Patriots’ Shields Dominates While Dunham Sets Record

Somerset may have some new faces, but their contributions are becoming quite apparent. Ben Shields and Rafael Flores were front and center of the Patriot's 9-3 thrashing of the Erie Seawolves on Wednesday afternoon, as Somerset improved to 10-4 in the second half of the season. They are a full game up on the Portland Seadogs who stand at 8-4.

Shields, who had spent much of the 2024 season with the Yankees High-A affiliate in Hudson Valley, was incredibly impressive in his second Double-A start. He held the Seawolves to just five hits and a run scored over seven innings to lock up his first victory with the Patriots.

In two starts, Shields ERA is a sparkling 0.73. That is huge for a ballclub that has struggled to find consistent starting pitching in 2024. The lowest ERA among Somerset's starters is 3.86, owned by Zach Messinger.

Perhaps Shields can give the Patriots a jolt in the rotation, and a reliable arm for the stretch drive.

Rafael Flores Shines

Meanwhile, Rafael Flores continues to make an impression in Somerset. The infielder made his debut with Somerset on July 1 after spending much of the 2024 season in High-A ball. On Wednesday, Flores corked a three-run shot to left center to send the Patriots off and running with a 5-0 lead.

Tyler Hardman's Hitting Streak.

The Somerset Patriots first baseman extended his hitting streak to 10 games when he lined a RBI single to right in the top of the third inning. The base hit brought in a pair of runs to give Somerset an early 2-0 lead. Hardman is now batting .316 with a homer, five runs scored and five RBI during the hitting streak.

Elijah Dunham Sets record!

Meanwhile, Hardman has a ways to go before breaking any franchise records for consecutive games with a base hit. That is because Elijah Dunham set a Somerset Patriots Double-A era record, hitting safely in his 17th consecutive game. Dunham also extended his on-base streak to 21 games, the longest streak by any Patriot this season.

The Somerset Patriots continue their series with the Erie Seawolves all weekend, starting tonight at 6:35 on Fox Sports New Jersey.

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Scams are a scary thing, so you should know these new scams that are trending. It's easy to think that you could never fall for a scam, but the truth is that scammers are getting better and better and what they're doing, so it's getting more difficult to stay safe.

Before we get into the new scams that are trending, it's worth reminding ourselves of some age-old scams. Some scam artists just keep doing the same thing, and they keep getting successful results. The IRS has some good information out about tax-related scams and how to avoid them. On the agency's official website, they warn that seniors are often targeted in scams. This was true years ago and is still true. On their site, they warn taxpayers not to fall for scams targeting older adults. "Scammers pretending to be government officials, aim to steal sensitive personal information and money," they state. "By posing as representatives from agencies such as the IRS, or other government agencies, these fraudsters use fear and deceit to exploit their victims."

Another big scam that's been around forever is scammers claiming their services are needed to settle with the IRS and "that their debts can be settled for 'pennies-on-the-dollar' or that there is a limited window of time to resolve tax debts through the Offer in Compromise (OIC) program." The IRS says "these promoters are often referred to as 'OIC Mills.'" In a release, the IRS adds that an Offer in Compromise "mill" will "usually make outlandish claims, frequently in radio and TV ads, about how they can settle a person's tax debt for cheap. In reality, the promoter fees are often excessive, and taxpayers pay the OIC mill to get the same deal they could have received on their own by working directly with the IRS. This takes unnecessary money out of the taxpayer's wallet."

"Too often, we see some unscrupulous promoters mislead taxpayers into thinking they can magically get rid of a tax debt," IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement. "This is a legitimate IRS program, but there are specific requirements for people to qualify. People desperate for help can make a costly mistake if they clearly don't qualify for the program. Before using an aggressive promoter, we encourage people to review readily available IRS resources to help resolve a tax debt on their own without facing hefty fees."

Now, let's move onto the new scams to avoid.

The AARP warns of a new scam called the "check cooking scam." The AARP states, "In check cooking, thieves take a digital picture of a stolen check and then use commercially available software to alter it." It can look super real, but it's fake. So, how do you stay safe? "Consider using a safer payment method, such as a credit card," they suggest.

The AARP states also warns of a new sweepstakes scam where "instead of trying to get you to pay taxes or other fees in advance to collect the nonexistent prize, the scammers will ask for personal information so that they can validate you and set up the payout." Just say no.

These days, AI scams are big. Experian.com says today, scammers use technology to "write more convincing and natural-sounding phishing emails and text messages." They can also "Impersonate the victim's friend or relative and ask for money as part of a grandparent scam." It's scary stuff. Beware of anything that sounds too crazy, as these can often seem far-fetched, but AI makes them look real.

Experian.com says that student loan forgiveness scams are on the rise. They note that, "scammers may contact you via phone or create phony application sites aimed at stealing your Social Security number or your bank account information." Don't give out your information. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

This one is really wild. With the games on the way, scammers can use the games to scam you. The AARP states, "A scammer hacks someone's email account, and shortly after, all of that person's contacts will receive the same message — something to the effect of, 'Hey guys, I'm over in Paris and my wallet got stolen! Can anyone please help me out by sending gift cards or a Venmo deposit?"

Whether the scam is new or old, the best way to avoid it is to stop and think about what's happening. These scam artists are super good at what they do, but if you just stop for a moment and really think out any actions, you can avoid making a rash decision that could cost you.