Playoff Berth Clinched in Victory over Reading Thursday

The Somerset Patriots defeated the Reading Fightin Phils in game three of a six-game set at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, Pa. on Thursday by a score of 4-0.

With the win, the Patriots have clinched the second half playoff spot in the Northeast Division. The Patriots have clinched a position in the Eastern League Playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Somerset held its opponent to two hits in the game for the seventh time this season and the first since 9/2 vs. NH. Somerset recorded its 11^th shutout victory of the season and its first since 9/5 vs. NH. The Patriots have won seven of their last eight games. Somerset improved to 10-5 against Reading this season. Somerset’s 10 wins are tied for the second-most victories against any other team (22 vs. NH, 10 vs. POR). Somerset jumps to 49-32 all-time against Reading. Since the beginning of the 2022 season, the first year in which Somerset made it to the Eastern League Playoffs, the Patriots have won a Double-A-best 314 games.

RHP Carlos Lagrange (6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K) fired six innings of one-hit baseball to collect his sixth win with Somerset this season.

CARLOS LAGRANGE (@Yankees No. 2 prospect) POSTS SIX SCORELESS INNINGS WITH A PLAYOFF SPOT ON THE LINE! 🔥

Final Line: 6.0 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 5 K
Pitches (Strikes): 76 (50) pic.twitter.com/y344pgaiJz

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 12, 2025

Lagrange leads all active Minor League pitchers with 168 K. Along with leading all Yankee minor league pitchers with 168 K, Lagrange ranks second in W (11), third in BA (.198), fourth in ERA (3.53) and WHIP (1.20), tied for fourth in GS (23) and fifth in IP (120.0). Since Lagrange debuted with Somerset on 6/6 @BNG, Lagrange leads the Eastern League in K (104), the only player with 100 or more strikeouts. Lagrange is also tied for first in W (7), second in BA (.185), fourth in ERA (3.22) and fifth in IP (78.1).

RHP Indigo Diaz (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K) recorded the final three outs to secure Somerset’s fourth-straight trip to the Eastern League Playoffs.

Diaz is tied for fifth in the EL with 42 appearances (K. Austin, D. Watson – SOM, A. Magno – ERI). Over his last 34 appearances since 5/9 @AKR, Diaz has allowed two earned runs. During this stretch, Diaz has thrown 40.0 IP over which he has allowed 19 H, 15 BB and recorded 36 K. In this span, Diaz has a 0.45 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP and a .145 BA. Diaz’s 0.45 ERA is the lowest among EL relievers with a minimum of 30.0 IP since 5/9.

SS George Lombard Jr. (2-for-4, R, RBI, 2B, BB) slashed a multi-hit game by ripping an RBI single in the third and a double in the fifth.

George Lombard Jr. (@Yankees No. 1 prospect) slams an RBI single to extend Somerset's lead to 2-0!

Lombard Jr. extends his career-high RBI mark to 48 on the season. pic.twitter.com/IzGe3lomzo

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 11, 2025

Lombard Jr. collected his 16^th multi-hit game with Somerset, the third most on the active roster (D. Jasso – 32, T. Hardman – 20). Since Lombard Jr. debuted with Somerset on 5/2 @AKR, Lombard Jr. leads all EL batters in BB (62) and R (67). Lombard Jr. leads all Yankee minor leaguers with 85 BB. Lombard Jr. ranks second among all Yankees players, trailing only Aaron Judge (104). Lombard Jr. ranks second among Yankee minor leaguers in R (89), tied for third in 2B (31), sixth in XBH (45) and SB (33), tied for seventh in TB (177) and H (109), and 10^th in OPS (.751).

1B Tyler Hardman (1-for-4, RBI, 2B, 2 K) plated the first run of the game on an RBI double in the first inning.

ON THE BOARD FIRST thanks to Tyler Hardman's RBI double that scores George Lombard Jr! pic.twitter.com/P7DP5c8M53

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 11, 2025

In 34 games since 8/1 vs. RIC, Tyler Hardman is 30-for-118 (.254/.358/.449) with 18 R, 13 XBH (7 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR), 17 RBI, 18 BB, 3 SB and an .807 OPS. Hardman ranks third among EL batters in HR (19), fourth in XBH (47), eighth in SLG (.443), tied for eighth in TB (180), tied for ninth in 2B (24) and 10^th in RBI (63). Hardman extended his Somerset Double-A franchise record in RBI (153). Hardman also ranks first in HR (53), second in XBH (99) and TB (418), and third in H (206), R (146), and 2B (39).

C Manny Palencia (2-for-4, RBI, 2B, BB) snatched his fifth multi-hit game at Double-A, highlighted by an RBI double in the fifth inning.

In 20 games with Somerset since 8/1 vs. RIC, Palencia is 17-for-70 (.243/.267/.318) with 7 R, 4 2B, 7 RBI, 3 BB and 1 SB.

CF Brendan Jones (2-for-5, R, 2 SB) stole two bases and collected his 15^th multi-hit game with Somerset.

Over his last nine games since 9/2 vs. NH, Jones is 9-for-31 (.290/.450/.355) with 10 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 9 BB, 10 SB, 0 CS and an .805 OPS. Jones extended his on-base streak to 15 games, the fifth-longest active streak in the Eastern League, a streak that began on 8/26 @BNG. Over his last 15 games, Jones has gone 17-for-54 (.315/.448/.407) with 16 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 13 BB, 12 SB, 0 CS and an .855 OPS. Since his on-base streak began on 8/26 @BNG, Jones leads all EL players in SB (12) and R (16), tied for the league lead in BB (13, C. Suero - BNG), fifth in OBP (.448), and tied for eighth in H (18, A. Overn – CHE, R. Velasquez – AKR). Jones leads the entire Yankees organization with 48 SB. Jones ranks second among Yankees minor leaguers in BB (80), third in R (87), sixth in RBI (69), tied for seventh in H (109) and TB (177), eighth in XBH (38), and ninth in OPS (.759).

***

Box Score

Postgame Notes

PSE&G is the official postgame notes sponsor of the Somerset Patriots.

Just like the Patriots stack up wins because of smart coaching, PSE&G has the expert advice you need to start saving up to 30% on your energy costs.*

Answer three simple questions on the PSE&G website, and in less than a minute, you’ll get a recommendation for a home energy assessment that suits your needs, your budget, and your lifestyle.

To get started, visit pseg.com/EnergyCoach.

*energy.gov