Lancaster, Penn. – A pair of four-run innings in the first third of Thursday night’s ballgame lifted the Somerset Patriots (16-16, 58-44) to a 9-3 win over the Lancaster Barnstormers (21-13, 59-44) at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Somerset opened up with four runs in the top of the first inning. An RBI single from Kyle Roller began the scoring, before Christian Marrero’s sacrifice fly, Carlos Guzman’s RBI single and a run-scoring wild pitch increased the lead. 

The Patriots then added four more runs in the second on a Justin Trapp RBI double, Roller sacrifice fly and Mark Minicozzi (3) two-run home run to right-center field. An RBI single from Trapp the next inning extended the lead to 9-0.

Trapp finished the day 3-for-5 with a double, a walk, two runs scored and two runs batted in.

“I just wanted to be aggressive today in the two-hole,” said Trapp after the game. “My goal was to get on base early and help the team any way that I could. Luckily, today turned out pretty well for me and the team.”

Lancaster got one the board on an infield single from Beau Amaral in the bottom of the third. They later added two more runs in the eighth on a Josh Bell RBI single and a Lastings Milledge RBI fielder’s choice.

Efrain Nieves (2-3) earned the win after he allowed just one run on three hits over six innings. Tommy Shirley (1-4) yielded nine runs (six earned) on 11 hits over three innings to take the loss.

The Patriots and Barnstormers continue their series Saturday night in Lancaster. Right-hander Will Oliver (4-3, 5.55 ERA) takes the mound for Somerset against southpaw Jared Leverett (7-5, 5.87 ERA) for the Barnstormers. First pitch at Clipper Magazine Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 pm.

Tickets to the 2017 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford, which includes the team’s 20th Anniversary, are on sale now. For more information, stop by the ballpark, call (908) 252-0700, or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.

About The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 36 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 800 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment to metropolitan markets serving nearly 15% of the US population.

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