AtL Somerset Patriots

Patriots Drop Opener to Diaz And Bluefish

Published on July 24, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Somerset Patriots News Release


Bridgeport, CT - For the second straight game, Somerset got down early, rallied late to within a run, surrendered two insurance runs, and fell by three. The Patriots dropped the opener of a three-game series to the Bridgeport Bluefish 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard, suffering a third consecutive loss.

On this Sunday, it was Raymar Diaz baffling Somerset hitting with just two singles surrendered through his first 7.0 innings. Justin Huber drew a two-out walk in the 2nd while Elliott Ayala and Dan DeGeorge nabbed hits in the 4th and 6th. Both would be eliminated on double plays.

The Bridgeport offense got up on Jason Cromer early, getting a Steve Moss RBI double in the 1st and a two-run Danny Putnam homer in the 2nd. Cromer (2-3) - making just his second extended start since late May when he went to the disabled list with forearm tightness - pitched well to close out his start. The lefty stranded two in the 3rd and tossed a perfect 4th. Kevin Reese kept the Patriots in the game with 3.0 shutout innings of relief to extend his scoreless streak to 11.2 innings.

The Patriots finally got on the board in the 8th against Diaz (3-0). Just as he did Saturday, Josh Pressley broke up the shutout with a homer, a solo blast (13) before Huber singled and scored three batters later on a Joe Holden base hit. Diaz left the game with two on and two out but Antonio Alfonseca struck out Ayala to end the threat. Diaz went 7.2 innings, his longest start in four outings this year, surrendering just six hits and two runs.

The Bluefish added two insurance runs in the 8th off Jeff Kennard who had entered the game having allowed just one run over his last 18.1 innings. Juan Rincon tossed a scoreless 9th for his 12th save of the season, securing Bridgeport's sixth consecutive win.

Somerset (3-8, 29-45) and Bridgeport (7-3, 39-34) square off on Monday night in game two of the series. Derell McCall (3-5, 6.33) takes on Wardell Starling (0-0, 0.00) in his first career Atlantic League start with coverage beginning at 7:00 pm on 1450 WCTC-AM and www.wctcam.com.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 24, 2011


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