Palencia Provides Spark as Somerset’s Comeback Falls Short in Series Finale
The Somerset Patriots fell to the Akron RubberDucks 8-7 at 7 17 Credit Union Park in Akron, OH on Sunday afternoon. The loss dropped Somerset to 4.5 games back of first-place Reading in the Northeast Division with 30 games remaining at the time of the game’s conclusion. The Patriots slipped
The Somerset Patriots fell to the Akron RubberDucks 8-7 at 7 17 Credit Union Park in Akron, OH on Sunday afternoon.
The loss dropped Somerset to 4.5 games back of first-place Reading in the Northeast Division with 30 games remaining at the time of the game’s conclusion. The Patriots slipped to 17-20 in an Eastern League lead-tying 37 one-run games this season. The result handed Somerset a six-game series loss for the first time since dropping four games to Reading before the All-Star Break (July 7 – July 12).
Trailing 7-0 after two innings, the Patriots tied the game 7-7 in the fifth with seven unanswered runs, before allowing a go-ahead RBI double to Akron’s Aaron Walton in the seventh. The Patriots scored a run in the third inning, before striking for three runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game.
With Manny Palencia’s homer in the third inning, Somerset has smashed homers in three of its last four games. Somerset’s 152 homers this season lead Double-A and rank eighth in MiLB at the time of the game’s conclusion.
RHP Cade Smith (5.0 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 3 K) did not allow a hit or run across his final three innings of work. Smith pitched at least five innings for the 11th time this season.
Combining for 3.0 innings allowing just one run in relief of Cade Smith, Somerset’s bullpen has allowed one or fewer runs in four of its last five games.
RHP Kevin Stevens (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K) tossed a perfect eighth inning with two strikeouts. Stevens recorded his fifth consecutive scoreless outing. In that span, he’s allowed just two hits, striking out eight batters without a walk in 5.2 IP (0.35 WHIP, .111 BAA).
3B Coby Morales (1-for-4, BB, R) walked and scored in the fifth inning, before singling in the ninth to extend his hit streak to six games and on-base streak to eight games. Morales’ six-game hit streak ties a season-high for the third time. It’s the first time he’s hit safely in six straight games since July 18 – July 24. During Morales’ eight-game on-base streak, he’s reached safely in 12 of 32 plate appearances (.378 OBP). Morales’ 102 hits through Somerset’s first 108 games of the season rank second in the franchise’s affiliated history.
DJ Gladney keeps the offense coming with an RBI single! pic.twitter.com/qLXg6mblxk
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 9, 2026
RF DJ Gladney (1-for-5, RBI, SB, R) bounced an RBI single up the middle in the fifth inning. Gladney extended his on-base streak to 12 games. With hits in 11 games during that stretch, Gladney is slashing .360/.396/.680 with 4 HR, 8 XBH and 14 RBI. With an RBI in eight of his last 11 games, Gladney’s 68 RBI rank third in the Eastern League and rank fifth in the Yankees farm system.
Roderick Arias CANNOT BE STOPPED 🤩
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 9, 2026
He SMACKS an RBI knock, extending his hit streak to a season-high 10 games! pic.twitter.com/gRu9yNM1Ex
SS Roderick Arias (1-for-3, RBI, BB, R) ripped an RBI single to right field in the fifth inning. Arias has hit safely in all six games to start his stint with Somerset. Dating back to his time in Hudson Valley, Arias has hit safely in a season-high 10 straight games. In that span, he’s slashing .400/.429/.575 with 6 XBH, 5 RBI and five multi-hit games.
LF Jackson Castillo (0-for-3, BB, R) walked and scored in the fourth inning to extend his on-base streak to 10 games. During Castillo’s 10-game on base streak, he’s reached safely in 16-of-43 plate appearances (.372 OBP).
1B Josh Moylan (1-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB) brought home his 18th RBI of the season with Somerset on an opposite field double in the fourth inning. Moylan's double extended his hit streak to a season-high seven games during which he is slashing .308/.357/.538 with 4 XBH and 5 RBI. Across his last 18 games, Moylan is batting .328/.356/.522 with 3 HR, 13 RBI, 7 XBH and four multi-hit games.
MANNY PALENCIA HOMERS OFF THE BATTER'S EYE 🤯 pic.twitter.com/wdkhlx4y6L
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 9, 2026
C Manny Palencia (2-for-4, 2B) blasted his second home run of the season to lead off the third inning. With homers in back-to-back series for the first time in his career, Palencia’s two home runs this season are a new career high. Palencia singled in the eighth inning to secure a career-high fourth consecutive multi-hit game and 14th multi-hit game of the season to lead all Somerset catchers. Since the beginning of July, Palencia has eight multi-hit games and is slashing .417/.435/.583 with 2 HR, 8 RBI and 6 XBH in that span. Palencia’s .417 AVG leads all Double-A batters with over 60 plate appearances in that stretch.
Connor keeps COOKING 🧑🍳
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 9, 2026
McGinnis ropes an RBI single to score Josh Moylan! pic.twitter.com/nzHcrvnhrQ
2B Connor McGinnis (1-for-4, RBI) laced an RBI single to score Moylan in the fourth inning, extending his on-base streak to nine games. McGinnis joins Arias (10 games), Castillo (10 games), Cole Gabrielson (10 games) and Gladney (12 games) as one of five current Patriots with active on-base streaks of nine-plus games across all levels.
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