Yard Goats Run Wild With Franchise Record 11 Stolen Bases in Win
WP- Connor Staine (7-2)
LP- Jackson Wentworth (4-6)
Hartford, CT - The Hartford Yard Goats defeated the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8-3 on Tuesday night in the first game of a six-game series at Dunkin’ Park. Right-hander Connor Staine got his third win in a row and through five innings pitched he allowed just three runs, walked three, and struck out four. Fisher Jameson came in to pitch for Hartford in the sixth allowing three hits, no runs and striking out one. Hartford stole three bases in the first inning, had five through two innings and established a new franchise record with 11. Andy Perez, who leads the Eastern League in hits added three more.
Andy Perez got Hartford’s offense going in the bottom of the first off Fisher Cats starter Jackson Wentworth. Perez had a leadoff single after taking the first pitch for a strike. Dyan Jorge followed with a line-drive single to center before swiping his 39th stolen base of the season. Braylen Wimmer then lined a two-run single back up the middle, scoring Perez and Jorge to give the Yard Goats an early 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, Zach Kokoska added a two-out RBI single to right field, bringing in Wimmer and the Goats extended their lead to 3-0.
In the top of the second New Hampshire answered. Hedbert Perez led off with a double before Dub Gleed drew a walk. Jorge Burgos then drove a two-run triple down the right field line to trim Hartford's lead to 3-2.
Andy Perez didn't let up. In the bottom of the second he lined a wall-scraping single after GJ Hill started the inning with a single. Hill came around to score, restoring Hartford’s two-run lead at 4-2.
The Fisher Cats responded in the top of the fifth when Arjun Nimmala hit a double rolling all the way to the wall; JR Freethy came in from second, having drawn a walk. New Hampshire cut the lead to one, Hartford up 4-3.
Zach Kokoska was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the sixth and later in the inning GJ Hill lined an RBI double to knock in Kokoska, extending the Yard Goats' lead to 5-3.
In the bottom of the seventh the Yard Goats broke the game open. Andy Perez and Dyan Jorge pulled off a double steal before Perez stole home on a wild pitch for Hartford’s 11th stolen base making it a franchise high and extending their lead to 6-3. Braylen Wimmer followed with an RBI single to score Jorge, and Aiden Longwell added an RBI single to bring home Roc Riggio, extending the lead to 8-3.
The Yard Goats will continue their six-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays affiliate the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Their next game will be Wednesday night at 7:10 pm, with RHP Jack Mahoney on the mound for Hartford. It's 90s Night with all the throwback vibes and the first 1000 fans will receive a kids' neon jersey courtesy of Retro Junk CT. The game will be televised on NESN+, MiLB.TV, Bally Live, and broadcast on the free Audacy app.