Sean Mellen pitched well for the Fisher Cats on Thursday but New Hampshire fell 7-4 to Hartford. (Photo courtesy of NH Fisher Cats)

HARTFORD, Conn. – Sean Mellen motored through the Hartford’s order early on Thursday night, but 10 runners left on base plagued the Fisher Cats in their first loss of the series, 7-4, at Dunkin’ Donuts Park.

Mellen made his fourth spot-start of the season and was terrific, working perfect through 3.0 innings with six strikeouts. Kyle Datres got Hartford’s first hit to lead off the top of the fourth and came home to score on a sacrifice fly.

The Norwood, Mass. native Mellen finished with a season-long 3.2 innings, allowing one hit and one earned run. He walked two batters, one of which was intentional, and struck out a season-high seven.

Hartford starter Mike Ruff (W, 1-2) held New Hampshire (18-24, 49-62) off the board for the first three innings and finished with 5.0 innings and two earned runs to his ledger. John Aiello doubled in the fourth and scored on Ryan Gold’s sacrifice fly. Aiello has a 20-game on-base streak, and Gold has seven RBIs across his last two games.

Luis De Los Santos had singles in his first three at bats, and he drove in a run in the fifth to put the Fisher Cats up, 2-1.

The middle innings were ugly. Hartford (21-20, 64-46) scored three runs on no hits in the fifth, as the Fisher Cats had three walks and two errors. The Yard Goats added another two in the sixth on a pair of sacrifice flies. Hartford had four sac flies in the game, and New Hampshire trailed, 6-2, after six.

New Hampshire continued to add hits but couldn’t capitalize with runners on base. The Fisher Cats outhit Hartford, 10-6, but left 10 runners on base and at least one in every inning.

Addison Barger homered for the second straight game in the ninth, but the scoring stopped there. The Fisher Cats are now 9-6 versus Hartford this season.

New Hampshire continues its series at the Yard Goats tonight at 7:05.