Patriots Struggles Offensively in Loss

By: Vincent Picone

On a beautiful and loud May 27th night in Somerset, the Yankees’ AA team, the Somerset Patriots, hosted the Guardians’ AA team, the Akron RubberDucks, in the opener of a 6-game set. 

Somerset, before this game, was coming off a series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, where they took 5 out of 6 on the road—looking to go back home and keep rolling.

For Akron, they were 30-15 tied at first in their division with the Erie SeaWolves. However, they had recently lost the Guardians’ top prospect and the #12 ranked prospect in all of baseball. Travis Bazzana for 8-10 weeks with an oblique strain.

The Patriots would send one of their best to fight the Rubberducks. 

 

The 24-year-old Cam Schlittler would get the nod for the team. In 8 Starts this season, he was sporting a 3-4 Record with a 2.47 ERA.

Schlittler would go up against the 25-year-old southpaw Rodney Boone. He was 2-1 but had a 4.05 ERA so far in May.

The scoring would get started quickly as 10 pitches in the Akron Rubberducks would take a one-nothing lead.

 

It started with the Guardians’ #7 ranked prospect Cooper Ingle hitting his 17th double, which would tie him for the best in the Eastern League with the Reading Fightins Keaton Anthony. 

Then, quickly after, Former first-round pick Kahlil Watson would drive him in with a single. Schlittler would find his stuff, but the offense needed a boost.

 

Against Boone, the Patriots were 0-7 with runners in scoring position. Though in the bottom of the third, they would get some luck. With Dylan Jasso on second and the Yankee’s #1 prospect, the 19-year-old George Lombard Jr., up at the dish, he would hit what looked like an easy play to the shortstop Alex Mooney, though he would air mail it over first and into the Patriots dugout, giving Somerset a big break and tying the game up. It wouldn’t take long for the Rubberducks to respond. In the fifth inning, with one out, they would load the bases and bump Schlittler out after four and a third.

 

Cole Ayers would come in who had an outing against Akron back on May 9th and would go one and one-third scoreless. This one wouldn’t be much different as, despite giving up one run, it wasn’t on his record. Schlittler would finish his night going four and one third with six hits, allowing two earned runs, two walks, and six strikeouts. This was his sixth straight start with five or more strikeouts. He is now one of five pitchers in the Eastern League with 50+ strikeouts (58) and is second only behind Jonah Tong with 65.

 

The scoring wasn’t finished for the RubberDucks as they kept swimming and would tack on four more runs.Jake Fox would hit a sac fly in the top of the eighth, and Dayan Frias would single in the ninth to make it 6-1.However, the bigger story was Watson as he would pick up his second with a double in the seventh, then he would double again in the ninth, giving him a four-hit night. It’s his first four-hit game of the season and third game with three RBIs. The Patriots would lose 6-1, falling to 22-23. Boone wins his third game on the year, and Schlittler falls to 3-5. 

 

With the 6-1 loss, the Patriots fall Under the .500 mark. They are set to continue their six-game set against Akron on Wednesday, May 28th, at 11:05. The Patriots fall to under the .500 mark after the 6-1 loss.