Bridgewater, NJ — The Somerset Patriots (70-44) used a dominant display of defense and power to drop the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (50-65) by a score of 10-6 in their series-opening game at TD Bank Ballpark on Tuesday night.

Somerset homered four times in the game, marking the second game in a row and the ninth total time this season having reached that mark.

With 173 home runs on the season now, the Patriots enter Wednesday two home runs shy of their season franchise record of 175, which was set last year (in 119 games).

After the Patriots fell behind 2-0 on home runs from Addison Barger and John Aiello, Elijah Dunham (16) opened up the scoring for Somerset with a solo homer in the second inning.

Before the inning ended, Jesus Bastidas (16) swiped a 3-2 lead for Somerset with a two-run homer that tied him with Dunham for the second-most home runs on the Patriots this season.

Austin Wells (7) extended the Patriots’ lead to 5-2 on a two-run homer in the third inning, his second straight game with a home run.

New Hampshire stormed back to take a 6-5 lead behind a four-run fourth inning. Anthony Volpe then smacked a triple (3) into right field, which tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Dating back to Sunday, it was Volpe’s second straight game with a triple.

Eric Wagaman provided the game-winning blow with a two-run home run (3) that gave the Patriots an 8-6 lead in the sixth inning.

Tanner Myatt (2-1) earned the win for Somerset, hurling 2.1 scoreless innings in relief of the Patriots starter Will Warren.

The win is Somerset’s 10th against New Hampshire this season, improving them to 10-3 vs. the Fisher Cats.

The 2022 Somerset Patriots season presented by Ford will continue at home on Wednesday night with another 7:05 p.m. first pitch against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at TD Bank Ballpark.

Yankees No. 26 prospect RHP Deivi Garcia will get the start for Somerset opposite RHP Alejandro Melean for New Hampshire.