The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs defeated the Lexington Legends 4-2 Friday at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Maryland, behind four no-hit innings from Jason Savacool. Southern Maryland entered the game with an 18-17 record and a 59-39 overall mark, while Lexington entered at 20-16 and 46-53 overall.
Jason Savacool Leads Strong Pitching Performance
Jason Savacool completed four innings without allowing a hit and issued two walks. He started for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs as he works to increase his workload after serving as a reliever earlier this season with the St. Louis organization.
J.P. Massey extended Southern Maryland’s no-hit bid into the sixth inning before Lexington’s P.J. Hilson hit a 425-foot solo home run to center field. The Legends scored again on a wild pitch, cutting the Blue Crabs’ lead to 4-2.
Southern Maryland Builds an Early Lead
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs scored twice in the third inning against Lexington starting pitcher Caden Spivey. Jackson Loftin opened the inning with a double, and Stephen Paolini followed with a bunt single before a double steal brought Loftin home.
Paolini then scored on Ryan McCarthy’s RBI double, giving Southern Maryland a 2-0 lead. Loftin, Paolini and McCarthy combined to go 4-for-7 with three doubles, three runs scored and one RBI.
Ezequiel Pagan extended the lead in the fourth inning with a 413-foot solo home run to right field. The homer was Pagan’s 14th of the season and made the score 3-0.
Alejandro De Aza added a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, pushing the Blue Crabs’ advantage to 4-0. Lexington answered with Hilson’s home run and the wild-pitch run, but Southern Maryland held on for the 4-2 victory.
Blue Crabs Bullpen Protects the Victory
Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa and Ethan Hammerberg each stranded two inherited runners as the Southern Maryland bullpen maintained the two-run lead through eight innings. Hammerberg earned the win and was listed with a 4-1 record.
Endrys Briceno pitched a scoreless ninth inning to record the save. The save was listed as Briceno’s 10th and the 52nd of his Atlantic League career, while Caden Spivey took the loss and was listed with a 3-1 record.
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Continue Series Saturday
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs were scheduled to continue their six-game series against the Lexington Legends Saturday, August 15, at Regency Furniture Stadium. First pitch was scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
The game was scheduled as Strikeout Cancer Night, also designated as Pink the Park. Fans wearing pink could receive one complimentary ticket at the box office.
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have been members of the Atlantic League since 2008.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs combined effective pitching with timely power to secure the win. Savacool’s four hitless innings established the tone, while Pagan’s home run and the third-inning production from Loftin, Paolini and McCarthy provided the early offense.
Lexington narrowed the margin in the sixth inning, but Southern Maryland’s bullpen stranded inherited runners and Briceno closed the game with a scoreless ninth.
Source: Original report
