Five-Run Ninth Inning Fuels Somerset to Series-Clinching Comeback Win
The Somerset Patriots rallied past the Hartford Yard Goats 9-6 at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford, CT on Sunday afternoon. With the win, Somerset has won nine of its last 12 games to stay within 2.5 games of first-place Reading in the Northeast Division with 18 games remaining in the second
The Somerset Patriots rallied past the Hartford Yard Goats 9-6 at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford, CT on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, Somerset has won nine of its last 12 games to stay within 2.5 games of first-place Reading in the Northeast Division with 18 games remaining in the second half.
The Patriots improved to a second half-best three games over .500 (27-24) and season-best eight games over .500 (64-56). Somerset has now won back-to-back six-game series for the first time in the second half and first time since taking series at Harrisburg and at home against Binghamton in early June. The win moved the Patriots to 7-5 against the Yard Goats this season, including a 4-2 record at Dunkin’ Park.
Trailing 4-0 entering the sixth inning, Somerset rallied with two runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh and eighth, before allowing two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to trail 6-4. Down 6-4 entering the ninth inning, the Patriots rallied with five ninth inning runs to claim their sixth win of the season when trailing after eight innings.
In the ninth, the Patriots brought 10 batters to the plate for the eighth time this season. It was the second consecutive day the Patriots have recorded at least nine plate appearances in a single inning (9 PA - seventh inning on August 22 vs. HFD). Somerset’s five runs in the ninth marked the 16th individual inning this season where Somerset has scored five-plus runs. It was also the second consecutive day Somerset scored five runs in a single inning (5 R – seventh inning on August 22 vs. HFD).
Manny Palencia’s two-out homer in the sixth inning marked Somerset’s 18th two-out homer since the All-Star break to rank fourth in Double-A. Somerset’s .288 AVG with two outs in that span is tied for the Double-A lead. Somerset has homered in two of its last three games. The Patriots’ 167 homers this season rank second in Double-A at the time of the game’s conclusion.
Sean Paul Liñan with a Double-A career-high 5⃣ punchouts this afternoon! 👀 pic.twitter.com/9lnNXthvB7
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 23, 2026
RHP Sean Paul Liñan (3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 5 K) struck out the side in the third inning. Liñan’s five punchouts set a new Double-A career-high. Across two Double-A games, he’s got eight strikeouts in 8.0 IP.
LHP Geoff Gilbert (2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB) earned his fifth win of the season. In his last seven appearances, Gilbert has posted a 2.19 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and .105 BAA with 16 K to 6 BB in 12.1 IP.
DH Core Jackson (1-for-4, 2B, BB, R) was activated off the 7-day IL, making his first appearance since August 15. Jackson smoked his first double at Double-A in the ninth inning, before scoring as part of Somerset’s five-run final frame. Dating back to his time with Hudson Valley, Jackson has hit safely in nine of his last 11 games. In that span, he’s slashing .325/.462/.525 with 5 XBH, 5 RBI and four multi-hit games.
CF Jace Avina (1-for-3, RBI, 2 BB, R) bounced an RBI single 104 mph off his bat to score Connor McGinnis in the seventh inning. Avina’s RBI single gave him an RBI in back-to-back games for the first time since June 20 and June 21 at Portland.
SS Roderick Arias (1-for-4, RBI, BB, R) pounded a single into left field in the third inning. Arias closed the series against the Yard Goats, slashing .320/.370/.480 with 4 XBH and 5 RBI. In 18 games with Somerset, Arias has registered 20 hits and is slashing .282/.346/.451 with a HR, 9 XBH and 13 RBI.
Coby Morales SCORES FROM FIRST BASE on a ground ball to third! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/70cQSWoIc4
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 23, 2026
3B Coby Morales (2-for-4, BB, 3 R) posted his team-leading 31st multi-hit game of the season. Morales extended his on-base streak to a career-high 18 games with a two-out walk in the sixth inning. In the eighth inning, Morales singled and scored from first base on a Manny Palencia ground ball out to third. During Morales’ 18-game on-base streak, he’s slashing .323/.468/.500 with 2 HR, 5 RBI and 5 XBH.
Manny Palencia HAMMERS his FIFTH home run of the season 💪 pic.twitter.com/3aUh2J6oZI
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 23, 2026
C Manny Palencia (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB, R) ripped his fifth homer of the season to left field in the sixth inning. Palencia has recorded homers in four consecutive series for the first time in his career. Prior to homering five times in 13 August games, he’d homered once in 258 professional games. Palencia’s five August homers are tied for second among Double-A batters with fewer than 50 plate appearances. Palencia has reached safely in 13 of his last 14 games. During that stretch, he’s slashing .380/.407/.760 with 5 HR, 16 RBI and 9 XBH. Since the beginning of July, Palencia has 10 multi-hit games and is slashing .372/400/.606 with 5 HR, 19 RBI and 12 XBH in that span. Palencia’s .372 AVG leads all Double-A catchers with 100-plus plate appearances in that stretch, while ranking tied for fourth among all Double-A batters.
LF Jackson Castillo (1-for-3, 2B, R) replaced Luis Durango in the fifth inning and doubled for the second consecutive game in the ninth, Castillo extended his on-base streak to a career-high 18 games. In that span, he’s reached base safely in 27 of 72 plate appearances (.375 OBP).
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