The Blue Crabs earned their sixth consecutive win on Wednesday night, June 23 after defeating the Newark Bears 4-0 at Regency Furniture Stadium.
RHP Kenny Rayborn won his third straight game to improve to 6-3 on the year. Rayborn tossed five innings and struck out one.
Despite striking out nine Blue Crabs, LHP Kelvin Villa (0-1) dropped his Atlantic League debut, allowing three runs through 5.1 innings. Shortstop Travis Garcia put the Crabs on the board in the third with his ninth homer of the season, a two run shot to deep leftfield, scoring rightfielder Jamar Hill. Hill reached base on a fielder’s choice thanks to a terrific slide into second by second baseman Kody Kirkland to break up a potential 6-4-3 double play. Garcia is now tied for second in the Atlantic League for home runs with first baseman Eric Crozier and centerfielder Jeremy Owens. Rayborn began the sixth but ran into some trouble as first baseman Daryle Ward and designated hitter Carl Everett drew consecutive walks.
Rightfielder Brian Barton then singled to load the bases with nobody out. RHP Joe Newby came in and proceeded to strikeout two of the next three batters and preserve the shutout. Hill scored again in the sixth to make it 3-0 on an RBI sac fly into shallow center by Crozier. Hill returned the favor with a sac fly of his own an inning later, scoring leftfielder Richard Giannotti. The Blue Crabs used four relievers, including LHP Jeff Ridgway who pitched the ninth and struck out the side.
With the win, the 34-24 Blue Crabs stay in first place in the Atlantic League Liberty Division with 12 games remaining in the first half of the season. The Blue Crabs return to action Thursday evening at 7:05 p.m. for the series finale against the Newark Bears at Regency Furniture Stadium. RHP Jarrett Santos (4-2, 3.28) will start for Southern Maryland opposite fellow righty Mike Loree (2-6, 6.17) for Newark.