WALDORF, MD — Blue Crabs pitching was lights out on Sunday afternoon in the final game against the Long Island Ducks.
Starter Brian Grening went six and two-thirds innings, allowing three hits and striking out five batters. The Blue Crabs won the game 2-0, to take their first series of the season against the Ducks.
D’Arby Myers extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a single to centerfield in the fourth inning, followed by a line drive single by Bryant Nelson.
Myers stole third on the first pitch of the next at-bat, then came home to score on a throwing error by Ducks catcher Mike Dowd.
The score was 1-0 until the bottom of the seventh. Alfredo Marte came up to the plate with two outs and, after inadvertently hitting Dowd in the head on his backswing, hit a solo blast to the picnic deck in left field off relief pitcher Nick Struck.
The Blue Crabs scored six total runs this series, four of which came from home runs.
Closer Cody Eppley entered the game in the top of the ninth to draw the last three outs, shutting down the Ducks offense and earning the save.
Bryant Nelson is now eight hits away from beating the Atlantic League all-time hits record of 1052. The Blue Crabs start a seven game road trip Monday, first playing the Bridgeport Bluefish for three games, followed by a four-game series against the New Britain Bees. The first pitch for tomorrow’s ballgame begins at 7:12 P.M.