Yard Goats Walk-off Fisher Cats in Extra-Inning Thriller
WP- Jarrod Cande (1-0)
LP- Jonathan Todd (0-1)
Hartford, CT – The Hartford Yard Goats defeated the Toronto Blue Jays affiliate, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 9-8, in front of 6,935 fans in the opener of Friday night's doubleheader during Whalers Weekend at Dunkin' Park. After surrendering the lead in the top of the eighth inning, Hartford answered with two runs in the bottom half to complete a dramatic walk-off extra-inning victory. Cole Messina beat the throw home on a ground ball by Dyan Jorge lifting the Yard Goats to a 9-8 win, their third in a row. Messina finished with a three-run double and scored the winning run, while Jorge drove in three runs, including the game-winning RBI. GJ Hill added a two-run home run as the Yard Goats erased multiple deficits to claim the opener. The Fisher Cats won the night-cap 3-2.
New Hampshire jumped in front in the first inning when Aaron Parker launched a two-run home run to right field off Hartford starter Konnor Eaton, giving the Fisher Cats a 2-0 lead. Eaton settled in after the opening frame, striking out five batters while retiring nine hitters over three innings.
Hartford answered in the third inning. Mike Antico reached base before GJ Hill laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Antico and moved Cole Messina into scoring position. Dyan Jorge followed with an RBI single to center field, plating Messina and tying the game at 2-2.
The Fisher Cats regained the lead in the fourth inning. JR Freethy drew a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to force home a run before a double play allowed another run to score, putting New Hampshire ahead 4-2.
The Yard Goats responded immediately in the bottom of the fourth. Hartford loaded the bases for Cole Messina, who ripped a three-run double to center field to give the Yard Goats a 5-4 lead. Two batters later, GJ Hill belted a two-run home run to deep right field, extending Hartford's advantage to 7-4.
New Hampshire chipped away in the fifth inning as Eddie Micheletti Jr. scored on Aaron Parker's sacrifice fly before Dub Gleed connected on a solo home run to left field, trimming Hartford's lead to 7-6.
The Fisher Cats tied the game in the sixth when Cade Doughty launched a solo home run to right field, making it 7-7.
The game moved to extra innings, where Carter Cunningham scored on a balk in the top of the eighth inning to give New Hampshire an 8-7 lead.
Hartford answered in its final at-bat. The Yard Goats loaded the bases with a walk by Messina and a perfectly placed bunt single by Hill. Mike Antico scored the tying run on Jared Thomas' groundout before Dyan Jorge lined a walk-off single, bringing home Messina with the winning run to cap a 9-8 victory.
Game 2:
Thomas Homers, Fisher Cats Edge Yard Goats in Nightcap
WP- Austin Marozas (1-0)
LP- Cade Denton (3-6)
Hartford, CT – The Hartford Yard Goats dropped the second game of Friday night's doubleheader to the Fisher Cats, 3-2, at Dunkin' Park. New Hampshire blasted three solo-home runs to beat the Yard Goats for the first time this week. Jared Thomas provided Hartford's offense with a go-ahead two-run home run, but New Hampshire answered with a pair of solo homers to split the twin bill.
The Fisher Cats struck first in the third inning when Carter Cunningham hit a solo home run to right-center field, giving New Hampshire a 1-0 lead.
Hartford responded in the bottom half of the inning. Zach Kokoska reached base ahead of Jared Thomas, who launched a two-run home run to right-center field to put the Yard Goats in front, 2-1.
New Hampshire answered quickly in the fourth inning as JR Freethy hit a solo home run to right-center field, evening the score at 2-2.
The game remained tied until the seventh inning when Dub Gleed connected on a solo home run to left field, giving the Fisher Cats a 3-2 advantage.
The Yard Goats threatened in their final at-bat but were unable to generate the tying run against the New Hampshire bullpen as the Fisher Cats secured the nightcap victory and earned a split of the doubleheader.
The Yard Goats will continue their six-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays’ affiliate, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, on Saturday at 6:10 pm. Join us at Dunkin’ Park for a pajama party and fireworks following the last out of the game! LHP Stu Flesland III is set to start on the bump for Hartford, and RHP Danny Thompson Jr. will pitch for the Fisher Cats. The game will be televised on MiLB.TV and Bally Live and broadcast on the free Audacy app.