Bridgewater, NJ-   The Sugar Land Skeeters (2-2, 32-42) defeated the Somerset Patriots (1-3, 43-31) 12-0 at TD Bank Ballpark on Friday evening.

The Skeeters took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on an RBI double by Josh Prince.

Sugar Land blew the game open with a ten-run fourth inning, highlighted by a grand slam by Derek Miller (5) and a two-run double by Cole Gillespie.

“You have to credit them for stringing a few good at bats together in a row,” said Somerset Patriots manager Brett Jodie. “We didn’t throw quality pitches in that fourth inning and it snowballed from there.”

Kevin Ahrens (7) added a solo shot in the top of the eighth inning for the 12-0 final.

Mitch Talbot (3-1) pitched six scoreless innings for the win. Efrain Nieves (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on four hits in three innings of work.

Connor Root pitched four innings of relief for Somerset, allowing just a run on two hits.

“Connor did a great job to help us really save the bullpen and put some zeroes up there for us. He did his job today of picking us up,” Jodie added. 

The 2017 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford will continue at home on Saturday, July 8^th with a 7:05 pm game against the Sugar Land Skeeters. The game includes T-Shirts (1^st 2,000) presented by Bill Leary A/C & Heating and Polish Heritage Night. For tickets, visit www.somersetpatriots.com.