
Flores Homers In Second Straight, Messinger Masterful in Shutout of Rumble Ponies
August 7, 2024 - Eastern League (EL)
Somerset Patriots News Release
The Somerset Patriots shut out the Binghamton Rumble Ponies 5-0 on Wednesday night at TD Bank Ballpark in game two of a six game series. The Patriots have homered in nine straight games, their longest streak of the season. Somerset hurled their seventh shutout of the season.
RHP Zach Messinger (7 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K) matched his career high with 7 IP for the second straight start. Over his last three starts, Messinger has posted a 0.90 ERA, allowing only 2 ER in 20 IP with 11 K and 5 BB. Wednesday marked Messinger's fifth quality start of the season, second most on the team.
DH Rafael Flores (3-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R, 2B) homered in his second straight game, lifting a solo shot in the 3rd. All three of Flores's hits left the bat at 105 MPH+. Flores's 15 HR are 4th-most among Yankees farmhands while his 39 XBH are T-1st. Flores has hit safely in seven straight games and reached base in 12 of his last 13. The Yankees No. 25 prospect has homered in four of his last seven games and six of his last 13 games. Flores tallied his eighth multi-hit game with Somerset and 25th total multi-hit performance this season. Since the All-Star break, Flores leads the Eastern League with 6 HR, 22 H, 10 XBH, and 44 TB, while placing second with 22 H and 13 RBI. Flores has an XBH in four straight games and 8 XBH in his last seven games. Flores now has 9 HR in 34 Double-A games, coming after he hit 8 HR in 105 games as a member of High-A Hudson Valley last season.
3B Alexander Vargas (3-for-4, 3B) recorded his seventh multi-hit game of the season and second 3+ hit game. Over his last 22 games, Vargas is batting .324 with 2 HR, 15 RBI, 6 XBH, and 8 R. Vargas's five three-baggers this season are 2nd most in the Yankees organization.
RF Elijah Dunham (1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, R) clubbed a three-run homer in the 4th inning, his 11th long ball of the year. In 39 games since returning from a four-game stint with Triple-A SWB on 6/13 @BNG, Dunham is hitting .320 with 8 HR, 29 RBI, 24 R, and a .973 OPS. Dunham has reached base in nine straight and hit safely in each of his last four games. In 10 career games playing as the Zorros De Somerset, Dunham is 13-for-32 (.406) with 3 HR, 14 RBI, 7 R, and 4 2B.
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![]() Somerset Patriots' Rafael Flores on game night |
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Eastern League Stories from August 7, 2024
- Flores Homers In Second Straight, Messinger Masterful in Shutout of Rumble Ponies - Somerset Patriots
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