Crabs Come Up Short Again in 8-4 Game Two Loss to Ducks

Four runs in eighth and ninth innings not enough, Ducks take 2-0 series lead

W: Anthony Escobar (2-0)

L: Kyle Virbitsky (1-1)

WALDORF, MD – The offensive struggles for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (0-2, 73-53) continued in an 8-4 loss to the Long Island Ducks (2-0, 80-46) in Game Two of the Atlantic League Championship Series. The Ducks lead the series, two games to none. After being held scoreless through eight innings in Game One last night, the Crabs were held scoreless again until the eighth inning.

The Ducks scored first for the second consecutive game in the series, doing so in the top of the second inning. Alsander Womack led off the inning with a double and he later scored on a Rene Pinto sacrifice fly to put Long Island in front 1-0.

Long Island added to their lead in the fifth inning. The first two batters in the inning were retired, but a single and walk put traffic on the bases before Marcus Chiu smacked an RBI double to left field to double the Ducks’ lead to 2-0.

With the Blue Crabs offense continuing to struggle, the Ducks scored with another two-out rally in the sixth inning. After back-to-back singles, Wilmer Difo had an RBI single before Henry Kusiak smacked a two-run double off of the right field fence to bring Long Island’s lead to 5-0.

Blue Crabs starting pitcher Kyle Virbitsky gutted through 5.2 innings. He allowed five runs on nine hits and four walks, although two of those runs scored after he left the game. He picked up three strikeouts.

The Ducks got the big hit once again in the seventh inning. Rene Pinto’s first hit of the postseason was a big one, a three-run shot to left field to extend Long Island’s lead to 8-0.

Virbitsky was outmatched by Long Island’s Anthony Escobar. He tossed seven innings of shutout baseball, scattering five hits. He did not walk a batter while striking out four Blue Crabs. He also benefitted from a triple play to finish his outing.

Southern Maryland broke through in the bottom of the eighth inning. Ethan Wilson started the scoring with a 436-foot two-run home run to right field. Alejandro De Aza later added an RBI single to cut into Long Island’s advantage at 8-3.

The Crabs scratched one more run home in the ninth inning on a Brody Fahr RBI single, but Long Island relief pitcher Jacob Asa put a stop to the rally to finish an 8-4 win for Long Island.

The Blue Crabs continue the Atlantic League Championship Series against the Long Island Ducks with Game Two on Friday, September 25. First pitch from Fairfield Properties Ballpark in New York is at 6:35 pm. To watch the games on Dugout TV, click here.

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have been proud members of the Atlantic League since 2008, the fourth-longest tenured team in the league. With a proud tradition of success on and off the field, many players have found a home while playing in front of Crustacean Nation, the nickname for the Blue Crabs’ avid fanbase. A host of former Major Leaguers have played for the Blue Crabs, including Chien-Ming Wang, Pat Mahomes Sr., and team legend Daryl Thompson. Many players have also made it to the Major Leagues after playing with Southern Maryland, including Isaac Mattson of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 2026 marks the 18th season of Blue Crabs baseball at Regency Furniture Stadium, where Clawsome Times Await.