Avina Keeps Clubbing as Somerset Drops the Series Finale to New Hampshire
EL Somerset Patriots

Avina Keeps Clubbing as Somerset Drops the Series Finale to New Hampshire

Published on May 31, 2026 under Eastern League (EL)
Somerset Patriots News Release


Somerset Patriots left fielder Jace Avina in the dugout
Somerset Patriots left fielder Jace Avina in the dugout
(Somerset Patriots)

The Somerset Patriots fell to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3-2 at TD Bank Ballpark on Sunday afternoon in Bridgewater, NJ.

The game was played in front of a sellout crowd of 6,757. It marked the seventh sellout crowd for the Patriots at home this year and second time TD Bank Ballpark has hosted a capacity crowd in back-to-back days this season.

With 18 games in the first half remaining the Patriots are 2.0 games back of the Hartford Yard Goats for first place in the Northeast Division.

With the loss, the Patriots claimed at least a series split for the fifth consecutive week. After beginning the season 7-12, the Patriots are 19-13 in that span.

In Somerset's third consecutive one-run game and fourth one-run game this week, the loss dropped the Patriots to 9-10 in one-run games this season and 3-1 in one-run games vs New Hampshire this week. At the time of the game ending, the Patriots' 19 one-run games this season are tied for most in the Eastern League.

With Jace Avina's home run in the fifth inning, Somerset smashed its Double-A leading 85th HR of the season. The Patriots have hit home runs in 15 of their last 17 games. Somerset's 85 home runs through the season's first 51 games are the most in Double-A during the Research Tool Era (since 2005).

With four extra base hits, the Patriots extended their extra base hit streak to 51 games. At the time of the game ending, the franchise record streak is the longest active streak in Double-A and second-longest in MiLB.

The Patriots pounced with 11 hits, logging double-digit hits for the 25th time this season. After notching 10-plus hits in 31/138 (22.4%) of games in 2025, Somerset has double-digit hits in 25/51 (49.0%) of games this season.

RHP Ben Hess (2.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB) made his fourth start since returning off the 7-day IL on May 14. Hess tossed 39 pitches, the most he's thrown in a game since being reinstated off the injured list.

RHP Chase Chaney (5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K) worked a season-high 5.1 IP in relief of Hess, tallying three of his six strikeouts on the curveball. The outing marked Chaney's sixth this season working at least five innings. His six strikeouts tied a season high.

RF Jace Avina (3-for-5, 2 2B, HR, RBI, R) bashed his 14th home run of the season to lead off the fifth inning. After hitting a career-high 15 HR in 2022 across 64 games between Rookie Ball and Single-A, Avina is one shy of that total in just 47 games this season. Avina's homer also marked his ninth home run to lead off an inning this season. Avina's nine leadoff homers lead Double-A and are tied for most in MiLB. They are more than all but two Major League batters (Byron Buxton - MIN - 10, James Wood - WSH - 9).

Avina recorded his fourth consecutive multi-hit game for the first time this season, second game with three extra base hits and 13th overall multi hit game of the season. With nine hits across his last four games alone, Avina has upped his OPS from .875 to .951.

Avina extended his on-base streak to a career-high 29 games. His active 29-game on-base streak leads all active Double-A hitters and is the longest by a Patriot this season. During the streak, Avina is slashing .344/.424/.705 with 10 HR, 25 RBI and 23 XBH. He's raised his OPS from .629 to .951 in that span. Avina's 29-game on-base streak is the third-longest on-base streak by a Patriot all-time. It is the longest on-base streak since 2021 (Thomas Milone - 38, Oswaldo Cabrera - 31).

Avina's 44 runs rank third in Double-A and are the most by a Patriot through the season's first 51 games in team history.

1B Nick Torres (2-for-4, 2B, R, SB) collected his first multi-hit game since being reactivated off the 7-day IL on May 27. On a 10-game on-base streak dating back to April 9, Torres is slashing .469/.553/.656 with 15 hits and four XBH in that stretch.

2B Connor McGinnis (2-for-3, BB) extended his season-high hit streak to five games with his first career multi-hit game at Double-A. During the five-game hit streak, McGinnis is 6-for-16 with 2 BB, 2 RBI and a double. The hit streak is one shy of a career-high six games (8/28/25 - 9/4/25).

Check out the Somerset Patriots Statistics

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Somerset Patriots left fielder Jace Avina in the dugout
Somerset Patriots left fielder Jace Avina in the dugout
   



Eastern League Stories from May 31, 2026


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