Selvidge Notches 11 Ks in Shutout Win; Patriots Hit Parade Features 2 HRs

READING, Pa. - The Somerset Patriots shut out the Reading Fightin’ Phils by a score of 9-0 at FirstEnergy Stadium on Saturday night behind a strong pitching performance by Brock Selvidge.

The win was Somerset’s second straight, setting up a chance to split the six-game series in Reading on Sunday. The game marked the Patriots’ third shutout of the season and the first started by Selvidge.

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One day after their largest margin of victory this season (11 runs, 13-2), the Patriots posted their second-largest margin of victory with the nine-run shutout.

All nine batters in the Patriots’ order reached base, with five of the nine collecting multiple hits.

Somerset’s pitching staff struck out a season-high 14 batters in the game. Now with 12+ strikeouts in four of their last five games, Somerset’s staff has fanned 59 batters in the last five games.

The performance marked the second straight night where Somerset’s starter went the distance of 7+ innings and earned the win (Blane Abeyta, 4/26). It’s the first time this season that the Patriots’ starting pitcher has earned a win in back-to-back games.

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Selvidge (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 11 K) earned his first Double-A win in his fourth start of the season.

Selvidge’s 11 strikeouts set a new career-high mark, while his 7.0 innings pitched left him one out shy of tying his career mark.

The lefthander becomes the first Patriot this season to strike out double-digit batters and the fourth to pitch through seven innings. Selvidge allowed only two baserunners in the game and retired the final 12 batters he faced.

C Agustin Ramirez (2-for-4, 2 RBI, 3 R, HR, BB, K) smashed his ninth home run out of 18 games played as part of a five-run second inning.

Ramirez’s nine home runs continue to lead the Eastern League. He also now leads the league with 19 RBI and 46 TB, while tying with his teammate Ben Rice for the league lead with 16 R. He also ranks among the league leaders with 14 BB (T-2nd), 10 XBH (T-2nd), a .667 SLG (T-3rd) and 1.060 OPS (4th).

The homer marks Ramirez’s second straight day with a home run. It’s the fifth itime this season where he’s homered in back-to-back games, including two separate three-game home run streaks (4/5-4/7 and 4/11-4/13).

2B Ben Cowles (3-for-5, 3 RBI, R, HR) led the way offensively for Somerset with a game-high three runs scored and three runs batted in.

All three of Cowles’ hits scored runs, highlighted by his second home run of the season in the eighth inning to cap the game’s scoring at 9-0.

Cowles ends the day as the Eastern League leader in batting (.362), OBP (.451), XBH (12) and doubles (8). He also continues to rank among the league leaders with 25 H (2nd), 43 TB (2nd), 1.074 OPS (3rd), .623 SLG (5th) and 13 R (T-5th).

DH Jared Wegner (2-for-4, 2B, BB, K) extended his career-best hit streak to 11 straight games with his second two-hit performance of the season.

Wegner’s 11-game hit streak is the longest by any batter in the Eastern League this season. During the streak, he is 13-for-42 (.310 AVG) with 2 HR, 8 RBI and 7 R.

His second hit, a ringing double off the left field wall, had an exit velocity of 110 mph.

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