(Trenton, NJ) – Less than a week after the Frederick Keys took three out of four from Trenton at Harry Grove Stadium, the Pork Roll took the field for the first time on Friday night. With a crowd of 5,823 on hand, Pork Roll pitching took command of game one in the weekend series. Opening Day starter **Cole Patten **once again tamed the Keys bats over four innings, and three relievers combined on five hitless innings for a 2-0 shutout in just two hours and 17 minutes at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
Much like a Friday night college game, the starting pitching matchup between Patten and **Nik Galatas **was sensational as both righthanders brought it from the first pitch. Patten’s night started with a walk to Daniel Figueroa, who wasted no time getting to third base with a steal of second and a groundout. **Kendall Ewell **shot a grounder up the first base line that should have scored the game’s first run, but Figueroa stayed put, and Patten used his changeup to put down **Jake Plastiak **for the final out.
Getting Galatas out of the game after three scoreless innings was the best thing to happen to the Pork Roll, who were only able to gather back-to-back singles in the second from Edgardo Martinez and Kalil Folch. They soon stranded runners at the corners, but then bounced back in the fifth during **Kyle Ayers’ **(0-1) second inning of relief.
**Mason Hammonds made it happen with a leadoff double down the right field line for his first extra base hit. A groundout from Jorge Bojorquez **advanced him to third, and another groundout from number nine hitter **Socrates Bardatsos **scored the game’s first run. In the sixth, the Pork Roll strung together three straight two out hits off Jonathan Pintaro, who hadn’t allowed an earned run coming in. **Nate Ochoa **and Martinez got it started, and Folch completed the trifecta with a broken bat single into left for his second run batted in of the season and a 2-0 lead.
Patten pieced together five strikeouts over four innings of one-hit ball. It just so happens that Figueroa’s one-out single in the third would be Frederick’s only hit, and **Benjamin Wilson **(1-0) followed out of the Pork Roll bullpen with two strikeouts over two innings. Lefthander **Ashe Amerlaan **notched three punchouts by retiring six straight following a four-pitch walk to start the top of the eighth. Then in the ninth, **Justin Stewart **made quick work of the Keys with two strikeouts to end the 2-0 shutout and earn his first save.
Your Trenton Thunder continue their first homestand against the Frederick Keys with the middle game of their weekend series on Saturday, June 11 at 6:30 PM. Before the game, we'll be recognizing the teachers nominated for New Jersey’s Teacher of the Year Award in coordination with NJEA. The second Postgame Fireworks Show of the season is presented by NJM Insurance Group! To purchase tickets, call (609)-394-3300, Opt 4 or visit trentonthunder.com.
New Jersey's Baseball Team | Big League Futures. Major League Fun.
The Trenton Thunder have drawn over 10 million fans over 28 years and have won the three major awards that Minor League Baseball teams can win; the Johnson Trophy for the "Nation's Best Franchise" (2005), the Larry MacPhail Trophy for Outstanding Club Promotion (2003) and the Bob Frietas Award for Long-Term Success (1998, given by Baseball America). The team has given back over $7.5 million worth of goods, services, and monetary donations through Trenton Thunder Charities, under the Grand Slam We Care Foundation umbrella. The Thunder can be found online at trentonthunder.com, facebook.com/trentonthunder, twitter.com/trentonthunder, and on youtube.com/AATrentonThunder.
