Somerset ends homestand with loss to York

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – Oh, the fickleness of baseball.

Somerset Patriots starting pitcher Rick Teasley was perfect through nine innings in his last start. On Thursday night, he fanned the first three batters he faced.

Thirty-one retired batters.

What followed was anything but perfect.

The York Revolution made another compelling case as to why they’re the top team in the Atlantic League. They scored eight of their 13 runs by the fourth inning en route to a 13-1 victory.

FINAL | The @yorkrevolution hit four home runs to power their way to a series sweep of the Patriots on Thursday night. pic.twitter.com/gVt82iEE6C

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) August 2, 2019

Somerset (6-14, 48-42) allowed season highs in runs and hits on Thursday with 13 and 19, respectively.

The Revolution (15-5, 49-40) plated men on the corners early and broke open a scoreless game after a throwing error from Patriots third baseman Rey Navarro allowed Isaias Tejeda to score. It was followed by a no-doubt three-run blast from cleanup batter Zach Sullivan.

York added to their lead when Melky Mesa recorded an RBI single. Ryan Dent socked a three-run home run to straightaway center to extend the York lead to 8-0.

Teasley proceeded to give up back-to-back solo shots from Telvin Nash and Isaias Tejeda which capped a three-run fifth.

Ahead 3-1 in the count, Will Kengor scratched the surface of diminishing a 13-0 York lead in the eighth as he drove in Somerset outfielder Justin Pacchioli for the lone Patriot run after he grounded out to second base.

Before the game, Somerset manager Brett Jodie mentioned he didn’t want his team to try to “hit a five-run homer.” In other words, try not to swing for the fences every time.

Even though they finished with 11 hits on the night, Jodie didn’t think his players overexerted themselves at the plate.

“We had a good amount of hits out there just didn’t get that big hit,” Jodie said after the loss. “A lot of double plays and stuff like that. Pacchioli had a good day today but just needs to find a way to get those guys [across the plate] when we have the opportunity to.”

Teasley’s rough outing ended after five innings. His ERA ballooned from 2.35 to 4.36 after all 11 runs were earned.

Jodie appreciated Teasley’s composure on the mound given the circumstances.

“I didn’t see him hanging his head out there,” Jodie said of the southpaw. “I’m sure he’s going to be frustrated, but it’s important for him to lift us up and go five [innings], so we don’t have to use much bullpen and live to fight another day tomorrow. You have to take the positives out of it. Obviously no one wants that to happen, but I appreciated how he handled himself.”

The Patriots plugged Kengor in right field on Thursday. According to Jodie, who didn’t want to put him there, it was really the only option he had due to a banged-up roster leading to a lack of depth.

“We don’t have anybody else who can play the outfield,” Jodie said. “I don’t want him out there, but he’s doing what he can for the team to try and help us fill spots.”

Follow Dylan Manfre on Twitter for the latest on the Somerset Patriots and the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.