back singles that would go to waste as the next 3 batters would get out. Mike Conroy was in action in the second game for the first time in a long time, he was 2 for 3 on the day and made one out in the field.

Defensively we started Ryan Bicondoa who would go the whole game and get the loss. He gave up 3 runs all earned on 6 hits, he hit one batter, struck out 3 batters, and walked no one. The first two Newark runs would come off a 2 run homerun hit by Newark Left Fielder Michael Hernandez in the second inning. Following that troublesome inning Ryan would have back to back 1-2-3 innings and seemed set to get the three batters down in order in the fifth. After giving up a lead off single to start the fifth he got the next batter to hit into a double play. Then things went down hill as Ryan gave up back-to-back singles and then an RBI double to lead off man Tike Redman. Ryan would only allow the one run and got the last out of the inning on a strike out. Things would get heated on the double play that ended the bottom of the 6th. Jay Gibbons got on after being hit accidently by a pitch and would slide hard into second trying to prevent the double play but would be called out. He and Blue Crabs Short Stop Travis Garcia would have a bit of a pushing and shoving match that would clear both benches. No one was however hurt or ejected.

In other Blue Crabs News: After splitting the double header we remain in first place, 3 games ahead of Long Island, 3.5 games ahead of Camden and 8.5 games ahead of Bridgeport. Tomorrow's game against Newark is scheduled for a 4:05 pm start, and we are planning on starting southpaw John Halama. They have Monday off as does the entire league and then they come home for a 3 game stand against Somerset, the first meeting of the two teams this season. All three games are scheduled for 7:05 pm starts.