Hill, Messina Homer in Game One Victory over Patriots
WP: Bryson Hammer (1-1)
LP: Dom Hamel (0-1)
Hartford, CT - GJ Hill and Cole Messina homered as the Hartford Yard Goats defeated the Somerset Patriots 8-1 in the opener of Friday night’s doubleheader in front of a sellout crowd of 6,841 at Dunkin’ Park. The home runs were part of a four-run first inning that gave the Yard Goats a 4-0 lead. Messina finished with a career-high five RBI and Jared Thomas went 3-4 with a pair of singles and a double to help Hartford win the first game. Yard Goats starter Bryson Hammer allowed just one run on six hits with two strikeouts to earn his first Double-A win. The Patriots won the nightcap 6-0.
The Yard Goats opened the scoring in the top of the second, scoring four runs off Somerset starter Dom Hamel. A pair of home runs from GJ Hill and Cole Messina gave Hartford a 3-0 lead, before an RBI-single from Andy Perez made the score 4-0. Hill’s solo shot was his team-leading 16th of the season, and Messina’s two-run blast was his 6th of the season.
Hartford added to their lead by scoring three runs in the top of the third. Braylen Wimmer roped an RBI-single into center field that scored Jared Thomas and extended the Yard Goats' lead to 5-0. Then, Messina lined a two-run single to right field that scored Wimmer and Dyan Jorge, making it a 7-0 ballgame.
Somerset got on the board when Manuel Palencia hit an RBI-double off Hammer, cutting Hartford’s lead to 7-1.
The Yard Goats added a run in the top of the fifth when Messina recorded his career-high 5th RBI on a sac-fly to right field that scored Zach Kokoska and made the score 8-1.
Game 2: Yard Goats Fall to Patriots in Nightcap
WP: Cade Smith (7-7)
LP: Cade Denton (3-8)
Hartford, CT - The Hartford Yard Goats dropped the second game of Friday’s doubleheader to the Somerset Patriots. Somerset starter Cade Smith shut the Yard Goats offense down, tossing six scoreless innings and allowing just one hit and one walk with seven strikeouts.
Somerset struck first by scoring two runs off Yard Goats starter Cade Denton in the top of the first. Omar Alfonzo started the scoring with an RBI-double that gave the Patriots a 1-0 lead. Alfonzo would score later in the inning on an RBI-sac-fly to center field from DJ Gladney which extended Somerset’s lead to 2-0.
The Patriots added to their lead in the top of the fourth when Josh Moylan hit a two-run home run, his ninth of the season, making the score 4-0.
Somerset got some insurance in the top of the fifth when Connor McGinnis hit a solo home run, his ninth of the season, making it a 5-0 ballgame. The Patriots added a run in the top of the sixth when Manny Palencia hit an RBI-single, extending Somerset’s lead to 6-0.
The Yard Goats continue their six-game series against the New York Yankees affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, on Saturday night at 6:10 pm. Join us for Emo Night with an amazing postgame fireworks show! It will also be the first-ever Indian Heritage Celebration at Dunkin’ Park. RHP Connor Staine will be on the mound for the Yard Goats opposite RHP Rory Fox who gets the start for the Patriots. The game will be televised on NESN and broadcast on the free Audacy app.