Rivas Rifles Ten Strikeouts in Somerset's 5-3 Win Over Binghamton
EL Somerset Patriots

Rivas Rifles Ten Strikeouts in Somerset's 5-3 Win Over Binghamton

Published on May 14, 2026 under Eastern League (EL)
Somerset Patriots News Release


Somerset Patriots pitcher Xavier Rivas
Somerset Patriots pitcher Xavier Rivas
(Somerset Patriots)

The Somerset Patriots beat the Binghamton Rumble Ponies 5-3 at TD Bank Ballpark on Thursday night in Bridgewater, NJ.

With 13 strikeouts, Somerset's pitching staff notched double-digit strikeouts for a season-high seventh consecutive game. At the time of the game ending, Somerset's 11.2 SO/9 and 2.8 SO/BB leads Double-A.

With four extra base hits in the game, Somerset has an extra base hit in all 36 games this season. At the time of the game ending, Somerset's 36-game XBH streak is the longest in Double-A and is tied for the second-longest in Minor League Baseball.

With two first inning runs, Somerset has scored an Eastern League-leading 36 first inning runs this season. Somerset's 36 first inning runs lead Double-A and are tied for third in MiLB. The Patriots are 8-7 in games where they score first.

Somerset's bullpen combined for 7.2 innings of two-run ball in relief of Ben Hess. Over the past eight games, Somerset's bullpen has a 1.95 ERA (second in Double-A), 3.73 SO/BB ratio (second in Double-A) and 0.90 WHIP (second in Double-A) across 32.1 IP (fifth in Double-A).

RHP Ben Hess (1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) made his first start since April 11 after being reinstated off the 7-day IL Thursday. Across his last eight starts with Somerset dating back to last season, Hess has a 4-0 record, 2.21 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 0.173 BAA with 50 K to 18 BB in 36.2 IP.

LHP Xavier Rivas (5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 10 K) set Double-A career-highs with 10 strikeouts and 5.1 IP. Rivas' 10 strikeout performance was the first by a Somerset pitcher since Trent Sellers fanned 10 batters April 28 vs. Portland. Across his last two appearances, Rivas has struck out 17 batters, walking two. He's allowed just two runs across 9.2 innings of work, tallying a 1.86 ERA, 0.52 WHIP and .094 BAA in that span.

LF Jace Avina (1-for-3, HR, RBI, BB, 2 R) hammered his 10th home run of the season with a solo blast in the seventh inning. Avina's double-digit home run season is the fifth consecutive of his MiLB career. Avina extended his hit streak to four games and his on-base streak to a season-high 14 games. The 14-game on-base streak is tied for the third-longest active streak in the Eastern League. During the streak, Avina is slashing .344/.403/.738 with six HR, 17 RBI and 16 runs. He's raised his slash line to .155/.242/.310 to .248/.319/.550 in that span.

DH Garrett Martin (1-for-4, 2B, R, SB) extended his on-base streak to a season-high nine games. With hits in eight of those nine games, Martin is 13-for-40 with five XBH in that stretch and has raised his slash line from .234/.291/.521 to .261/.320/.545.

3B Tyler Hardman (2-for-4, RBI, R) secured his 11th multi-hit game of the year with an RBI single in the fifth. Hardman's 31 RBI this season leads the Eastern League and ranks second in Double-A and the Yankees farm system.

C Abrahan Gutierrez (2-for-4, 2B) logged his third multi-hit game of the season. In his last five games, Gutierrez is 7-for-20 (.350) with three doubles.

SS Owen Cobb (1-for-3, 2B, RBI) notched extra base hits in consecutive games for the first time this year. In seven games against Binghamton this year, Cobb is 8-for-23 (.348) with four XBH and nine RBI.

Check out the Somerset Patriots Statistics

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Somerset Patriots pitcher Xavier Rivas
Somerset Patriots pitcher Xavier Rivas
   



Eastern League Stories from May 14, 2026


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