Eastern League Championship One Win Away for Somerset After Early Onslaught
September 27, 2022 – Eastern League (EL) – Somerset Patriots News Release
Somerset Patriots’ Austin Wells and Eric Wagaman celebrate win
(Somerset Patriots)
Bridgewater, New Jersey – With their backs against the wall, the Somerset Patriots staved off elimination with a 9-2 defeat of the Erie SeaWolves at TD Bank Ballpark on Tuesday night to move within one win of being crowned Eastern League Champions.
The winner-take-all third game of the Eastern League Championship Series will take place on Wednesday night at TD Bank Ballpark, beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Austin Wells established the tone of the game for the Patriots, walloping a three-run homer out to right field to put the Patriots up 3-0 before the first out in the game was recorded by Chance Kirby.
Kirby, who led all Eastern League pitchers in ERA (2.62), WHIP (0.94) and BAA (.197) was chased out of the game after throwing just 31 pitches to 10 batters and allowing five earned runs for just the third time all season.
The first five Patriots reached off him in the first inning, when four runs wound up scoring to start the game. Jesus Bastidas delivered a sacrifice fly that put the Patriots up 4-0 entering the second.
The very next inning, Corey Joyce chopped Somerset’s lead in half with a two-run homer off of Patriots starter Yoendrys Gomez.
Heading to the bottom of the second up 4-2, the Patriots made a statement with two more home runs from Jasson Dominguez and Elijah Dunham.
Then up 8-2, Andres Chaparro added an RBI-double in the fourth inning that capped the game’s scoring at 9-2 Patriots.
Yoendrys Gomez was the winning pitcher for Somerset, hurling five innings and allowing just the two runs on six strikeouts.
Barrett Loseke, Emmanuel Ramirez and Carlos Espinal closed out the game with four combined scoreless innings. The Patriots’ pitching staff struck out 16 SeaWolves.
Now, the Patriots and SeaWolves will match up in the third game of the Eastern League Championship Series on Wednesday night at TD Bank Ballpark. The winner of the game will be crowned Eastern League Champions for the first time in franchise history.
Yankees No. 15 prospect RHP Randy Vasquez will get the start for Somerset opposite Tigers No. 4 prospect RHP Ty Madden with first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m.
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.
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