Frias’ Big Night Bumps Off Somerset

Vladimir Frias was off to a .344 start on the season before cooling off against Sugar Land over the recent home series.

He found Somerset pitching much more to his liking.

The Lancaster shortstop was 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBI Friday night, leading the Barnstormers to a 11-1 thumping of the Somerset Patriots in the opener of a three-game series at TD Bank Park.

Frias singled in the second, doubled home a run in the third and belted a three-run homer in the fifth.  He walked in the seventh, then, given one more chance to hit for the cycle, grounded out in the top of the ninth.

The Barnstormers provided Jonathan Albaladejo (2-1) with plenty of support early.  Darian Sandford walked to lead off the game and stayed alive through a rundown to get back to first on a steal attempt.  One out later, Blake Gailen singled to right, chasing Sandford to third.  Joey Terdoslavich produced the first run with a sacrifice fly.  Gailen took second on the throw home and scored when Trayvon Robinson skipped a single over the glove of third baseman Alex Castellanos.

Three more crossed the plate in the second.  The Barnstormers had loaded the bases on a single, walk and error, bringing Gailen to the plate.  With a 2-2 count, the Lancaster right fielder beat a foul tip into the dirt, which jumped up under the mask of home plate umpire Frank Iurilli, causing a lengthy delay.  When play resumed, Gailen poked a two-run single into left.  When the Patriots mishandled a throw down to second trying to get Gailen, Tyler Bortnick also raced home

Frias’ double to center and a triple to left by Rico Noel in the third stretched the lead to 7-0 off Rick Teasley (0-2), and it became 10-0 on the Frias homer, a liner to right.

Albaladejo cruised through 5 2/3 innings, retiring 17 of the first 19 batters he faced, including 10 on ground balls and six on strikes.  Somerset then clipped the veteran right-hander for a run.  Alfredo Rodriguez singled to right and scored on a long double to center by Justin Trapp.  Kyle Roller walked on a fourth ball wild pitch.  Albaladejo’s quality start was preserved when Sandford tracked down a deep fly ball to right center by Castellanos.