Yard Goats Bite Fisher Cats 8-4
Manchester, NH- The Hartford Yard Goats defeated the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8-4 on Friday night at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, New Hampshire. Jack O’Dowd broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning with a two-run double, and Zach Kokoska followed with an RBI double helping the Yard Goats defeat the Fisher Cats for the second time in four games. Sam Weatherly tossed a scoreless inning in relief to get the win. The bullpen of Weatherly, Nathan Blasick and Fidel Ulloa fired four scoreless innings. Roynier Hernandez had three hits, two RBI and scored two runs, Cole Messina had three hits, including a double and RBI, and Zach Kokoska had two hits and reached base four times.
The Yard Goats scored the first run of the game in the third inning against Fisher Cats starter Jackson Wentworth. Andy Perez cracked a double to center field, his 26th of the season, and scored on a two-out single by Roynier Hernandez, giving Hartford a 1-0 lead.
The Fisher Cats took a 4-1 lead in the third inning and scored four runs off Yard Goats starter Connor Staine. New Hampshire loaded the bases on a single and two walks before Tucker Toman cracked a two-run single, giving the Blue Jays affiliate a 2-1 lead. The Fisher Cats added two more runs on a sac fly and single by Eric Snow to make it 4-1.
The Yard Goats scored a pair of runs in the fifth inning to pull within a run. Andy Perez scored Cole Messina on an infield grounder and Hernandez singled home GJ Hill to make it 4-3. Hartford tied the game in the sixth inning on a two-out single by Cole Messina, bringing in Zach Kokoska.
The Yard Goats broke the tie and scored three runs off reliever Angel Obando in the seventh inning to take a 7-4 lead. The rally began with a bunt single by GJ Hill. Later in the inning, Jack O’Dowd smashed a two-run double, scoring Andy Perez and Hernandez and Zach Kokoska followed with an RBI double scoring O’Dowd. Hartford added an eighth run in the ninth inning on Dyan Jorge’s run-scoring single.
Hartford’s bullpen of Sam Weatherly, Nathan Blasick and Fidel Ulloa fired four scoreless innings.
The Yard Goats continue the six-game road trip on Saturday night at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, New Hampshire. LHP Konner Eaton will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Nolan Perry will start for the Fisher Cats. The game will be broadcast on the free Audacy App, iHeartRadio app, Yard Goats website and streamed on MiLB.TV.