Dunham's Two Homers, Six RBI Lead Patriots; Half Game Out with 5 Left in Season

BRIDGEWATER, NJ - The Somerset Patriots downed the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8-2 on Tuesday night in game one of a six-game series at TD Bank Ballpark. Paired with a Portland loss, Somerset’s win cut their Northeast Division deficit to 0.5 games with five left to play. Over their last 25 games, the Patriots are 18-7 while outscoring opponents 120-71 (+49). In their last eight games, Somerset’s pitching staff has thrown to a 2.54 ERA and Eastern League best 0.94 WHIP. RHP Trystan Vrieling (6 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K) earned his 12th win of the season, tied for tops in the Eastern League. Over his last six appearances since the start of August, Vrieling has posted a 2.60 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 34.2 IP with 29 K. The Yankees No. 28 prospect ranks among Eastern League leaders with 126 K (6th) and 141.2 IP (3rd). RHP Clayton Beeter (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K) fired 2 perfect IP with 3 K in his second appearance for Somerset. Over his first two outings with the Patriots since being added to the Triple-A SWB on 5/15, Beeter has thrown three shutout frames with 5 K and 0 BB. RF Elijah Dunham (2-for-4, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R) smacked a pair of three-run homers for his 12th and 13th blasts of the season. Dunham’s 6 RBI set a new career high. Tuesday marked Dunham’s second multi-HR game in his career, with the first occurring 6/3/21 @LAK as a member of Class-A Tampa. Dunham’s 13 HR this season are third most among active Patriots. Dunham’s long ball snapped a 20-game homerless drought dating back to 8/7 vs. BNG. Dunham registered his 19th multi-hit game of the season. CF Spencer Jones (2-for-4, RBI, 3B) roped an RBI single in the 4th inning as part of a two-hit night. 13 of Jones’ last 18 hits have gone for extra bases (8 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR). Jones’ 77 RBI this season are tops among Yankees farmhands and 2nd most in the Eastern League. Jones’ 51 XBH lead the Yankees farm system and the Eastern League. The Yankees No. 2 prospect recorded his team leading 35th multi-hit game of the season. In his last 35 games since 7/30, Jones is batting .319/.384/.578 with 5 HR, 22 XBH, and 28 RBI. Jones has multiple hits in four of his last eight games. Since 7/30, Jones’ 22 XBH are T-2nd in MiLB, while his 14 2B are T-3rd. 2B Anthony Seigler (2-for-3, RBI, 2 R, 2 2B, BB) had a pair of doubles and an RBI in the contest. Over his last 24 games, Seigler is hitting .325 with 3 HR, 13 RBI, and a .970 OPS. Seigler notched his 20th multi-hit game of the season. Seigler’s 24 2B this season mark a new career high.

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