High Point offense leads them to victory over Somerset

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – There is something about the temperature reading in the mid-60s and a blue-cloudy sky that just screams baseball.

A much more visible rainbow now graces TD Bank Ballpark pic.twitter.com/PzjjIGKbFz

— Dylan Manfre (@Dylan_Manfre11) May 15, 2019

Strong pitching and defense by High Point hurler Seth Simmons silenced Somerset’s bats a majority of the game en route to a win Wednesday night.

The Patriots went hitless until the home fourth when right fielder Ramon Flores hit a single on a fly ball to left field.

Rockers’ infielder Hector Gomez scored the first run of the game for High Point as Dante Bichette Jr., who entered the game with the second best average in the league at .373, grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. The unfazed Patriots infield matched with a run of their own in the fourth.

Tuesday night’s hero Edwin Espinal, who smacked a walk-off grand slam to cap off a five-run ninth inning, drove in shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez on a fly ball to lef field.

TIED UP!

Edwin Espinal ties up the ballgame with an RBI single! He's got an RBI in each of his first three games in Somerset!

1-1 | END 4 pic.twitter.com/NnkJ6JOXdq

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) May 15, 2019

Boasting the best team batting average in the league at .283, High Point tacked on two more runs thanks to a home run to straight away center by designated hitter Quincy Latimore. It was his fourth of the campaign.

Simmons, who earned his second win of the year, along with Ashur Tolliver, Brian Clark and Trevor Frank, who earned the save, continued to quiet the opposing bats the rest of the way as they prevented Somerset from scoring the tying run on multiple occasions.

Patriots manager Brett Jodie will have to wait until tomorrow in hopes of earning his 500th career managerial victory. He is the longest tenured manager in the league and was the fastest skipper to win 250 games.

The loss puts Somerset at 12-4 as they wrap up the four-game series with a double header tomorrow at 11:35 am and 6:35 pm. Newly acquired Patriot left-hander David Holmberg is slated to make his first start in the day game. Liam O’Sullivan (1-0, 1.64 ERA) is scheduled to be the starter for the night game.