Stewart Goes The Distance En Route To The Victory

(New Britain, CT– June 19, 2018) – Offense was the name of tonight’s game as the New Britain Bees (22-26) rolled over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (19-28) 10-1 in the series opener at New Britain Stadium on Tuesday. The win was the fifth series opening victory in the last six attempts for the Bees, and kept them within striking distance of the top of the First Half Liberty Division Standings.

Bees starting pitcher Zach Stewart (4-3) had a stellar performance on the mound, tossing the complete game, allowing one run on three hits while fanning eight batters. The outing was just the second complete game by a New Britain pitcher on the campaign. Southern Maryland’s Paul Clemens (1-2) was tagged with the loss, surrendering six runs runs, three of them earned, on seven hits and two walks while striking out four.

The Bees started the bottom of the first in mid-game form, as Reid Brignac, Deibinson Romero and Jason Rogers all smacked singles that turned into the game-opening run to give New Britain the early 1-0 lead. Southern Maryland secured their lone run early off an RBI single from Francisco Rosario in the top of the third, but the Bees responded quickly. New Britain plated three runs in the bottom of the third, as Rogers scored when Jonathan Galvez reached first on an error. Jamar Walton followed that with a two-RBI double that made the score 4-1. The bleeding didn’t stop there for the Blue Crabs. In the fourth, Clemens walked both James Skelton and Darren Ford to begin the bottom of the inning, and Romero brought Skelton across with a sacrifice fly. One batter later, Rogers tallied another base knock that plated Ford and gave the home team a 6-1 advantage. In the fifth, Galvez crushed a triple off the right centerfield wall and crossed the plate by way of a wild pitch. Ford also plated Skelton again with an RBI double which gave New Britain a commanding 8-1 cushion. The scoring concluded in the sixth, when Josh Thole grounded to second and brought across Romero, while Galvez followed  with a base hit to drive home Rogers. On the mound, Stewart had his way with the Southern Maryland batters, at one point retiring 15 in a row, as the right-hander went the distance, throwing 107 pitches and finishing the contest by striking out the side in the top of the ninth. Rogers led the way offensively for the Bees with four hits overall and a pair of runs driven home. Photo provided courtesy of Joe Doll.

New Britain continues its home series versus the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Wednesday, June 20^th as they host a twi-night doubleheader. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 6:35 P.M., with the nightcap slated to begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first matchup, with each contest penciled in for seven innings of play. It will be another Kids Meal Deal Wednesday in the Hardware City, as kids 12 and under can enjoy a hot dog, chips and a soda or water all for just four dollars! CLICK HERE for tickets.

About the New Britain Bees

The New Britain Bees are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at New Britain Stadium. For information on ticket packages, group outings and sponsorships call 860-826-BEES (2337) or visit NBBees.com.

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 38 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 900 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment. For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.

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