Patriots Complete Comeback in Thriller: Game Recap 6/24

NEW JERSEY -- It didn’t come pretty, but it came nonetheless.

DH Corey Smith continued his hot hitting at the right time, supplying the Somerset Patriots (39-20) with a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth to provide a sweep of the Bridgeport Bluefish, 6-5. Tuesday night positively ends the team's five-game series at TD Bank Ballpark in New Jersey.

The Patriots, who trailed 5-0 entering the bottom of the sixth, needed a spark as their offense had gone cold. It was 3B Brian Barden that started the Patriots’ rally by driving both Smith and CF Luis Montanez on an error. 1B Ty Wright then returned the favor by scoring Barden on a single to center field, to slim the lead to 5-3, giving Somerset a slight glimmer of hope.

Then, down 5-4 in the bottom of the 9th, Aharon Eggleston walked on four pitches, stole second, and saw Mike Wilson advanced to first. With one out, hot-hitting Smith stepped to the plate, entering the situation with game-winning hits in the Patriots' last two victories against the Bluefish. Smith was poised to deliver yet again.

The Patriots celebrate on-field after their 6-5 victory against the Bridgeport Bluefish. CREDITS: Facebok.com/SomersetPatriots.

The 32-year-old drilled an 1-0 pitch to deep centerfield, allowing both Eggleston and Wilson to score, and completed off a frantic comeback with more clutch heroics.

Starting pitcher Erik Arnesen (7-3, 4.08 ERA) gave the Patriots a solid complete game – 9 innings, 6 hits, 5 runs on 95 pitches and 65 strikes. Arnesen let up the 5 quick runs, but settled down as the innings elapsed. At one point in the game, Arnesen had retired the last 15 batters he faced with an efficient 70 pitches through 7 innings. (source)

Arnesen was forced to be on top of his game, as Bridgeport starter Matt Iannazzo was putting on a show of his own. Iannazzo (1-2, 2.32 ERA) stifled the Patriots for 6 innings, allowing just 3 runs on 8 hits.

Bridgeport jumped out to an early lead after a 2-run homerun from Denny Almonte in the 2nd inning, and a 3-run barrage in the 3rd inning. The Patriots’ defense looked shaky to start, committing 3 fielding errors that led to Bluefish tallies. The offense didn’t help the cause, either, finishing the game by stranding 9 runners on base compared to Bridgeport’s 2.

But, for the 23rd time in the 2014 season, the Patriots came back and won. The victory also represents the team’s ninth win in their final at-bat.

For Somerset, it completes a successful home stand against the Bluefish, sweeping the five game series, including two 5-1 games. The teams next meet on July 4th in New Jersey. Somerset now travels to Texas for a four-game set against the Sugar Land Skeeters.

Official game recap graphic from SomersetPatriots.com

--

TIDBITS FROM THE GAME NOTES:

- In the Liberty Division Race, Somerset leads the Long Island Ducks, who were idle on Tuesday, by 5 games. Somerset’s magic number is now shrunk to 7 – the combination of Patriots wins and Ducks losses needed for Somerset to win the first half of the Atlantic League two-half season.

- The Patriots have won three walk-off games in 2014.

- Corey Smith finished the Bridgeport series with 8 RBI. Of his five home runs this season, four have come against Bridgeport.

QUOTES:

- Patriots manager Brett Jodie before the game: “I feel good about where we are [as a team], but I still think there’s a lot of room for improvement. … I think we’re all kind of coming together and doing those little things necessary to win a lot of ball games. … I still think we haven’t gotten everyone clicking on all cylinders all the time. … Obviously I’m happy where we are, but there’s still room for improvement.”

- DH Corey Smith before the game: “As a whole, the team is starting to come together real well. We’re starting to hit more consistently as a lineup, our pitching has been pretty much great all year … so for us, I think the main thing is to get our bats going consistently, keep having good at-bats and putting pressure on the other team’s defense, and we’ll be just fine.”

Responding to whether there is panic when bats aren’t hot (like start of the season): “In this game, if you panic, that’s when stuff really gets bad. … The main thing you want to do is stay consistent with your work. … With this kind of a lineup, we’re definitely more of a glass-half-full than glass-half-empty team.”

