Shields Shuts Down SeaWolves, Patriots' Lineup Unlimbers

ERIE, Pa, -The Somerset Patriots downed the Erie SeaWolves 9-3 on Wednesday afternoon in game two of a six-game series at UPMC Park.

LHP Ben Shields (7 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 8 K) earned his first Double-A win, hurling a career-long 7 IP of one-run ball. In his first two Double-A starts, Shields has allowed 1 ER over 12.1 IP (0.73 ERA) with 13 K and only 7 H. Over his last six starts between Somerset and High-A Hudson Valley since the start of June, Shields has pitched to a 1.61 ERA over 39 IP with 50 K/10 BB. Shields has struck out 5+ in each of his last seven starts.

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1B Tyler Hardman (1-for-4, RBI, R, BB) got the scoring started with an RBI single in the 3rd. Hardman extended his season-long hit streak to ten games, over which he’s batting .316 with 1 HR, 5 RBI, and 5 R.

DH Rafael Flores (1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB) clubbed a three-run homer in the 3rd inning for his third Double-A blast, extending the lead to 5-0. Flores’s homer traveled 427 ft on the eighth pitch of his at-bat. Flores has hit safely in four of his last five games with 2 HR over that span.

CF Spencer Jones (2-for-4, R, 3B, BB) tripled and scored, reaching base three times in the contest. The Yankees No. 2 prospect recorded his 17th multi-hit performance of the season.

C JC Escarra (2-for-4, RBI, R, 2B) extended the Patriots lead to 7-1 with an RBI double in the 8th. Escarra propelled his on-base streak to eight games and has a hit in seven of his last eight. Over his eight-game on-base streak, Escarra is batting .300 with 2 RBI, 5 XBH, and 6 R. On the road this season, Escarra owns a .864 OPS with 3 HR and 24 RBI, compared to a .541 OPS with 1 HR and 5 RBI at home.

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RF Elijah Dunham (2-for-4, 2B, BB) set a Somerset Patriots Double-A era record, hitting safely in his 17thconsecutive game. Dunham also extended his on-base streak to 21 games, the longest streak by any Patriot this season. Dunham recorded his 14th multi-hit game of the season and fifth over his last eight games. Dunham has eight multi-hit games over his 21 game on-base streak. Before the hitting streak, Dunham was hitting .233/.344/.411 on the season with Somerset. He’s now slashing .275/.358/.500 in 56 total games with the Patriots. Dunham has hit safely in 20 of his last 21 games during the on-base streak over which he’s batting .349/.404/.663 with 5 HR, 18 RBI, 15 XBH, and 15 R since 6/13 @BNG. Against the SeaWolves this season, Dunham is batting .370 with 1 HR, 3 RBI, and a 1.045 OPS.

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