Yard Goats Rally Late in 4-2 Victory Against Reading

Yard Goats Rally Late in 4-2 Victory Against Reading

WP: Collin Baumgartner (1-0)

LP: Christian Hernandez (0-1)

SV: Seth Halvorsen (2)

Time: 2:18

Hartford, CT- A three-run seventh inning proved to be the difference as the Hartford Yard Goats beat the Reading Fightin Phils, 4-2, Sunday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd of 6,883 at Dunkin’ Park. In the seventh inning, Adael Amador hit a game-tying RBI double, and Yanquiel Fernandez hit a go-ahead two-run single. Andrew Quezada pitched six quality innings and allowed two earned runs. The Yard Goats bullpen put forth a strong effort as Collin Baumgartner, Alec Barger, and Seth Halvorsen each pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Fightin Phils starter Robinson Pina pitched 5.1 innings, struck out six, and conceded one run. The Yard Goats won five of six games against the Fightins this week and begin a six-game road trip in Somerset, New Jersey next week.

The Fightin Phils struck first in the top of the third inning as following a Casey Martin double and a Marcus Lee Sang walk, Jose Rodriguez lined a single into left field to drive in Martin to make it a 1-0 ball game. After Caleb Ricketts singled to load the bases, Carson Taylor delivered a sacrifice fly to bring in Lee Sang from third base and put Reading on top 2-0.

The Yard Goats responded in the bottom of the fourth inning as Warming Bernabel reached on a leadoff double and tagged up on a Zach Kokoska flyout to advance to third base. Bladimir Restituyo then sent Bernabel home on an RBI groundout to make the score 2-1.

In the seventh inning the Yard Goats tied the game at 2-2 as after back-to-back infield singles by Braiden Ward and Nic Kent, Amador belted a double into right field off of reliever Christian Hernandez to score Ward. Hartford then took a 4-2 as Yanquiel Fernandez hit a ground ball back up the middle and into center field to drive in both Kent and Amador.

Halvorsen earned his second save of the year as he struck out Carlos De La Cruz and Ethan Wilson in the ninth inning.

The Yard Goats will take the field next against the New York Yankees Double-A affiliate, The Somerset Patriots, on Tuesday, June 4th (6:35 p.m.), at TD Bank Ballpark. LHP Mason Albright will start for the Yard Goats. The game will be live-streamed on MiLB.tv and broadcast on the free Audacy app.