Southern Maryland Continues Lancaster Hex

Mercedes Extends Streak in Loss to Blue Crabs

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs methodically put together their 11^th straight win over the Lancaster Barnstormers, 6-3, Wednesday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

With the win, the Blue Crabs wrestled first place in the North out of the Barnstormers grip for the first time since May 9.

Jack Sundberg slugged a pair of home runs while David Harris added one in the Southern Maryland victory.  Alex Merithew (2-2) fired seven innings, allowing six hits and two runs while his Sundberg in left and Zach Collier in center combined for 13 putouts in the Blue Crabs victory.

In the game, Lancaster second baseman Melvin Mercedes went 1-for-4 to extend his franchise record hitting streak to 23 games.

Lancaster struck for a run in the opening inning.  Shawon Dunston, Jr. led off with a walk, stole second and took third on a deep fly to left by Mercedes.  Andretty Cordero picked up the run with a single up the middle.  Trayvon Robinson drilled a single to left, sending Cordero to third.  Robinson was then thrown out stealing, and Cordero was nabbed at the plate when a pitch escaped catcher Mike Falsetti. 

Harris hit the first pitch of the second inning from Cameron Gann (5-8) out of the yard to tie the game.  Ian Yetsko doubled in the lead run in the fourth inning, and Sundberg’s first homer, a blast to right center, opened the advantage to 3-1.  Alex Crosby, off his five-hit game the night before, added an RBI single later in the fifth, and Sundberg tagged his second homer in the sixth.

Newcomers Jacob Barfield and Ariel Sandoval teamed up to produce a run in the seventh, and the Barnstormers scored an unearned run in the eighth to pressure the Crabs.  Southern Maryland turned a leadoff walk into an insurance run in the ninth before Mat Latos earned his 24^th save with a 1-2-3 inning.

The series concludes Thursday at 6:30.  Erik Manoah (2-1) will make the start for Lancaster against lefty Mitch Lambson (5-6).  Fans may watch the game on Blue Ridge 11 or the Barnstormers YouTube channel.

NOTES:  Mercedes is 36-for-92 (.391) in the streak…Cordero has knocked in runs in 14 of the last 18 games and has 77 on the season…He needs 27 in the remaining 46 games to break Aaron Herr’s club record…Sandoval extended his hitting streak to six…Lancaster pitchers struck out 12, the 33^rd time this season that the club has fanned 10 or more in a game.