Matt Sauer, a prospect for the Yankees, did not play flawlessly, but he did establish a new franchise record.
The Yankees picked Sauer, who is 23 years old, in the second round (54th overall) of the 2017 draft. On Thursday night, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats beat the Somerset Patriots 4-3 in 10 innings at TD Bank Ballpark.
Sauer has the most strikeouts in Patriots history, including when they were in the Atlantic League. It was also the most for any full-season starting pitcher in the minors or majors.
Sauer started the game by pitching five innings without allowing a run, and he finished the game having allowed just one run over eight innings while leading 2-1.
Everson Pereira, the Yankees‘ fifth-ranked prospect, gave Sauer and the Patriots the lead with two outs in the third. Pereira had his seventh Double-A multi-hit game.
Sebastian Espino hit a solo home run on the first pitch of the sixth inning, ending Sauer’s bid for a perfect game. This made Somerset’s two-run lead a little smaller.
Carson Coleman gave up a run in the top of the ninth inning, which ruined Sauer’s chance for his sixth win. This was Coleman’s second blown save of the season.
The inning ended when the 21-year-old Pereira caught a home run ball in center field. This kept the score tied at 2-2 and sent the game into extra innings.
Espino hit again for the Fisher Cats. With one out, he hit a single that scored two runs and gave New Hampshire the winning runs. The loss went to Steven Jennings (3-3), while Jimmy Burnette (4-3) got the win.
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