Playoff Matchup Set as Sea Dogs Celebrate in Somerset
Bridgewater, New Jersey – The Somerset Patriots (81-51) were defeated 12-7 by the Portland Sea Dogs (73-61) at TD Bank Ballpark on Wednesday night, as Portland clinched its spot in the Eastern League playoffs. The Patriots will host the Sea Dogs in their first playoff game as the Yankees' Double-A
Bridgewater, New Jersey – The Somerset Patriots (81-51) were defeated 12-7 by the Portland Sea Dogs (73-61) at TD Bank Ballpark on Wednesday night, as Portland clinched its spot in the Eastern League playoffs.
The Patriots will host the Sea Dogs in their first playoff game as the Yankees' Double-A affiliate on Thursday, September 22 at TD Bank Ballpark.
The best of three series will begin at Hadlock Field in Portland on Tuesday, September 20.
Each team homered four times in Wednesday night's game, including Harrison Bader's first home run as a member of the Yankees organization.
🚨BADER BOMB🚨
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 14, 2022
Harrison Bader has his first home run for the @Yankees organization. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/YgQBDS8bLY
In game three of his rehab assignment with the Patriots, Bader went 2-for-4, scoring two runs as he works his way back from right foot plantar fasciitis.
Jeisson Rosario also homered for the Patriots, smacking his career-high 10th of the season off his former team. Rosario played 98 games with the Sea Dogs as a member of the Red Sox organization in 2021.
Yankees No. 6 prospect Trey Sweeney also extended his hit streak to four games with his second Double-A home run for the Patriots in the seventh inning.
Finally, Austin Wells smashed Somerset's fourth home run of the night with two outs in the ninth inning. After homering on Tuesday night, Wells has now homered in back-to-back games on five separate occasions for Somerset this season.
A WELLSIAN WHACK❗️@Yankees No. 4 prospect Austin Wells with his 12th Double-A homer and 20th total on the season. pic.twitter.com/PwwLrr36ps
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 15, 2022
Wells' home run also marked Somerset's 200th total on the season. The Patriots are one of four Minor League Baseball teams to have 200+ homers. They have also homered 4+ times in three out of their last four games.
For Portland, Red Sox No. 4 prospect Ceddanne Rafaela smacked the Sea Dogs' fourth homer in the seventh inning--a grand slam that put the Sea Dogs up 12-4 in seek of the second half championship.
The 12-7 loss is Somerset's third straight, as they fell to 81-51 with the defeat. The Sea Dogs advance to 73-61 with the victory.
The two Northeast division rivals will play four more times this week in preparation for their Northeast division postseason series next week.
The 2022 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford will continue as the Patriots host the Sea Dogs again on Thursday night with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch at TD Bank Ballpark.
For the Patriots, RHP Barrett Loseke will start opposite LHP Kyle Hart for the Sea Dogs.
Fans can follow the action live as Steven Cusumano calls the play-by-play on MiLB.tv and FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5 FM | 1450 AM, the Flagship Station for Patriots Baseball, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:20 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.