Sauer Shines in Record-Setting Seventeen Strikeout Steamroll
Bridgewater, NJ -- Somerset Patriots pitcher Matt Sauer struck out a franchise-record 17 batters in a 4-3 extra innings loss (71-45) to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (51-66) on Thursday night at TD Bank Ballpark. Sauer's 17 punch outs are the most by any Patriots pitcher in franchise history, including
Bridgewater, NJ -- Somerset Patriots pitcher Matt Sauer struck out a franchise-record 17 batters in a 4-3 extra innings loss (71-45) to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (51-66) on Thursday night at TD Bank Ballpark.
Sauer's 17 punch outs are the most by any Patriots pitcher in franchise history, including in the team's Atlantic League era. The 17 strikeouts were also the most of any full-season MLB or MiLB pitcher in 2022.
The game began with five perfect innings for Sauer, who left after a career-high eight innings with a 2-1 lead in tact.
SAUER WAS SWEET TONIGHT!@Yankees prospect Matt Sauer sets a new career and Patriots single-game record with 1⃣7⃣Ks🤯 #PatriotsInPinstripes #RepBX pic.twitter.com/TjcaaLewLb
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 26, 2022
Sauer's bid for a perfect game came to an end on the first pitch of the sixth inning, when Sebastian Espino (12) hit a solo home run to cut into Somerset's two-run lead.
Everson Pereira (4) gave Sauer and the Patriots the lead on a two-run home run with two outs in the third inning. Pereira ended the day with his seventh multi-hit game at the Double-A level.
After Sauer left the game, Carson Coleman was tagged with his second blown save of the season, allowing a run in the top of the ninth inning. The inning ended on a home run-robbing catch in center field by Pereira that preserved the 2-2 tie and sent the game to extra innings.
Espino struck again for the Fisher Cats with a one-out, two-run single that gave New Hampshire the game's decisive runs. Steven Jennings (3-3) was tagged for the loss, while Jimmy Burnette (4-3) earned the win.
Jennings struck out Cam Eden for the second out in the 10th inning, matching Somerset's franchise record with the Patriots' 20th strikeout of the night--their most in a game as the Yankees' Double-A affiliate.
Max Burt laced an RBI-single to give the Patriots' the game's final run in the bottom of the 10th, but Somerset ultimately wound up having its three-game win streak snapped, 4-3.
The loss marked Somerset's eighth extra innings defeat of the season, falling to 4-8 in such games.
The 2022 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford will continue at home on Friday night with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at TD Bank Ballpark.
Blue Jays No. 2 prospect LHP Ricky Tiedemann (No. 34 overall MiLB prospect) will get the start for New Hampshire, opposite Yankees No. 16 prospect RHP Randy Vasquez for Somerset.
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 6:50 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.