BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (5-8, 34-48) dropped their series-opening game to the Somerset Patriots (8-5, 43-39) at TD Bank Ballpark on Tuesday night, 5-1.

After a delay of Tuesday’s start of almost two hours, New Hampshire catcher Jacob Sharp crushed his first home run of the year in the top of the fifth inning for the Cats’ lone run in what was their 12th loss against the Patriots this season.

Third baseman Charles McAdoo went 0-for-2 but worked a pair of walks to bring his on-base streak to 28 games. Left fielder Jackson Hornung and shortstop Cade Doughty each cracked extra base hits as New Hampshire’s only other knocks in the contest.

Fisher Cats starter Grant Rogers (L, 2-5) completed six innings for a fourth consecutive start, allowing four runs on six hits. Coming off a winning decision from seven innings against Portland on July 2, Tuesday’s loss was Rogers’ seventh time going six or more innings in 2025 and his sixth since receiving promotion to New Hampshire on May 20. Rogers has thrown six or more innings in four consecutive starts and has checked that box in five of his last six starts.

Somerset starter Carlos Lagrange made his second start against the Fisher Cats and lasted 5-1/3 innings with one earned run on two hits. Lagrange racked up eight punchouts to four walks before Somerset’s bullpen combined for 3-2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Righty Luis Pacheco (W, 2-0) fired 1-2/3 frames before left-hander Ryan Anderson collected two strikeouts in one inning of work. Kelly Austin finished off the Cats by allowing one hit and striking out one in the top of the ninth inning to secure the Patriots’ 5-1 win.

Rogers surrendered one run through his first five innings of work before the Patriots tagged him for three runs in the bottom of the sixth. With runners at second and third and one out, Somerset designated hitter Omar Martinez plated third baseman Dylan Jasso on a sacrifice fly to center field to take a 1-0 lead in the second.

After Sharp’s solo homer in the fifth, Martinez picked up two more RBIs on a ground-rule double in the bottom of the sixth inning that extended Somerset’s lead to 4-1.

Righty Grayson Thurman tossed a scoreless bottom of the seventh inning. Reliever Rafael Sánchez gave up a home run to Somerset catcher Rafael Flores, his 15th of the year, in the eighth before stranding the bases loaded with two strikeouts in one relief inning.

New Hampshire and Somerset continue their six-game series with a 6:35 first pitch on Wednesday night. Fisher Cats right-hander Ryan Watson (4-5, 4.24 ERA) will make his third start against Somerset this year, and left-hander Brock Selvidge (1-2, 3.27 ERA) gets the ball for the Patriots.