Freddie Bynum Wins Game in 13th for Somerset

Added by Philip Mathew on June 26, 2012.

The Patriots came away with an extra inning win on Bark in the Park Night at TD Bank Ballpark.

The Somerset Patriots took the first game of the three-game series against the Long Island Ducks in 13 innings, 3-2 in front of 4,101 at TD Bank Ballpark off the bat of Freddie Bynum Monday night.  

Patriots starter Doug Arguello has been solid all year, but run support has been lacking from the offense.  The wins for Somerset against the Ducks have been lacking as well, with Long Island winning six out of seven games so far this season.

Long Island got on the board in the top of the first, with former Patriot Ray Navarrete hitting an RBI single to left field, scoring Reid Gorecki for a 1-0 Ducks lead.  Navarrete has been deadly over the years against his former team, usually coming through with clutch hits. 

Long Island kept the pressure on Arguello in the first and the third innings, getting runners in scoring position.  However, Arguello and the Patriots defense responded with double plays to end innings. 

Somerset came back in the bottom of the third inning with the bottom of the lineup setting the table.  First baseman Adam Donachie reached on a walk, shortstop Dan DeGeorge singled to center field and right fielder Joe Holden drew a walk to load the bases. 

Center fielder Jonny Tucker came through with a 2-RBI single to left field, giving the Patriots a 2-1 lead.  Second baseman Freddie Bynum singled to right field but the rally was stopped when Jeff Nettles grounded into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning. 

Long Island immediately answered in the top of the fourth.  Ducks left fielder James McOwen hit a solo home run over the right field fence, tying the game at two.

Arguello was efficient again, pitching seven innings, surrendering two runs (both earned) on six hits, walking two and striking out two Ducks players before being pulled for Mike Solbach in the eighth inning. 

Ducks starter and former Yankee Randy Keisler pitched through the 8th inning, giving up two runs (both earned) on five hits, striking out three and walking three Patriot hitters.

The game would go to extra innings, after Somerset had a chance in the bottom of the ninth inning.  Nettles led off with a single to right field.  Patriots manager Sparky Lyle pinch-ran for Nettles with new signing Dan Hennigan.

Hennigan recently graduated from Franklin Pearce University, a Division II school in New Hampshire.  While Hennigan stole second, he was left stranded by Aaron Mathews and Yunesky Sanchez. 

The game went to extra innings and neither team could get any momentum until the bottom of the 13th inning.  With one out, Tucker was hit by a pitch from Ducks reliever Jason Monti.  Bynum came up and laced a double to right-center field, past Binick, scoring Tucker and winning the game for Somerset. 

Monti would be tossed from the game due to arguing the hit by pitch and yelling at the umpire after the game-winning run scored.  Josh Rupe earned the win after throwing four shutout innings in relief, giving up one hit, one walk and striking out three Ducks hitters.  Monti took the loss after pitching one and two-thirds innings, giving up two hits and one run. 

Somerset continues their series against Long Island for the next two nights, playing games at 7:05 p.m. before starting a four-game set against Bridgeport. 

Game Notes

• INF Freddie Sandoval has been placed on the suspended list for the Patriots.  He left the team and is looking for other opportunities closer to his home in Arizona.  Hennigan took his spot on the roster
• INF Jesse Hoorelbeke is day-to-day with a back strain.
• Ducks IF Wilberto Ortiz took a liner to the face during BP, after the ball ricocheted off the L-screen in front of the mound and the screen in front of second base (broken nose, poss concussion).  Shawn Williams took Ortiz’s spot in the lineup at designated hitter.