Sea Dogs Top Patriots

Bridgewater, New Jersey- The Somerset Patriots (52-34) dropped Thursday night’s game 8-7 against the Portland Sea Dogs (51-34) behind Corey Kluber’s first rehab start at TD Bank Ballpark.

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The two-time American League Cy Young Award winner struggled with his command in his return to the mound. He threw 45 pitches over 1.1 innings and allowed five earned runs on two hits with a strikeout and four walks.

“I obviously would have preferred to perform better, but I think first and foremost getting that first one out of the way and getting through it feeling fine is the main goal,” Kluber said in a postgame Zoom with media.

The Patriots gave Kluber some run support in the bottom of the first. The team put up five runs courtesy of a Chris Gittens’ single, a Josh Breaux double and a three-run blast from Michael Beltre (14).

Portland answered with a seven-run second inning that put them up 8-5. The big hit in the inning was a three-run homer by Roldani Baldwin (2).

OH MY! 😱@HardhittinCG | #SquadUp pic.twitter.com/exiOvPB4wu

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 13, 2021

Gittens struck again with a two-run home run (1) to left-center field in the sixth that brought the Patriots to within a run.

Matthew Kent (W, 6-2) picked up the win with two earned runs on six hits and five strikeouts over 5.1 innings pitched. Joan Martinez (S, 2) earned a two-inning save and struck out two.

Ken Waldichuk (L, 4-2) suffered the loss after he allowed three earned runs on seven hits and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Zach Greene closed out the game with three scoreless innings and four strikeouts.

The Patriots and Sea Dogs continue the series at TD Bank Ballpark on Friday evening at 7:05 pm.

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 Northeast 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.

To learn more, visit: www.somersetpatriots.com.