Smith's Smooth Start Not Enough to Sink Cats in Second Half Opener
EL Somerset Patriots

Smith's Smooth Start Not Enough to Sink Cats in Second Half Opener

Published on June 23, 2026 under Eastern League (EL)
Somerset Patriots News Release


Somerset Patriots pitcher Cade Smith
Somerset Patriots pitcher Cade Smith
(Somerset Patriots)

The Somerset Patriots dropped their series opener to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4-0 at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, NH on Tuesday evening.

Somerset was shut out for just the second time this season and first time since a 1-0 loss to Portland on April 4 in the second game of the season. Somerset's 67-game streak without being shutout was the third-longest active streak in Double-A and the seventh-longest active streak in MiLB. The 67-game streak without being shutout ranked as the third-longest single season streak in franchise history and longest since Somerset posted 96 consecutive games with a run in 2023.

With the loss, Somerset fell to 3-4 against the Fisher Cats this season after splitting a six-game set at TD Bank Ballpark to end May. Dating back to last season, Somerset is 25-6 against the Fisher Cats.

RHP Cade Smith (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K) tossed his third quality start of the season, tying Chase Chaney for the second-most on the team and eighth-most in the Eastern League. Smith's quality start was Somerset's 11th of the season, marking the fourth-most in the Eastern League. Smith's seven strikeouts were his most in an outing since he punched out eight batters against Reading on April 16. Smith struck out three of the first four batters he faced, including three consecutive punchouts to Aaron Parker, Jorge Burgos and Carter Cunningham across the first and second innings. Across his last four appearances, Smith has posted a 2.25 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and .213 BAA with 22 K to 9 BB in 24.0 IP.

LF Jackson Castillo (2-for-3, BB, SB) reached in each of his first three plate appearances, securing his 14th multi-hit game of the season with a single in the fifth inning. With 15 hits in his last 15 games, Castillo has an .831 OPS alongside nine walks and five multi-hit games.

RF DJ Gladney (1-for-3, BB) smacked a single 110.6 mph off his bat in the sixth inning through the middle of the infield. Dating back to May 21, Gladney has reached in 24 of his last 27 games. In that span, he's mustered an .874 OPS. Gladney's .364 BABIP ranks fourth among all active Eastern League hitters.

C Tomas Frick (0-for-3) threw out two baserunners attempting to steal second base in the eighth inning. Frick caught two baserunners stealing in the same inning for the second time in his career and first time since May 22, 2025 at Winston-Salem. Frick joins Antonio Gomez and Austin Wells as the third Patriot catcher to ever accomplish the feat. He's the first Patriot catcher to catch two runners stealing in the same inning since Gomez did it May 18, 2025 vs. Portland.

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Somerset Patriots pitcher Cade Smith
Somerset Patriots pitcher Cade Smith
   



Eastern League Stories from June 23, 2026


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