THOMPSON STYMIES STORMERS

Crabs Ace Picks up 99^th ALPB Win

Daryl Thompson has not been himself this season.  At least not until Wednesday night.

The Blue Crabs veteran yielded five hits over 6 1/3 innings, pitching Southern Maryland to a 3-1 victory over the Lancaster Stormers in the middle game of a three-game series at Regency Furniture Stadium.

Thompson (2-7) walked two and struck out nine in the effort.  The win was his 99^th in the Atlantic League, extending his own record.

Lancaster’s only run came in the fifth inning on singles by Shawon Dunston, Jr. and Damon Dues around the first of two steals of the night for Dunston.  Thompson left after yielding a one-out double to Justin Farmer in the seventh.  Cody Thompson, Jason Creasy and Endrys Briceno combined to shut the door on the Stormers over the remainder of the night.  Briceno earned his ninth save of the season.

Thompson’s Blue Crabs teammates provided all the run support he needed in the early innings.  Aaron Hill reached Noah Bremer (4-3) for a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the second.  Southern Maryland stretched the lead to 3-0 in the third when Brandon Pugh grounded a single into center with one out, stole second and eventually rode home on a two-out single to right by Juan Kelly.

Bremer did not allow another hit over the remainder of his six-inning stint.  The right-hander would eventually strike out eight Blue Crabs hitters.

The game featured the ejections of Southern Maryland manager Stan Cliburn and Lancaster third baseman Jordan Howard, both over pitch clock violations.  Daryl Thompson was called for two such violations in the second, one of which was the fourth ball to Payton Robertson.  Howard was ejected after being ruled out on strikes in the sixth inning.

Matt Swarmer makes the start for the Stormers in the series finale on Thursday, marking his return to the Atlantic League.  Swarmer was 4-1 for Lancaster down the stretch in 2023.  He will be opposed by one-time Lancaster right-hander Spencer Johnston (1-0).  Fans may tune into the game on FloBaseball at 7:00.

NOTES:  Joseph Carpenter singled into center in the fourth and has now hit safely in 23 of 24 games…Dunston has 10 steals in the last 13 games…Bremer has thrown back-to-back quality starts but has lost both with only one run of support.