Eleven-Inning Shootout Belongs to Portland in Series Opener
Bridgewater, New Jersey – The Somerset Patriots (81-50) were outlasted by the Portland Sea Dogs (72-61) in an 11-inning shootout that resulted in a 10-9 final score at TD Bank Ballpark on Tuesday night. Somerset took two separate leads early in the game (third and fifth innings) and tied the
Bridgewater, New Jersey – The Somerset Patriots (81-50) were outlasted by the Portland Sea Dogs (72-61) in an 11-inning shootout that resulted in a 10-9 final score at TD Bank Ballpark on Tuesday night.
Somerset took two separate leads early in the game (third and fifth innings) and tied the game twice late (ninth and tenth innings) to force extras.
Portland, on the other hand, took four separate leads before the final one in the 11th inning stuck.
The Patriots homered four times in the game, including two homers by Andres Chaparro. Chaparro cleaned up with 4 RBIs in what was his second two home run game over the last three games.
Chaparro's first homer came on the first pitch he saw to lead off the second inning and it got Somerset on the board, trailing Portland 4-1.
The second pitch Chaparro saw was his second homer of the day, a three-run shot that gave the Patriots a 5-4 lead, after they trailed 4-0.
CHAPPY IS UNSTOPPABLE😤
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 13, 2022
Andres Chaparro smacks his 2nd homer (18) of the ballgame to put us on top 5-4 in the 3rd. pic.twitter.com/aVCwLf25Ds
After Portland tied the game back up 5-5 with Ceddanne Rafaela's second of three RBIs on the night in the fourth inning, Austin Wells delivered Somerset's second and final lead was his 19th total home run of the season.
Tyler Dearden tied up the game 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning with the second of his two RBIs for Portland. Stephen Scott then gave the Sea Dogs a 7-6 lead with a two-out solo home run in the top of the eighth inning.
With one out in the ninth, Brandon Lockridge supplied the Patriots with a game-tying home run to force extras. It was Lockridge's 14th homer of the season, setting a career-best mark.
BRANDON LOCKRIDGE IS MR. CLUTCH🔒
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 14, 2022
The @Yankees No. 28 prospect's 14th homer is also his 8th go-ahead or game-tying hit in the 7th inning or later this season. pic.twitter.com/AIG7BGlmc9
After Portland scored its automatic tenth inning runner in the top of the 10th, Oliver Dunn sent the game to extras with an RBI-single in the bottom half of the inning.
Dunn ended his day at the plate 2-for-2 in relief of Harrison Bader, who was playing in the second game of his rehab assignment with the Patriots. Bader went 0-for-3 with a run scored and three putouts in center field.
Aroldis Chapman also made a rehab appearance in the game for the Yankees, pitching a scoreless fifth inning with a hit, a walk and two strikeouts.
Jasson Dominguez and Tyler Hardman each made their Double-A debuts in the game and went 0-for-5.
After Dunn tied the game for Somerset in the bottom of the 10th, his error in left field in the top of the 11th led to the game-winning run scoring for Portland in the 10-9 victory.
Hardman picked up his first Double-A RBI on a groundout in the bottom of the 11th inning that scored Elijah Dunham.
The win is Portland's sixth straight and puts the Sea Dogs within one win of advancing to the Eastern League playoffs as second half champions.
The 2022 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford will continue as the Patriots host the Sea Dogs again on Wednesday night with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch at TD Bank Ballpark.
For the Patriots, RHP Barrett Loseke will start opposite RHP Brian Van Belle for the Sea Dogs.
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.
About the Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots compete in the Double-A Eastern League and play their home games at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball.