The Eastern League saw a plethora of great pitching performances last night, with a pitcher’s duel in Akron. Some of the best arms in the Eastern League were on full display last night.
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Somerset vs. New Hampshire
Game 1: Somerset Bats Woke Up Early in Win Over New Hampshire
The Patriots jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first with a solo home run from DJ Gladney. The Fisher Cats got on the board as Arjun Nimmala hit a solo home run. In the fourth, Somerset added to their lead as Cole Gabrielson and Owen Cobb each singled home a run, then Gabrielson would score on a throwing error, extending their lead to 5-1. They’d add three more in the fifth to put the game away. Eddie Micheletti Jr. hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, but that was it in a 9-3 loss. Xavier Rivas for Somerset went five innings, allowing a run on a hit. He walked three and struck out seven.
Game 2: Patriots Complete Sweep
Somerset came right back for the second game and scored again in the first. They got an RBI single from DJ Gladney. New Hampshire on a sacrifice fly from Cutter Coffey tied things up at 1-1. Owen Cobb gave the Patriots the lead back, and in the fifth, Connor McGinnis hit a two-run home run to make it 4-1. New Hampshire got two in the sixth to make it a one-run game, but Somerset put it away in the sixth. Cole Gabrielson hit a solo home run, and Coby Morales hit a three-run home run in an 8-3 win.
Holobetz Shines for Portland, Binghamton Comeback Falls Short
John Holobetz was phenomenal for Portland, going five scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, walked none, and struck out ten. Portland got a solo home run from Franklin Arias, an RBI ground out from Will Turner, and a sacrifice fly from Raudelis Martinez to make it 3-0. The Rumble Ponies would get a two-run home run from Corey Collins in the bottom of the ninth, but that’s where the comeback ended in a 3-2 loss.
Harrisburg Blanks Reading
Isaac Lyon for Harrisburg was fantastic, going seven shutout innings. He allowed four hits, walked one, and struck out five. Luke Russo for Reading went 1.2 innings, allowing seven runs, all unearned, on five hits. He didn’t allow a walk and struck out three. Caleb Farmer and Cortland Lawson led the Harrisburg offense. Farmer went 2-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Lawson went 3-5 with two RBI and a run scored.
Erie Halts Chesapeake Comeback
The Baysox jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Erie rebounded with a four-run third. They added two more in the fifth to go to 6-2. Chesapeake added two more in the sixth, then another in the eighth to make it 6-5. Erie got an RBI line out by Justice Bigbie and a sacrifice fly by Andrew Jenkins to make it 8-5. The Baysox fought back in the ninth on a Frederick Bencosme two-run homer to make it 8-7, but Erie shut the door.
Altoona Scores in Ninth to Beat Akron in Pitcher’s Duel
In the top of the ninth, Lonnie White Jr. singled home the game’s lone run in a 1-0 win for the Curve. It was a trio of pitchers for Altoona to preserve the shutout. Dominic Pipkin, Cristhian Tortosa, and Brandon Neeck all went three innings each. Neeck got the win, but the trio combined to allow three hits, four walks, and struck out 11. Josh Hartle for Akron did his job, going 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits. He walked one and struck out eight.
Hartford Comes Back to Beat Richmond
The Flying Squirrels jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third on a Diego Velasquez RBI single. Hartford didn’t strike until the eighth as they got a sacrifice fly from Dyan Jorge to tie the game, then a two-run triple from Roc Riggio to make it 3-1, which was the final. Jack Mahoney went six innings, allowing a run on three hits. He walked one and struck out five. Yunior Marte for Richmond went seven shutout innings, allowing four hits. He walked two and struck out six.
