The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Waldorf, MD- The Somerset Patriots (7-1, 42-29) fell to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (4-4, 30-41) by a score of 4-3, snapping their season-high seven game win streak and ending their undefeated start to the second half on Wednesday night at Regency Furniture Stadium.
The Patriots scored first for the second consecutive night on Wednesday when Justin Trapp recorded an RBI groundout to plate Matt Oberste in the second inning. 
However, this time, the Blue Crabs responded. Somerset starting pitcher Kyle Davies (3-4) entered the game not having allowed a run in his last 19.1 innings pitched. That streak was pushed up to 21.2 innings before Southern Maryland broke through in the third inning. An Edwin Garcia RBI double tied the game at 1-1.
But, Southern Maryland was not finished, piecing together back-to-back two-out RBI doubles from Angelys Nina and Ryan Strausborger in the fourth inning to claim a 3-1 lead.
The Patriots would cut the deficit in half in the top of the sixth when Justin Trapp uncorked a solo home run over the left field wall and into the parking lot to make it 3-2. But, the Blue Crabs answered again, scoring on another Angelys Nina RBI double to push the lead to 4-2. Nina finished with three hits, two doubles, and 2 RBI.
Somerset did not go quietly though. Facing Southern Maryland closer Cody Eppley (8th SV), who had yet to allow an earned run on the season through 17 innings pitched, the Patriots made it interesting. After a Jermaine Curtis double, the Patriots had two runners—including the tying run—in scoring position. A wild pitch made it 4-3, and the tying run stood 90 feet away. However, a ground out ended the ballgame, snapping the seven-game win streak.
Davies took the loss, pitching four innings, giving up seven hits, three runs, one walk, and striking out four. It snaps a streak of three straight decisions won by Davies.
Craig Stem (5-3) was excellent in relief, pitching four innings and giving up just one run to go along with no walks and three strikeouts to earn the win. He came in the game to begin the third inning after Kyle Drabek (0-0) was kept to a small pitch count in his 2018 Blue Crabs debut.
The 2018 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford will continue on the road until Monday, July 23rd when the Patriots return to TD Bank Ballpark for a 7:05 pm game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. The game includes Bark In The Park Night. For tickets, visit www.somersetpatriots.com.
