Marathon Win in Extras Gives Patriots 10th Series Victory
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Richmond, VA - The Somerset Patriots (60-35) picked up their 10th series win of the season on Saturday night, defeating the Richmond Flying Squirrels (48-47) 6-3 behind a four-run top of the 11th inning.
The 11-inning game lasted three hours and 46 minutes, serving as Somerset's longest game of the season by both innings and time.
The game featured 36 combined strikeouts, including the Patriots striking out a franchise-record 21 times at the plate. The 21 strikeouts were also a franchise record for the Richmond Flying Squirrels' pitching staff.
Somerset also drew 11 walks, a new season high, and left 17 runners on base, a new franchise record in the Yankees Double-A era. The Patriots went 7-for-26 with runners in scoring position.
Patriots starter Sean Boyle gave up two earned runs in seven innings, striking out nine batters, picking up a no-decision, while tying career-highs in both innings pitched and strikeouts for the fourth time this season.
The performance served as Boyle's ninth straight quality start--the longest streak by any minor league pitcher since 2019.
Boyle's 33 innings pitched during the month of July are the most of any minor league pitcher this month. In five starts during July, Boyle allowed only three earned runs, totaling a 0.81 ERA.
SEAN BOYLE🔥🔥🔥
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) July 31, 2022
Boyle threw his 9th straight quality start, the most of any Minor Leaguer since 2019.
He matched his career-high 7 IP and 9 Ks (4th time this season he has tied both) pic.twitter.com/4x7I46Z8E3
Somerset fell behind 2-0 in the fourth inning of the game, when Brett Auerbach hit a two-run homer off of Boyle. The Patriots were held hitless through five innings, before tying the game with two sixth inning runs.
The first run was scored on a double-steal, where Austin Wells came home from third base on his first steal of the season at the Double-A level. Elijah Dunham stole second on the play and went on to steal third later in the inning. He came home on an RBI-single from Rodolfo Duran that tied the game at two.
The game remained tied 2-2 entering extra innings, after Nick Ernst struck out four over two scoreless innings in relief of Boyle.
Carson Coleman earned his second win of the season for Somerset by pitching a scoreless 10th with a strikeout.
Brandon Lockridge supplied the Patriots with a go-ahead RBI-single in the 11th inning that served as the game-winning hit.
Lock in the lead🔒
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) July 31, 2022
Brandon Lockridge puts us up in the 11th with an RBI single to score Max Burt. pic.twitter.com/5UyNRx4AfY
Jeisson Rosario, Dunham and Chad Bell each added run-scoring plays to give the Patriots a 6-2 lead entering the bottom of the 11th inning.
Rosario reached base five times in the game, including three walks and two hits.
Wells extended his career-best hit streak to 14 games with a ground-ball single in the ninth inning. Wells' hit streak is the longest active streak in the Eastern League.
The 2022 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford will continue on the road on Saturday with a 1:35 p.m. game versus the Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond.
The Patriots will have RHP Mitch Spence starting opposite of RHP Taylor Rashi for the Flying Squirrels. Fans can follow the action as Steven Cusumano calls the play-by-play on FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5 FM | 1450 AM, the Flagship Station for Patriots Baseball, with pregame coverage beginning at 1:20 p.m.
About the Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots compete in the Double-A Eastern League and play their home games at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball.