Yard Goats Rally Late to Beat Squirrels 3-1
Richmond, VA- The Yard Goats scored three runs in the eighth inning to come from behind and beat the Richmond Flying Squirrels 3-1 on Thursday evening at CarMax Park in Richmond, Virginia. Trailing 1-0 in the eighth, Dyan Jorge tied the game with a sacrifice fly and GJ scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error. Roc Riggio’s RBI triple put the Yard Goats ahead 3-1. Jack Mahoney had another fantastic start for Hartford and yielded only one run in six innings of work. Carlos Torres fired three scoreless to earn the victory. The Yard Goats have won two of the first three games in Richmond and are 3-3 on their road trip.
The Flying Squirrels scored the first run of the game in the third inning off Hartford starter Jack Mahoney. Maui Ahuna led off the frame with a single and stole second base. Later in the inning, Diego Velazquez singled and Ahuna scored from second, giving Richmond a 1-0 lead.
Yard Goats starter Jack Mahoney retired the first six batters to come to the plate and sat down the side in order in three of the first four innings while recording four strikeouts over that stretch. The righty worked around a leadoff walk in the fifth and then a one-out double in the sixth and left trailing 1-0. Mahoney allowed just three hits and one run with one walk and five strikeouts while lowing his season ERA to a club best 2.03.
Hartford had some chances to score against Richmond starter Yunior Marte. Jack O’Dowd had leadoff double in the second inning and Mike Antico had a leadoff single in the third and both runners were stranded at third base. Marte got help from two double plays and worked around traffic in the sixth and seventh inning while worked a Double-A high seven frames. He left with a 1-0 lead.
The Yard Goats rallied in the eighth inning against the Flying Squirrels bullpen. Dale Stanavich walked Cole Messina and then thew a wild pitch before hitting GJ Hill. Messina stole third base and Hill stole second. Reliever Christian Alvarado came in and walked Andy Perez to load the bases. Dyan Jorge hit a fly ball to center field, and Messina tagged and scored to tie the game. On the same play, GJ Hill tagged to go to third base and the throw from center was cut by first baseman Sabin Ceballos who attempted to get Hill at third. However, his throw sailed over the head of Diego Velasquez and Hill scored giving the Yard Goats a 2-1 lead. Roc Riggio then cracked a triple off the fence in center field, scoring Perez to make it 3-1.
Hartford reliever Carlos Torres worked three scoreless innings to earn his fifth win. He retired nine of 11 batters faced, including the side in order in the seventh and ninth innings.
The Yard Goats continue the second leg of the two-city nine game road trip on Friday night (7:05 PM) against the San Francisco Giants affiliate, the Richmond Flying Squirrels at CarMax Park in Richmond, Virginia. LHP Konner Eaton will start for the Yard Goats and LHP Charlie McDaniel will pitch for Richmond. The game will be broadcast on the free Audacy App, iHeartRadio app, Yard Goats website and streamed on MiLB.TV. The Yard Goats return home Tuesday, July 28th (7:05 PM) to start a six-game homestand against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Dunkin’ Park.