Messinger Shuts Down Rumble Ponies, Jones HR Makes the Difference in Patriots Win

BINGHAMTON, NY - Somerset Patriots defeated the Binghamton Rumble Ponies by a score of 4-1 on Saturday night at Mirabito Stadium. With the Patriots win, they maintained their standing of 0.5 games back from the first place Portland Sea Dogs with seven games remaining in the regular season. The win clinched Somerset’s second five-win series of the season (6/25-30 @RIC), setting up the chance for their first six-win series on Sunday. Over their last 23 games dating back to August 13, the Patriots are 17-6, outscoring opponents 111-67 (+44). RHP Zach Messinger (6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, W) earned his sixth win of the season and his fourth over the last six starts. In eight starts since the All-Star break, Zach Messinger is 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA over 48.0 IP with a 1.06. WHIP and .190 BAA. Since the start of August, Messinger is 4-0 over six starts and ranks among the Eastern League leaders with 36.1 IP (T-1st), a 1.49 ERA (2nd), 4 W (T-2nd), a 0.91 WHIP (3rd) and .188 BAA (T-6th). Messinger ends the day leading the Eastern League with 144.0 IP, a .211 BAA and 1.13 WHIP, while ranking among the league leaders with 132 K (T-3rd), 3.19 ERA (4th) and 122 K (T-6th). RHP Clayton Beeter (1.0 IP, H, 2 K, HLD) pitched a scoreless eighth inning of relief in his first game appearance since 5/15/24 @WOR in Triple-A. Beeter threw 12 pitches (10 strikes) and struck out the first two batters he faced, topping out at 97 mph. DH Spencer Jones (2-for-5, 2 RBI, R, K) opened the game with an RBI-double in the first inning and smacked the game-deciding home run in the fourth inning. Each of Jones’ last eight hits dating back to August 31 have been extra-base hits, including 2 HR, 1 3B and 5 2B. Over this span of eight games, he is 8-for-33 (.242./.265/.636). Jones ends the day leading all Yankees minor leaguers with 76 RBI, tying for the organizational lead of 50 XBH with Rafael Flores. In his 115th game of the season, Jones’ 16th home run of the season matched the single-season career-high that he set last season in 117 games. . C Rafael Flores (2-for-5, 2B, K) hit safely for a fourth straight game over which he has had at least one extra-base hit in each game. Over his last 12 games, Flores is 16-for-45 (.356 AVG) with 11 RBI, 9 R, 8 XBH, 4 HR, 4 2B (.711 SLG) and 4 BB (.420 OBP). Since making his Double-A debut on June 25, Flores leads all Eastern League batters with 15 HR, which is five more than any other batter. Over this span, he also leads the Eastern League with a .541 SLG, ranks T-2nd with 27 XBH and ranks 3rd with 118 TB, 37 R and a .900 OPS. Overall this season, Flores leads all Yankees minor leaguers with 21 HR, 208 TB, a .506 SLG and .887 OPS this season. CF Cole Gabrielson (2-for-4, R, 3B, 2B) scored the Patriots’ first run, after tripling to lead off the fourth inning. Through 12 Double-A games, Gabrielson is slashing .273/.368/.394 with 5 RBI, 4 R and 3 XBH.

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