The Somerset Patriots beat the Richmond Flying Squirrels 4-2 at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ on Wednesday.
Somerset has won seven of its last eight games to climb within 3.0 games of first-place Reading in the Northeast Division at the time of the game’s conclusion.
In the second inning, Somerset claimed the lead for good with three consecutive two-out hits. Since the end of the All-Star Break, Somerset’s .342 AVG with two-outs leads Double-A.
The Patriots combined to hit 3-for-7 with RISP, marking the seventh time in the last eight games Somerset has recorded multiple hits with RISP. Somerset has won 15 consecutive games when recording multiple hits with RISP.
Kevin Verde’s solo home run in the seventh inning extended Somerset’s streak to 10 consecutive games with a home run. Somerset has homered in 10 straight games for the first time since homering in a season-high 14 straight games on April 24 to May 8. Somerset’s active 10-game streak with a home run leads the Eastern League. Somerset’s 144 homers lead Double-A and are tied for sixth in MiLB at the time of the game’s conclusion.
Dating back to July 12 vs. Reading, Somerset starting pitching has combined to allow 13 earned runs for a 2.03 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and .185 BAA with 74 K to 25 BB in 57.2 IP across the last 13 games.
LHP Xavier Rivas (6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K) tossed his third quality start of July and ninth consecutive outing surrendering two or fewer runs. Since June 11, he’s tallied an 0.91 ERA, 4-1 record, 0.76 WHIP and .108 BAA with 51 K to 16 BB in 39.2 IP across eight outings. Rivas leads all qualified full season MiLB arms in ERA, WHIP and BAA across that stretch. Across five July outings, he’s posted a 1.08 ERA, 2-1 record, 0.88 WHIP, .120 BAA with 34 K to 12 BB in 25.0 IP.
Rivas has allowed just one earned run across his last three starts. In that span, he’s registered a 2-0 record, 0.53 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, .093 BAA with 24 K to 8 BB in 17.0 IP. Rivas worked at least five innings for the sixth time in his last seven starts, spinning seven-plus strikeouts for the eighth time this season. At the time of the game’s conclusion, Rivas’ 108 punchouts rank second in the Yankees minor league system and third in the Eastern League.
DH Tomas Frick (1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R) ripped an RBI double down the left field line to spark Somerset’s two-run second inning. Frick extended his hit streak to a season-high three games. In that span, he’s 5-for-9 with a HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB and 4 R.
RF Luis Durango (1-for-2, BB, R, 3 SB) stole second base, third base and home plate after walking to lead off the fifth inning. Durango became the first Patriot to steal three bases in a single inning and the eighth batter to do it at Double-A this season. Across three Double-A games this season, Durango is 3-for-7 with 2 R, 3B, RBI, 3 SB and a BB.
SS Kevin Verde (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, R) notched his third multi-hit game at Double-A this season with an RBI single in the second inning and a solo homer in the seventh. Verde’s homer was his third this season with Somerset and marked Verde’s second consecutive game with a home run for the first time in his career. Across his last three games, Verde is 4-for-8 with 2 HR, 7 RBI, BB and 2 R.
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