Nix & Morgan help Patriots to a win

The Skeeters dropped the first 3 games of this 6-game series with the Somerset Patriots but got the 2nd half of the series started with a win yesterday. Looking to continue that, Manager Gary Gaetti called on Pedro Liriano (1-2, 2.93 ERA) and the Patriots sent Derell McCall (2-2, 6.08 ERA) to the mound.

Liriano went 3 innings for the Skeeters giving up 1 run on 3 hits, 0 walks & 0 strike outs. The Skeeters were able to tie the game in the bottom of the 3rd inning when Iggy Suarez hit his first home run of the season to left field.

The new guy, Dustin "D-Rich" Richardson, came in for Liriano in the top of the 4th inning and took control of the game for 2 innings allowing just 2 hits while getting 2 strike outs and keeping the Patriots scoreless. Richardson was in-line for his first win of the season.

Jason Lane hit a single and scored on an Ofilio Castro single in the bottom of the 4th inning to take a 2-1 lead.

For the 3rd inning in a row, the Skeeters put 1 run on the board in the bottom of the 5th inning when Iggy Suarez hit a double & moved over to 3rd on a Bubba Bell ground out. Suarez then scored on a wild pitch during Jason Lane's at bat to give the "home boys" a 3-1 lead!

Michael Nix (1-4, 8.31 ERA) was given the mound in the top of the 6th inning for the Skeeters. He gave up a double to Aaron Matthews who later came in to score a run making it 2-3. Nix gave up 2 singles in the top of the 8th inning which got Sean Morgan up in the bullpen for the Skeeters. With 2 outs in the inning, Nix threw a wild pitch allowing Jonny Tucker to score the tying run...Nix was credited in giving up 4 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks with 2 strike outs. Sean Morgan (0-0, 5.21 ERA) came in and after another wild pitch, gave up a 2-RBI single to give the Patriots the 5-3 lead before the side was mercifully retired.

With 1 out in the bottom of the 8th, Pressley walked and Ofilio Castro singled. Have you ever heard the saying "Desperate men do desperate things"? Well...an unlikely pinch-runner came in for Josh Pressley...Derrick Gordon. A desperate move to get a run in the bottom of the 8th inning...but nothing produced for the Skeeters.

After giving up a single to Freddie Bynum in the top of the 9th with 2 outs, Morgan attempted to pick him off at 1st base and threw the ball away allowing Bynum to make it all the way to 3rd. Bynum later came in on a Jeff Nettles single to make it 6-3 Somerset.

The Skeeters' batters could not get any runs in the bottom of the 9th inning after Ryde Rodriguez had a lead-off single and Dominic Ramos got a 2-out walk...losing the game 6-3.

The Patriots take the series win, despite the outcome of Tuesday's game, with the win. This loss makes the Skeeters' record 18-26, 9 games out of 1st place and 2.5 games behind Somerset & York for 3rd place. Michael Nix is credited with the loss for the Skeeters while Mike Solbach gets the win for the Patriots.

Hitting Streaks:

Octavio Martinez (3)

Iggy Suarez (3)

Home Runs:

Iggy Suarez (1)

The final game of the series is scheduled for 7:05pm Tuesday night.