Fernandez pushes Yard Goats past New Hampshire

Fernandez pushes Yard Goats past New Hampshire

WP: Juan Mejia (1-1)

LP: Hunter Gregory (4-2)

SV: Seth Halvoresen (7)

Time: 2:48

Hartford, CT- Yanquiel Fernandez hit a go-ahead two-run triple in the seventh inning as the Hartford Yard Goats beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 7-4 in front of a sellout (6,271) on Thursday night at Dunkin’ Park. Mason Albright struck out four and allowed two earned runs on one hit across five innings of work. The lone hit given up by Albright was a two-run home run. Juan Mejia pitched two scoreless innings of relief and earned his first win of the season. Seth Halvorsen picked up his seventh save of the year.

With one out in the first inning, Ryan Ritter was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a stolen base and Fisher Cats error. Yanquiel Fernandez drove Ritter home with a single off Fisher Cats starter CJ Van Eyk and put the Yard Goats on top 1-0.

In the bottom of the second, the Yard Goats struck with two outs as Braiden Ward singled to left field to drive in Kyle Datres and made it a 2-0 game. Hartford then jumped out to a 4-0 lead as following a Ronaiker Palma base hit, Bladimir Restituyo hit an RBI single that scored both Ward and Palma.

In the third inning, Ryan McCarty hit a two-run home run to left center field to bring the score to 4-2.

In the sixth inning McCarty and Josh Kasevich led off with back-to-back base hits, Rainer Nunez then hit an RBI groundout that brought home McCarty and made it a 4-3 game. With two outs a Yard Goats error allowed Kasevich to score and tie the game at 4-4.

In the seventh inning the Yard Goats regained the lead as after singles from Restituyo and Ritter, Fernandez hit a two-run triple off the center field wall that made it a 6-4 ballgame. Warming Bernabel then drove in Fernandez from third with a base hit to bring the score to 7-4.

The Fisher Cats tacked on another run in the ninth inning as with runners on first and third base with two runs McCarty hit an RBI single into right to make it a 7-5 game. Halvorsen then silenced the New Hampshire rally as he struck out Kasevich to end the game.

The Yard Goats will continue their series against the Toronto Blue Jays affiliate, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, on Friday, June 28th (7:10 p.m.), at Dunkin’ Park. RHP Connor Van Scoyoc will start for the Yard Goats. LHP Trenton Wallace will start for the Fisher Cats. The game will be live-streamed on MiLB.tv and broadcast on the free Audacy app.