AtL Somerset Patriots

Hopper Drives in Four to Even Series

Published on August 10, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Somerset Patriots News Release


Lancaster, PA - Norris Hopper hit his first home run since 2006 and drove in all four runs as the Somerset Patriots defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers 4-3 on Wednesday night at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Hopper lifted a three-run shot over the short porch in right field in the 5 th inning off Barnstormer start John Halama to put the Patriots in front 3-1. For Hopper, it was just his fifth career home run and first since his days as a Cincinnati Red. Hopper's last shot came on September 22, 2006 when he hit his only Major League homer off Chicago Cubs' pitcher Rich Hill.

Hopper would add a fourth run in the 6th on a bunt single scoring Justin Huber, giving Somerset a 4-2 lead. It was his first four-RBI game since April 26, 2009 when he was a member of the Louisville Bats.

In a well-pitched affair, Jim Magrane - coming off his worst career Patriots start - was back to his old ways. Magrane (1-1) allowed a run in the 4th on a Brandon Jones RBI and surrendered a Matt Tupman 5th-inning homer but nothing more would cross against him. Magrane tossed 6.0 innings, giving up just six hits while fanning four. In his ninth career start against Lancaster, Magrane delivered his eighth quality start. Halama (4-4) went the distance in his first quality start in three tries against Somerset this year, allowing 10 hits in 9.0 innings with four runs, three earned against him.

The Patriot bullpen teamed up behind Magrane to lock down the win. Ron Villone walked two but struck out two in a scoreless 7th before Jeff Kennard gave up a run-scoring base-hit to pinch-hitter Matt Watson in the 8 th. With a one-run lead heading to the 9th, the stage was set for Ryan Houston to pick up his first save. Houston had blown his only other chance this year - June 25 against the Barnstormers in a 16-inning marathon - and would give up a leadoff single to Tupman to start the frame. But after a Gilberto Mejia sacrifice bunt, Houston sent down Adam Calderone and the league's home run leader Tommy Everidge in order to end the game.

Somerset (8-18, 34-55) and Lancaster (15-12, 52-38) square off in the rubber game on Thursday night. Derell McCall (4-5, 5.31) has beaten Lancaster twice this year and he faces Matt Wright (3-8, 4.50) with coverage beginning at 7:00 pm on 1450 WCTC-AM and www.wctcam.com.

NOTES: Three Patriots have hit their first homer of the season on this six-game road trip. Elliott Ayala and Joe Burke hit their first homers on Sunday in York ...the Hopper homer was his first in the minor leagues since 2005 when he was at Double-A Chattanooga...Hopper's career has spanned 1,353 games and the home run came on his 4,898th career at-bat.

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Atlantic League Stories from August 10, 2011


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