Blue Crabs’ Thompson wins 100th ALPB game

Southern Maryland pitcher Daryl Thompson, already the Atlantic League’s all-time leader in wins, earned his 100^th career victory on Tuesday night with a 7-1 victory over Hagerstown at Regency Furniture Stadium.

Thompson went seven innings, allowed five hits and one run while striking out seven. He did not issue a walk.

He was supported by a four-run first inning from the Blue Crabs offense. Travis Demeritte opened the first with a single and was followed by another single from Josh Broughton. Michael Wielansky’s single plated Demeritte. Juan Kelly singled to drive in Broughton ahead of Michael Baca’s two-run double.

That would be all the support Thompson needed to earn his historic win. He allowed a solo homer to Luis Diaz in the second, a single to Andrew Moritz in the third, a double to Dariel Gomez in the fourth while retiring the side in order in the first, fifth and sixth innings.

Thompson, 38, has been a mainstay in the Southern Maryland rotation since 2012. The La Plata, Md. native was an eighth round draft pick of the Montreal Expos in 2003 and made his Major League debut with the Cincinnati Reds on June 21, 2008 at age 22. He appeared in four games with the Reds, his last outing coming in 2011.

Since joining the Blue Crabs in 2012, Thompson has become an iconic figure, appearing in Atlantic League games in 12 different seasons, the second-most by a pitcher. Only reliever Ricardo Gomez, who appeared in an ALPB game in 14 different seasons between 2008 and 2023, has greater longevity than Thompson among pitchers. Gomez holds the league record with 436 career appearances.

Thompson was recognized in 2023 as a member of the Atlantic League’s Silver Anniversary team that honored the 25 greatest players in the league’s first 25 years. His three ALPB Pitcher of the Year awards from 2016-18, is the most in league history.

Thompson’s litany of accomplishments within the Atlantic League rivals War and Peace. He is the only pitcher in league history with three 15-win seasons. He is the all-time leader in innings pitched, strikeouts, games started, shutouts, and, of course, wins.

Thompson is a three-time Postseason All-Star in the Atlantic League, the only pitcher to earn that honor three times. He was twice named the league’s Pitcher of the Month and was selected to four ALPB All-Star teams.