Crabs earn series split with 8-3 win over Yanks

[Via e-mail from Stone Crabs Marketing Manager Jonathan Gantt]

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The Charlotte Stone Crabs offense erupted for eight runs on 11 hits in a 8-3 victory to earn a series split with the Tampa Yankees at Charlotte Sports Park on Wednesday night.

The Stone Crabs offense was spurred by three solo home runs from Tim Beckham, Anthony Scelfo and Matt Hall, and Reid Fronk went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Charlotte starter Joe Cruz (2-3) picked up the win and a quality start after tossing 6 1/3 innings and giving up three runs. He struck out five and gave up six hits for his first home win of the season.

The Stone Crabs (20-19) gave Cruz an early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Reid Fronk took a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a two-out single from Henry Wrigley to left field. Stephen Vogt and Greg Sexton then followed consecutive singles to score Wrigley with Vogt's single pushing his franchise-high hitting streak to 16 games.

The Yankees (20-20) scored runs in the second and third innings to even things at two before the Crabs got solo home runs from Scelfo and Beckham in the fourth and fifth innings respectively.

Charlotte then added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off a two-RBI double from Fronk and an RBI-triple from Beckham. The runs chased Tampa starter Daniel Kapala (1-3) from the game with his final line ending at 5 2/3 innings pitched with seven runs given up on eight hits.

Crabs infielder Matt Hall eventually capped the scoring with a solo blast over the left field boardwalk on a 1-0 pitch for his first longball of the 2010 season.

The Stone Crabs will start a four-game series against the Brevard County Manatees with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. tomorrow night at Charlotte Sports Park. Lefty Frank De Los Santos (4-2, 3.72) will start for Charlotte against right-hander Michael Fiers (2-3, 3.07) for Tampa.

Tomorrow is also Thursday Thursday presented by The Ice House Pub in Punta Gorda with $1 domestic drafts and $2 domestic bottles through the fifth inning of the game.