For every pitching match-up that hasn’t lived up to the hype, there was Thursday night, Sept. 24, at Regency Furniture Stadium in Southern Maryland. In Game 1 of the Atlantic League Division Series, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs outlasted the Long Island Ducks by 1-0 final score in the team’s first playoff game, in the franchise’s second season of existence.

The Crabs made a first inning run stand up thanks to eight near-flawless shutout innings from nine-year Major League veteran lefty John Halama. Halama, who had his contract purchased by the Atlanta Braves from the Blue Crabs on June 13 but returned for the playoffs, carried an 8-1 record with a 1.96 ERA into the postseason in 10 starts with Southern Maryland. He had been pitching for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves in the International League, where he helped guide that team to the playoffs as well.

Throwing 99 pitches on the night, Halama scattered just four hits through eight innings, striking out four batters with no walks. The game winning hit for the Blue Crabs turned out to be a first inning, two-out RBI single into centerfield from Patrick Osborn. Two batters earlier, James Shanks rapped a broken bat double down the right-field line to get into scoring position.

Locking horns in the pitcher’s duel with Halama was Long Island left-hander Troy Cate. He matched Halama pitch for pitch much of the night, but was saddled with a tough-to-swallow losing decision. Cate, who was the third winningest pitcher in the Atlantic League this season with a 13-5 record, lasted six innings and 92 pitches, allowing only the two first inning hits and run with four strikeouts and two walks.

Still protecting the 1-0 lead in the top of the ninth, righty Mac Suzuki entered for the Blue Crabs and earned the save with a strikeout to begin the inning, and pitched around a two-out walk by getting former Major Leaguer Raul Gonzalez to ground out to Osborn at third to seal the victory, giving Southern Maryland the 1-0 series lead.

The Blue Crabs will next be in action Friday evening at Regency Furniture Stadium in Southern Maryland for Game 2 of the series against the Long Island Ducks. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The probable starters are RHP Ken Ray (4-0, 3.00) for the Ducks and RHP Jarrett Grube (3-1, 3.36) for the Blue Crabs.