Patriots 5, Fisher Cats 4

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – Despite a dominant start from Danny Thompson Jr., the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (17-27, 51-59) fell on a walk-off three-run home run on Friday night at TD Bank Ballpark against the Somerset Patriots (22-21, 58-54), 5-4.

Thompson Jr. allowed two runs on one hit and struck out five across six innings for his third consecutive quality start. Thompson Jr. (TOR No. 15, MLB Pipeline) holds a 1.50 ERA in three August starts with 19 strikeouts, two walks and three earned runs allowed in 18.0 innings.

Box Score

Lefty Mason Olson emerged out of the bullpen and pitched a perfect seventh inning. Right-hander Gage Stanifer (L, 4-8) did not give up a run in the eighth but allowed the walk-off home run in the ninth and suffered the loss in his first save attempt in Double-A.

Somerset starter Don Hamel allowed of pair of runs on four hits in four innings. Reliever Kelley Austin (W, 4-1) stifled the Fisher Cats across 2-2/3 innings and picked up his fourth win of the season.

Top Takeaways:

• RHP Danny Thompson Jr. twirled his third straight quality start in the Cats’ 4-2 win. So far in August, Thompson Jr. has allowed three earned runs in 18 innings and has recorded 19 strikeouts across his three starts.
• C Aaron Parker cracked two more hits and raised his batting average in August to .344.
• After ending 13-game hit streak on Thursday night, Gleed singles and reaches twice
  • Gleed is hitting .313 in August with 15 hits in 12 games.
• RF Carter Cunningham swipes two more bags, is 4-for-4 stealing bases in his last two games.
• SS Eric Snow reaches three times as the Cats leadoff man with two walks and an RBI.
• Patriots score all five runs on two swings for fourth-straight victory, ninth-straight win in the regular season series over New Hampshire.

Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, shortstop Core Jackson and Roderick Arias worked back-to-back walks to open the inning. With runners on first and second, catcher Omar Alfonzo (10) hit a walk-off, three-run home run and handed the Cats their fifth consecutive loss.

New Hampshire struck first in the top of the first. Shortstop Eric Snow walked. Center fielder Victor Arias bounced into a fielder’s choice and replaced Snow on the bases. First baseman Dub Gleed walked, and right fielder Carter Cunningham was hit by a pitch. With the bases juiced, a wild pitch allowed Arias to scamper home and made it 1-0.

The Cats extended their lead in the second. With two outs, center fielder Mathieu Vallee singled and stole second. The next batter, Snow, laced an RBI single and extended New Hampshire’s lead to 2-0.

Somerset tied the game in the bottom of the third. With a runner on first, first baseman Josh Moylan (8) hit a two-run homer and evened the score at 2-2.

The Fisher Cats broke the tie in the top of the sixth. After catcher Aaron Parker singled and stole second, Cunningham lined an RBI single into left field to put New Hampshire in front. Cunningham later stole third and scored on a groundout to make the lead 4-2.

New Hampshire and Somerset continue their six-game series on Friday with first pitch slated for 6:35 PM. Blue Jays No. 3 prospect Johnny King makes his Double-A debut against Patriots’ right-hander Cade Smith (5-7, 5.38 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:15 PM on the Fisher Cats Radio Network.