Brooks, Perez & Betancourt Lead Yard Goats to Victory
Manchester, NH- Jake Brooks hurled seven innings of one-run ball, Andy Perez had three hits, including a double and a triple, and drove in three runs, and Bryant Betancourt cranked a two-run home run leading the Yard Goats to a 6-2 win on Thursday night against the first-place New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, New Hampshire. The victory pulled the second-place Yard Goats to within 2.5 games of the top spot in the division. Hartford has won four of its last five games.
The Fisher Cats scored the first run of the game when Jay Harry led off the second inning with a solo home run against Hartford starter Jake Brooks. It was Harry’s second home run in two games.
The Yard Goats took a 2-1 lead in the third inning when Bryant Betancourt smashed a two-run homer over the right field fence off New Hampshire starter Gage Stanifer. It was his second home run in the past two games. Betancourt has driven in runs in eight of his last nine games.
Jake Brooks mixed his pitches well and kept the Fisher Cats off balance throughout the game while earning his first win. He did not allow a single hit from the third through sixth innings, retiring 13 consecutive batters. Brooks sat down the side in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. He allowed three straight singles in the seventh but then struck out Victor Arias to end the threat.
The Yard Goats made it 3-1 on Andy Perez’ two-out RBI double in the fifth inning off reliever Kai Peterson, and then 4-1 on Conner Capel’s two-out RBI double in the eighth inning against Kelena Sauer.
Jackson Hornung led off the eighth inning with a home run to make it a 4-2 game. However, the Yard Goats added a pair of runs in the top of the ninth on Andy Perez’ two-run triple, beating the Fisher Cats for the second straight game.
The Yard Goats continue the six-game series on Friday night in Manchester, New Hampshire. RHP Connor Staine will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Austin Cates will pitch for the Fisher Cats. The game will be broadcast on the free Audacy App, iHeartRadio app, Yard Goats website and streamed on MiLB.TV. The Yard Goats return to Dunkin’ Park for their next homestand next Tuesday night (7:10 PM) to host the Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate, the Altoona Curve.