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AtL Somerset Patriots

Nettles' Three Homers Leads to 11-4 Win

September 5, 2010 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Somerset Patriots News Release


Waldorf, MD- For the first time in his career Jeff Nettles launched three home runs, fueling an 11-4 Somerset Patriots victory over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs at Regency Furniture Stadium on Sunday afternoon, closing the season series between the two clubs.

Nettles became just the third player in Somerset franchise history to hit three home runs in a game after Brandon Larson (September 10, 2008 at Long Island) and Greg Blosser (July 17, 2001 at Camden). Nettles first shot came off Southern Maryland starter Brandon Mann in the 5th inning, putting Somerset up 2-1. It was part of a four-run frame which included a Jason Belcher three-run homer that gave Somerset a 5-1 cushion and set the tone for the rest of the game. His second led off a three-run 7th against Bryan Dumesnil while his final blast came against Jeff Ridgeway to lead off the 8th. All three solo homers were pulled to left field off of left-handed pitchers. Nettles capped his big day with a sacrifice fly in the 9th, tallying four RBIs for the game.

Somerset got the games first run in the 1st off of Mann (0-1) on a Michael Hernandez base hit driving in Wayne Lydon. Shaun Cumberland answered off of Patriots starter Jason Monti with a solo homer in the 3rd. Mann would be pushed out of the game after allowing the Belcher big fly after 4.2 innings, six hits, five runs, walking five batters.

Southern Maryland applied pressure in the 6th against Monti (5-6) though. The first three men reached in the frame, including David Espinosa who was Montis ninth strikeout victim. Despite flailing and fanning, he reached first base on a wild pitch before Matt Craig singled and Eric Crozier walked. Monti was pulled in favor of Ben Grezlovski. The submarining right-hander had given up a go-ahead run the night before but was sterling with the tying run coming to the plate three times. He induced a fielders choice to Travis Garcia, struck out Jeremy Owens, and got Travis Howell to line out, ending the inning with the bases loaded and no damage done, preserving Montis second straight win. Monti finished 5.0-plus inning, yielding just five hits while striking out a season-high nine batters.

The Patriots scored six times in the final three innings while Southern Maryland added an unearned tally on Jerry Dunn in the 7th and Owens hit a two-run homer in the 8th off Casey Cahill. Carlos Hines pitched a scoreless 9th.

Somerset (33-25, 69-59) returns home to open up a series against the York Revolution (23-33, 63-63) on Monday night at TD Bank Ballpark. Jon Ellis (3-2, 3.97) squares off with former Patriot left-hander Jeremy Lewis (0-1, 6.28) at 6:00 pm on 1450 WCTC-AM and online at

www.wctcam.com

and

www.somersetpatriots.com

The Patriots will hold a Labor Day Celebration including a post-game fireworks show courtesy of Cablevision Advertising Sales.

NOTES: The Patriots have hit 33 homers in the last 19 games. Somerset also has hit a homer in 12 consecutive games, eight of which have seen the Patriots hit multiple home runs...the Patriots hit 16 homers in the last seven games against Southern Maryland after just 10 in the first 13 meetings...the Patriots and Blue Crabs each won 10 meetings in the series. In the Blue Crab wins, Southern Maryland outscored the Patriots 60-29 (3.1 avg). Somerset outscored the Crabs in their wins 91-37 (5.4 avg)the Patriots won their 21st game in 26 tries...Patriot starters in the series tossed 25 innings, yielding just four runs on 13 hits...Lydon walked four times, a Patriot season-high...Monti struck out nine or more for the 3rd time in his career...Nettles went 9-14 in the series with five homers and eight RBIs...the runs against Cahill snapped a 7.0 inning scoreless streak.

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