Dunham Grand Slam Leads HR Barrage in Patriots' Doubleheader Sweep over Reading

READING, Pa, -  The Somerset Patriots swept the Reading Fightin Phils 8-2 and 5-4 in a doubleheader on Friday to clinch a series victory at First Energy Stadium.

Game one was a continuation of the nine-inning affair which was suspended following three innings on July 4, while game two was a seven-inning contest. For the first time this season, the Patriots have won back-to-back series. Somerset moves to a season best two games above .500 for their overall record.

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At 9-2, Somerset owns the Eastern League’s best record in the second half.

RHP Trystan Vrieling (3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K) did not factor into a decision in his rain-shortened 16th start of the season.

RHP Yorlin Calderon (2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 1 K) earned the win in game one, hurling 2 IP of one-run ball in relief. Calderon has allowed only 1 R over his last 13.2 IP (0.66 ERA) with a 0.88 WHIP.

RHP Bailey Dees (5 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K) did not see a decision in his 17th appearance (16th start) of the year in game two. Dees retired the first 10 batters he faced in order. Dees struck out 6+ batters for the ninth time this season. Dees allowed 2 ER or less for the 11th time this season over his 17 outings. Since the start of May, Dees has pitched to a 3.25 ERA over 12 outings with 61 K in 61 IP. Dees ranks among Eastern League leaders with 88 K (6th), 84.2 IP (5th), .226 AVG (10th), and 1.19 WHIP (10th).

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LF/DH Elijah Dunham (3-for-8, HR, 4 RBI, R, BB, 2B) launched a go-ahead grand slam in the 7th inning of game two, his seventh homer of the season. Dunham’s go-ahead slam was his second game winning hit of the series vs. REA, following his walk-off hit on Monday. With hits in both games, Dunham extended his season-long hit streak to 14 games, and season-long on-base streak to 18 games. Dunham’s 14-game hit streak is the longest by a Patriots batter this season, while his 18 game on-base streak matches the longest by a Patriot this season. Before the hitting streak, Dunham was hitting .233/.344/.411 on the season with Somerset. He’s now slashing .267/.357/.481 in 53 total games with the Patriots. Dunham has hit safely in 17 of his last 18 games dating back to 6/13 @BNG, over which he’s batting .342/.400/.644 with 4 HR, 17 RBI, 13 XBH, and 13 R. In 19 games since his four-game stint in Triple-A, Dunham is batting .325 with 17 RBI and a .991 OPS.

SS/2B Ben Cowles (6-for-7, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 2B, BB) homered in both ends of the doubleheader with multiple hits in both games. Cowles’s four hits in game one marked a new career high. After his pair of multi-hit efforts on Friday, Cowles’s 22 multi-hit games this season lead the team. The Yankees No. 29 prospect became one of five Patriots to record a four hit game this season. In 10 games vs. REA this season, Cowles is batting .400 with a 1.282 OPS, 5 HR, and 11 RBI. Cowles has homered in back-to-back games for the second time this season, the first occurrence of which came @REA on 4/27-4/28. Cowles’s 8 HR this season are the fourth most on the team.

C/DH Rafael Flores (2-for-6, HR, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB) had a hit in both games, including a solo homer in the 3rdinning of game one. Flores’s solo blast marked his second homer in ten games with Somerset and eighth total long ball this season. Flores has reached base in five of his last six games. In his first ten Double-A games, Flores has a .830 OPS with 2 HR, 5 XBH, and 8 R.

3B/SS Max Burt (1-for-6, HR, 2 RBI, R) extended Somerset’s game one lead to 7-2 with a solo blast in the 9th.Burt clubbed his fourth homer of the season and third since being activated off the Patriots injured list on 6/11. Over his last eight games, Burt has 2 HR, 7 RBI, and 7 R.

On the downside, center fielder Spencer Jones, the Yankees No.2 prospect, struck out seven times as the lead-off hitter in both games.

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