A crowd of 7,592 came out to Regency Furniture Stadium on the Fourth of July to watch the Blue Crabs play the Camden Riversharks in the final game of the first half of the season.
The Riversharks squeaked past the Blue Crabs 2-1 as they salvaged a series split after losing the first two of the four game set. RHP Dan Reichert surrendered both runs in six innings and dropped to 8-6 on the year. Meanwhile, Camden RHP Brad Knox (3-2) struck out six and allowed just one run in 6.2 innings of work for the win. Knox retired 12 consecutive Blue Crab hitters from the first inning all the way into the fifth. The Riversharks scored first with an RBI double by centerfielder Richie Robnett in the second. Robnett’s double drove in first baseman Brett Bonvechio who hit a one out single earlier in the inning.
Camden threatened again in the fourth with consecutive two out base hits by Bonvechio and third baseman Chris Malec. Reichert worked out of the inning unscathed though, forcing Robnett to ground out to first baseman Eric Crozier. The Blue Crabs tied it up in the fifth. Shortstop Travis Garcia knocked an infield single and second baseman Kody Kirkland followed with a walk.. A wild pitch by Knox during rightfielder Richard Giannotti’s at-bat allowed Garcia to advance to third, and Kirkland to second. Giannotti then drove in Garcia on a ground out to second. Camden regained the lead in the sixth on rightfielder Brian Burgamy’s RBI double, scoring second baseman Teuris Olivares. Olivares began the inning with a single and then stole second.
The Crabs had two runners on again in the sixth and seventh, but could not bring anyone home. RHP Tracy Thorpe tossed another 1-2-3 ninth for his sixth save of the year.
Following the All-Star Break, the Blue Crabs return to action Thursday to begin the second half of the season, at Campbell’s Field in Camden, NJ against the Camden Riversharks. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.