Jones’ Heroics Seal Division Title And Trip To Eastern League Championship
The Somerset Patriots clinched the Eastern League Northeast Division Championship and a trip to the Eastern League Finals with a 4-3 win over the Hartford Yard Goats to cap off an ELDS sweep. The Patriots will open the best of three Eastern League Championship Series Sunday in either Akron or
The Somerset Patriots clinched the Eastern League Northeast Division Championship and a trip to the Eastern League Finals with a 4-3 win over the Hartford Yard Goats to cap off an ELDS sweep. The Patriots will open the best of three Eastern League Championship Series Sunday in either Akron or Erie before returning home Tuesday.
THE DOUBLE PLAY TO END IT!
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 20, 2024
FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS, THE SOMERSET PATRIOTS WILL PLAY FOR THE EASTERN LEAGUE CROWN! pic.twitter.com/DQDsmouQA6
RHP Zach Messinger (6.2 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 0 BB, 6 K) registered a quality start, hurling 6.2 IP with 6 K. Over his last nine starts, including eight regular season starts, Messinger has pitched to a 1.69 ERA with 39 K in 53 IP.
RHP Jesus Liranzo (1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 K) earned the save for a no-hit 10th. Over his last 16 outings dating back to 6/28, Liranzo has posted a 1.63 ERA with 26 K in 22 IP.
CF Spencer Jones (2-for-5, RBI) laced the go-ahead RBI single in the 10th inning to give Somerset a 4-3 lead. Jones extended his on-base streak to ten games, over which he’s 14-for-39 (.358) with 3 HR, 6 RBI, and 7 R. Jones has multiple hits in three straight games dating back to the final day of the regular season. Thursday marked Jones’ team leading 38th multi-hit game of the season. The Yankees No. 2 prospect has hit safely in seven of his last eight contests.
SPENCER JONES GO-AHEAD RBI SINGLE IN THE 10TH!! pic.twitter.com/hKmZ430Cd2
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 20, 2024
C Rafael Flores (2-for-4, HR, RBI, BB) launched a solo homer in the 6th inning to extend Somerset’s lead to 3-1. Over 10 career postseason games with the Yankees organization in 2022 with the FCL Yankees, 2023 with Hudson Valley, and 2024 with Somerset, Flores is 13-for-31 (.322) with 3 HR and 6 RBI. Flores finished the regular season with 21 HR, tops among Yankees minor leaguers.
PLAYOFF RAFA IS HERE AND HE'S PERFECT💥
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 20, 2024
Rafael Flores, the Yankees' minor league leader in homers with 21, just hit his first of the playoffs to extend a 3-1 Somerset lead! pic.twitter.com/VUo0CnpBRW