Yusuf Carter’s cheering section picked a good game to attend.
With a section of family members and friends looking on from just in front of the press box, Carter collected three hits and three RBIs Saturday night as the Patriots dropped the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 8-3 at TD Bank Ballpark.
As part of an unlikely six-run explosion in the first inning, Justin Huber had a RBI single and Josh Pressley and Jeff Nettles had back-to-back RBI doubles. Carter capped the rally with a two-run home run.
Southern Maryland starter Brian Slocum entered the game with a sub-2.00 ERA.
Derrick Gordon was brilliant for the second time in as many starts since joining the Patriots. He struck out eight and allowed one run in six innings to improve to 2-0.
The complexion of Father’s Day changed for Jason Anderson inside of an intensive care unit.
Seven months ago, in that emotional setting, he and his wife, Brittany, broke the news that they were expecting their first child to Jason’s cancer-stricken father.
“That was the last time I saw him smile,” Anderson said.
Roger Eldridge died of multiple forms of cancer at an Indiana hospital on the day after Thanksgiving with the knowledge that his son was beginning a new chapter of his life.
Anderson, a relief pitcher for the Somerset Patriots, is spending his first Father’s Day as an expectant dad with Brittany, who is due to give birth to a son on June 25. He flew home to Illinois prior to Saturday’s 8-3 victory against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs as part of a 10-day leave of absence from the Patriots.