Bridgewater, New Jersey – The Somerset Patriots (17-26, 59-54) salvaged the weekend set with a 5-4 win over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (22-21, 47-65) at Sunday evening at TD Bank Ballpark.
The Blue Crabs jumped ahead in the top of the third inning. Mike Falsetti led off the inning with a double down the left field line and later scored on a Tony Thomas sacrifice fly. Still with runners at first and second base, a throwing error from Patriots’ catcher Yovan Gonzalez allowed a second run to score.
Southern Maryland remained in front until Somerset plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Teodoro Martinez started the scoring with an RBI double to left-center field. Michael Ohlman added a sacrifice fly later in the inning before Jimmy Paredes topped off the frame with a two-out RBI single to left.
Somerset carried a one-run lead into the seventh inning before Paredes (8) sent a two-run home run over the right-center field fence. The long ball extended the Patriots’ lead to 5-2.
The Blue Crabs answered the next half inning with a Charlie Valerio RBI triple and a Jon Griffin RBI groundout to make it a one-run score, but they would get no closer.
Zack Dodson (W, 1-1) earned his first win as a Patriot after he allowed just two runs (one earned) with three strikeouts over six innings. Tommy Thorpe (L, 2-6) suffered the loss after he yielded three runs on four hits and six walks over 4.2 innings.
Chris Beck (S, 2) closed the door with a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save.
The 2019 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford continues on Monday, August 26th against the Lancaster Barnstormers. It will be a Bark in the Park night, presented by Multipet. For tickets, stop by the box office located at TD Bank Ballpark, call (908) 252-0700, or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.