Crabs Drop Fourth Game in a Big Way, Series Tied at 2

After getting out to such a promising 2-0 lead in the series the Blue Crabs have seen that lead disappear with strong rallies by the Ducks.

Tonight's game got off to a very rough start, when in the bottom of the first, starter Ryan Bicondoa was roughed up for 5 runs. Despite the rough start he regained his power and kept the Ducks scoreless in the second and third before leaving the game with load bases in the fourth. He allowed 9 hits and would go on to allow 8 runs, 7 earned with 4 walks and two strike outs. Mike James saw his first action in the playoffs in the fourth, though I imagine he was hoping for a better result. Mike allowed two of his own runs to score in his 5 inning 4th (the other 3 belonging to Ryan) on 3 hits and a walk, he did however manage to get two outs. Matt Righter then came in to pitch the remainder of the 4th, as well as the complete fifth and into the sixth. He also allowed two earned runs on 3 hits with one strike out. Joe Gannon finished off the game going 2.2 innings, allowing 5 hits and 3 runs, only one of which was earned with walking and striking out one.

Offensively we barely ever got off the ground. We had a strong 4th where we nearly tied the game, getting 4 runs, however the game quickly got out of reach following the bottom of that inning. The highlight of the scoring was the 3 run bomb by Cesar Nicolas. However I think the most important run was scored in the 9th when we were down 15-4. Most teams would have given up by that point, but we didn't. We kept fighting, however impossible it may have seemed, but we kept fighting. That willingness to fight and to battle, is what I believe will see us through to the end, hoisting that championship cup high in the air at Regency Furniture Stadium.

The Blue Crabs take the Ducks on in a decisive game five, Tuesday after having Monday off for Yom Kippur. Should the Blue Crabs succeed in keeping the dream alive, they would play Thursday and Friday in Somerset, then come home for games 3-5 Saturday thru Sunday.