MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Somerset Patriots marked their first game in franchise history at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium with a loss, with New Hampshire Fisher Cats opening their home campaign with a 6-5 walk-off victory.
Gabriel Moreno, one of the few bright spots during the Fisher Cats’ series in Portland last week, opened up the scoring with a two-run home run, his first of the year and the second for the team so far on the season.
Thomas Milone would saw the lead in half with a first pitch solo shot in the top of the fifth, but the Fisher Cats would answer quickly. Moreno added two more RBI on a single, bringing Samad Taylor and Austin Martin across the plate, with Jordan Groshans also scoring on a wild pitch before the end of the fifth.
Simeon Woods Richardson put in a strong five-inning start for the ‘Cats, striking out eight Somerset batters, but New Hampshire’s bullpen was unable to carry the torch. Somerset would add a second run in the seventh with Diego Castillo eventually coming home on an error, but they were not done. Donny Sands’ first double of the year brought home two more runs in the eighth and a pair of wild pitches by Fisher Cats reliever Fitz Stadler would bring Sands across the plate to tie up the contest.
It ultimately came down to a walk-off walk of Moreno in the bottom of the ninth, with Moreno needing only four pitches off incoming Somerset reliever Michael Gomez.
At the plate, Moreno, Samad Tayler and Chavez Young each ended with two hits on the night for New Hampshire
The two teams meet again at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday. Elvis Luciano (0-0, 6.25 ERA) takes the mound for New Hampshire against Somerset southpaw Matt Krook (0-0, 6.75 ERA).
