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Corona Slugs Two Homers, Patriots Storm Back in Ninth for 9-8 Win

April 22, 2026

The Somerset Patriots roared back from down five runs, beating the Richmond Flying Squirrels 9-8 at CarMax Park in Richmond, VA on Wednesday evening. Last time Somerset overcame five runs to win a game was also in Richmond (6/28/24 @RIC, 7-5 W, trailed 5-0). Somerset smashed four home runs, marking

The Somerset Patriots roared back from down five runs, beating the Richmond Flying Squirrels 9-8 at CarMax Park in Richmond, VA on Wednesday evening. Last time Somerset overcame five runs to win a game was also in Richmond (6/28/24 @RIC, 7-5 W, trailed 5-0).

Somerset smashed four home runs, marking the third game this season with four-plus homers, fourth game this season with three-plus homers and seventh game overall with multiple home runs. Somerset has hit multiple home runs in a season-high three straight games. Somerset’s 25 homers this season ranks second in the Eastern League.

With eight strikeouts in the game, Somerset’s pitching staff has recorded eight-plus strikeouts in 15 of 16 games this season. Somerset’s 10.6 K/9 ranks tied for third-most in the Eastern League.

RHP Trent Sellers (4.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K) tossed a season-high 88 pitches. Sellers went exactly 4.0 IP for the third time this season. Across 12.0 IP, he’s struck out 26.2% of batters for a team-high 17 punchouts.

LHP Will Brian (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K) tallied back-to-back 1-2-3 frames in the sixth and seventh innings. Brian has notched 10.0 scoreless innings across six outings this season. In that span, he’s posted a 0.80 WHIP, .194 BAA, punching out 14 batters while walking just one. Brian’s 14 strikeouts are the most by any Eastern League pitcher with one or fewer walks this season.

CF Jace Avina (1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, R) rocked his fifth XBH of the season with a two-RBI double in the seventh inning. Avina extended his season-high hit streak to a team-leading six games. In that span, he’s slashing .286/.407/.619 with three XBH and six RBI. Avina’s six-game hit streak is tied for sixth among Eastern League batters.

2B Marco Luciano (2-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 BB, 2 R) nuked his team-lead tying fourth home run of the season over the batter’s eye, getting Somerset within a run in the ninth inning. Luciano reached base in each of his first three plate appearances, extending his hit streak to a season-high three games.

Luciano leads the Yankees farm system in SLG (.692) and OPS (1.119), is tied for first in runs scored (16) and tied for second in XBH (10). He is also third in AVG (.346), OBP (.426) and hits (18). Luciano is fourth in the Eastern League in OPS and is tied for seventh with four homers.

1B Tyler Hardman (1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB, R) tallied his third home run of the season in the first inning. After just one home run through 12 appearances this season, Hardman has mashed two homers in his last three games. Across his last nine games, Hardman is slashing .296/.406/.667 with six of his eight hits for extra bases alongside nine RBI.

LF DJ Gladney (2-for-5, 2B, R) secured his fifth multi-hit game of the season with a two-out single in the ninth inning. With hits in 10 of his last 12 games, Gladney is slashing .378/.412/.533 with 17 hits, six XBH, 11 runs and 11 RBI in that span.

DH Kenedy Corona (2-for-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R) powered home runs in back-to-back at bats in the eighth and ninth innings, including the go-ahead two-run shot in the ninth, while down to Somerset’s final strike.

Corona’s multi-home run game marked the third by a Somerset batter this season and first since Luciano notched two home runs vs. Reading on April 16. Corona’s two-home run game matched a career-high for the second time, last achieved as part of the Astros organization on April 25, 2023 at Midland (Double-A).

C Miguel Palma (1-for-4, 2B, K) notched his first double and second XBH of the season with a one-out double in the fourth inning. Palma extended his hit streak to a season-high three games. He’s reached base safely in six of eight appearances this season.

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Box Score

Postgame Notes

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