MANCHESTER, NH— The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (18-32, 48-70) dropped their first game of the season at Peoples Natural Gas Field to the Altoona Curve (21-31, 50-71) Tuesday, 3-1. The Fisher Cats managed three hits and three walks against three Curve pitchers; designated hitter Devonte Brown plated the Cats’ run with a solo homer.

New Hampshire had the tying run at the plate with one out in the top of the ninth but grounded into a game-ending double play.

Brown launched his solo shot off Altoona starter Nick Dombkowski in the second to put the Fisher Cats ahead, 1-0. The home run was Brown’s 10th of the year; he’s the second Fisher Cat to reach double-digit homers this year, joining Rainer Nuñez, who leads the team with 11.

Second baseman Ryan McCarty and center fielder Dasan Brown were the other New Hampshire batters to record hits. Dasan singled, then stole second and third in the sixth.

Cats starter Michael Dominguez pitched four scoreless frames and struck out two. Dominguez has allowed one run in 12 innings since returning from the Development List on August 15. Hunter Gregory (L, 5-4) gave up two runs on two hits in the sixth. Andrew Bechtold tossed a clean seventh, and Ryan Jennings was tagged with an unearned run before he struck out the side in the eighth.

Altoona reliever Grant Ford (W, 2-2) tossed two scoreless innings to earn the win. Jack Carey (S, 8) handled the final six outs.