Cole and Volpe Shine, Gladney Walks it Off in Extras For Somerset
EL Somerset Patriots

Cole and Volpe Shine, Gladney Walks it Off in Extras For Somerset

Published on April 17, 2026 under Eastern League (EL)
Somerset Patriots News Release


Somerset Patriots congratulate DJ Gladney
Somerset Patriots congratulate DJ Gladney
(Somerset Patriots)

The Somerset Patriots beat the Reading Fightin Phils 9-8 at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ on Friday night in 10 innings.

Somerset picked up its first walk-off win since 9/6/25 vs. NH (Jake Gatewood) last year, moving to 1-1 in extra inning games this season.

The Patriots pounced with a five-run first inning. It marked the sixth time this season the Patriots have scored five or more runs in an inning.

Somerset has won four of its last five games. In that span, the Patriots are averaging 8.4 runs per game and 10.2 hits per contest.

The Patriots won back-to-back one run games for the first time this season. Somerset is 2-3 in one run games this season.

RHP Gerrit Cole (4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 K) made his first rehab start with Somerset after missing the entirety of the 2025 season with the Yankees due to Tommy John surgery. Cole retired seven of the last eight batters he faced, pitching back-to-back four pitch frames in the third and fourth innings.

3B George Lombard Jr. (1-for-4, 2 R, BB, SB) made his third start of the season at third base, notching his fifth multi-run game of the season. Lombard Jr. has hits in six of his last seven games. Among Eastern League players, Lombard Jr. ranks third in hits (18), fourth in AVG (.400), tied-for-fifth in runs (13), tied-for-seventh in SLG (.667) and is ninth in OPS (1.138). He ranks second among all Yankees farmhands in AVG, SLG and hits, while ranking third in OBP and OPS. He's also tied for first in runs (13).

SS Anthony Volpe (1-for-2, BB, 2 R, SB) played five innings at shortstop in his third major league rehab game for Somerset. Volpe notched his second hit of his rehab stint in the fourth inning, stealing second base and coming around to score. Volpe has hits in back-to-back rehab outings after a single in the fifth inning on Thursday.

2B Marco Luciano (2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B, R) tallied his second consecutive multi-hit game for the first time this season. Luciano leads the Yankees minor league system in SLG (.784) and OPS (1.238) and is tied-for-first in XBH (9). Among Yankees farmhands, Luciano is tied-for-third in AVG (.378) and is fourth in OBP (.455). His three home runs are also tied-for-fourth among Yankees minor leaguers. In the Eastern League, Luciano ranks second among all hitters in SLG and is third in OPS. In his last five games, Luciano is slashing .400/.409/1.000 with three home runs, five RBI and six XBH.

1B Coby Morales (2-for-5, RBI, 2B, 2 R) smacked a game-tying RBI double in the 10th inning for his team-leading 12th RBI. Morales' 12 RBIs this season ranks third in the Yankees minor league system and is tied-for-fourth in the Eastern League. Morales' multi-hit night marked his fourth this season and second in the last three games.

LF DJ Gladney (1-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 K) pelted a sac fly to right field in the 10th inning to secure Somerset's first extra inning win of the season. Gladney extended his hit streak to a season-high five games with a two RBI single in the first inning. Gladney has hits in eight of his last nine appearances and is slashing .412/.447/.559 with 10 RBI, four XBH, a team-high 14 hits and 10 runs in that span.

Check out the Somerset Patriots Statistics

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Somerset Patriots congratulate DJ Gladney
Somerset Patriots congratulate DJ Gladney
   



Eastern League Stories from April 17, 2026


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