By MICHAEL RADANO
Courier-Post Staff
CAMDEN

The Camden Riversharks are nothing if not predictable.

The Sharks have struggled to find consistency all season. Every time it seemed they were ready to put a string of wins together, they usually went out and lost.

Such was the case in Wednesday's game.

The Sharks were coming off two wins against Lehigh Valley and were hosting Atlantic City. Despite every attempt by the Surf to give the Sharks the game, Camden still lost 6-5 in front of 3,744 at Campbell's Field.

Atlantic City scored six runs off starter Mike Busby, four of them earned. The game was marred by four errors and several base-running gaffes as Atlantic City won its 10th game against the Sharks.

The victory gives the Surf the dubious honor of being the first winner of the Expressway Series between the two squads. Neither will make the playoffs. Atlantic City played well in the season's first half and finished a game behind champion Somerset but the Surf have slumped in the second half.

At least they won something this year.

"We're going to win our share of games down the stretch," manager Wayne Krenchicki said.

"As the starting pitching staff goes so goes the rest of the team. I said that at the start of the year and the starting pitching has really been good over the past three weeks.

"We still have some games left and I think we can win a good share of them."

The first inning featured typical Riversharks baseball. Or at least typical Riversharks luck.

Busby got the first two outs of the inning and then gave up a single to Keith Gordon. A pair of walks to Jose Velasquez and Emison Soto loaded the bases for Will Pennyfeather.

"I don't think Busby had his best stuff tonight," Krenchicki said of the pitcher. "Not like he did his first two starts. I think he threw better later in the game."

Pennyfeather singled to score the first two runs and it was downhill from there.

"I don't think it was tough to come back as far as mentally," Krenchicki said. "I was happy that we actually chipped away at the lead. We pulled within a run and I was happy with the way we swung the bats tonight."

Atlantic City (17-27 half, 55-52 overall) did all it could to keep the Sharks (16-27, 40-66) in the game. After the Surf built a 6-2 lead through six innings, starter Zac Stark recorded the first two outs of the seventh.

Jesus Azuaje followed with a single up the middle. Gil Martinez followed suit and singled up the middle, which allowed Azuaje to get to third. The throw from Maleke Fowler flew into the Surf dugout and the Sharks pulled within 6-3.

Guillermo Garcia walked and Dan Held followed with a hard ground ball to third. Surf third baseman Enohel Polanco bobbled the ball and his rushed throw sailed over first and hit the wall along the grandstand. Martinez easily scored from third to make the score 6-4.

Raul Rodarte's single to center set off one of the more interesting exchanges of the year.

Garcia rounded third and Held rounded second. Fowler went to third with the throw and Held got caught in a rundown. Garcia scored but Held made the final out of the inning.

"More or less it was intentional," Krenchicki said. "I was worried Guillermo was going to get thrown out at home. ( Held) did try to draw the throw to third but he got too far off the base."

Which has been just the luck of the Sharks all year.

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