- Starting pitcher Matt Zielinski before the game about the pitching staff: “As a whole, as a group, overall this season, we’ve done a good job.”

Zielinski on if he’d wear MLB’s padded cap: “As long as you’re safe out there, that’s all that matters … I don’t know if I would, it’s a good question. I guess I’d have to try it on a few times and see how it feels.”

Read More

Pondexter is the Difference as Liberty Dominate: Recap 6/8

Desperate for a win, the New York Liberty cruised to victory with a dominating 81-64 performance against the Washington Mystics on Sunday. The Liberty’s win, an important game for the team after three straight losses, improved their overall record to 3-5.

“The energy level was phenomenal in the first half and that’s what carried us,” head coach Bill Laimbeer said after the game. “When you’re that locked in, good things will happen.”

The Liberty played well from the opening tip. Strong play from guard Cappie Pondexter helped the team jump out to a quick 10-0 lead. “[She] was hot,” forward Delisha Milton-Jones said after the game. “She was just doing what she’s known to do all her career – she knocks down big shots.”

Pondexter’s blistering offensive pace continued for the entirety of the game, and the eight-year veteran poured in 21 points on a remarkable 10-11 shooting. The outburst surpassed her previous season high by a point. “She’s a scorer,” Milton-Jones said after the game with a laugh. Pondexter leads the team with over 14 points per game.

The Liberty took control of the game, suffocating the Mystics early. At one point, Washington trailed by 28 points. Center Tina Charles said the Liberty’s mindset was a big reason for the efficient start. “Just going out, competing, playing hard every possession is what helped us win this game.”

Charles finished with 14 points, guard Alex Montgomery finished with 13, and point guard Anna Cruz joined the onslaught with 10. There were plenty of cheers from the 8,747 in Madison Square Garden, and the team is now 2-2 at home. Kara Lawson made four three-pointers to lead the Mystics, although three of her buckets came in the first quarter.

The victory could not have come at a better time for the Liberty. After a tough 87-75 loss against San Antonio on Thursday, Laimbeer told his team the team needed to improve intangibly. “After last game, we realized the energy level – for forty minutes – has to be better.”

The Liberty players and staff still remain upbeat despite their slow start to the season. Milton-Jones asserts that their performance could result in more than just a win. “This game could be huge for us,” she said. “It’s a huge morale-lifter … and I’m hoping it can become contagious for us – the taste of victory.”

The Liberty will try to build off of their victory when the team travels to Oklahoma to take on the 1-5 Tulsa Shock. Tip-off is slated for 11:30 am Eastern Standard Time.

Read More

National Conference Triumphs in Major League Football All-Star Game

BRIDGEWATER, NEW JERSEY – In an annual showing of the league’s talents, the National Conference triumphed over the American Conference, 25-16, in the Major League Football All-Star game.

It was a hot, humid day as the teams matched up, and the weather may have seeped into the American Conference's lackadaisical play. Donning bright red uniforms that contrasted the National’s blue, the American’s offense struggled for all four quarters. Despite scoring the game's first points on a touchdown from Longhorns’ receiver Rob Wright, the American team was shut out until a quarterback sneak late in the fourth quarter.

After that early score, however, the National team took control. The squad scored three touchdowns, kicked a field goal, and forced a safety, entering the fourth quarter with a commanding, 25-6 lead.

The American team’s struggles started at the most important position on the field: quarterback. Somerset Bears and American team coach Lou Morra was forced to undergo in-game roster shuffling, as the team had a quarterback go down – without a backup. Morra “had to scramble to play that position," which included inserting wide receivers as quarterbacks for several series.

No matter the target, the National’s defensive line consistently pressured the American offense, forcing several poor interceptions and a multitude of broken plays throughout the game.

It was a solid, all-around performance from the team in blue.

---
Amiri Tulloch
amiritulloch(at)gmail(dot)com
SEE ALSO: Major League Football Players, Coaches and Owners Receive What They Deserve

Read More