ERIE, PA - The opening three innings between the Erie SeaWolves (38-21, 74-53) and the Somerset Patriots (32-27, 69-59) were full of chaos with each team plating five runs, but it was the Patriots that eventually pulled away for an 8-6 win on Wednesday night at UPMC Park.
Somerset jumped out to an instant lead when Core Jackson crushed the Patriots' third leadoff home run of the season on the first pitch of the game. Josh Moylan took advantage of two one-out walks when he crushed the second home run of the inning to score three and give Somerset a 4-0 lead after one.
SeaWolves starter Max Alba was pulled without getting out of the first inning. Dariel Fregio entered to clean up for the final out and hold the Patriots' offense to four runs.
Erie crafted its first response in the second when Izaac Pacheco launched his 20th SeaWolves home run of the season to claw back one run.
Somerset responded with a bevy of one-out base hits in the third, the third of which scored a fifth run to extend the lead to 5-1.
The SeaWolves pulled back even in the third with four runs. Peyton Graham and Woody Hadeen singled to begin the inning before Zyhir Hope split the infield with a double to score both. EJ Exposito followed up with a one-out two-run home run to even the score at five.
Somerset broke the tie in the fifth with an RBI-ground out from Manuel Palencia to score DJ Gladney after he reached on a sharply hit double and advanced to third on a pickoff error.
Each bullpen locked things down until the ninth inning. Zane Barnhart and Moises Rodriguez handled the work for the SeaWolves, while Trent Sellers and Yerry Rodriguez hurled four scoreless for the Patriots.
Somerset gained some valuable insurance in the ninth when Roderick Arias singled to lead off the frame before Coby Morales blasted his 21st home run of the season out to center field off of Moises Rodriguez to extend the Patriots' lead to 8-5.
The SeaWolves worked back one run in the bottom of the inning when Graham walked and moved to third on defensive indifference. Graham scored on an error with two outs to cut the lead to two. Hope crushed a ball to right-center with two outs as the tying run, but Jace Avina made the catch at the wall to finish the game there.
Erie returns to action on Thursday night at 6:05 PM. Kenny Serwa gets the ball for Erie against Dom Hamel for Somerset.
2026 Playoffs presented by UPMC tickets, Single-game tickets, suites, picnics, The Club by Synchrony events, and Bud Light Party Deck groups are now available by visiting SeaWolves.com, calling 814-456-1300, or visiting the UPMC Park Box Office in person.