Hartford's early fireworks enough to down New Hampshire

Trevor Schwecke, Zac Cook homer in Fisher Cats loss to Rockies affiliate

(Photo courtesy of Cindy Lavigne)

July 4, 2022

Manchester, New Hampshire – Hartford tallied five runs in the first inning on the Fourth of July, and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (2-5, 33-43) lost, 10-5, to the Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies, 4-3, 47-29). 5,701 fans piled into Delta Dental Stadium for the Monday holiday game and the biggest

Manchester, New Hampshire – Hartford tallied five runs in the first inning on the Fourth of July, and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (2-5, 33-43) lost, 10-5, to the Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies, 4-3, 47-29). 5,701 fans piled into Delta Dental Stadium for the Monday holiday game and the biggest fireworks show in Fisher Cats history that followed.

New Hampshire won the first series between the two teams in April. The July series started hot for the Yard Goats, though. Hartford’s the first three batters reached base with two singles and a walk against Adam Kloffenstein (L, 0-3). A two-RBI double and a two-run homer added to the damage. The Yard Goats had five runs on five hits in the inning and finished the night with 11 hits.

The Fisher Cats trailed, 9-2, going into the ninth inning, and Trevor Schwecke came to the plate with runners on second and third. He worked the count full and then belted a three-run homer off Hartford reliever Riley Pint, the fourth overall draft pick by the Rockies in 2016. The crowd erupted, and the big fly was Schwecke’s first at Double-A this season. New Hampshire cut the deficit to four, 9-5, but that’s where the comeback stopped.

Zac Cook got the fans on their feet in the fourth inning when he crushed a solo homer over the wall in right-center field in the fourth. Four of Cook’s nine home runs in 2022 have come against Hartford. He’s 5-for-14 (.357) versus Rockies affiliate this year.

Schwecke also smoked a double down the third base line in the sixth to score Cam Eden all the way from first base. Schwecke had four RBIs on the night, and he has eight RBIs with the Fisher Cats since being promoted from High-A Vancouver on June 22.

New Hampshire’s bottom of the order carried the night at the plate early. Hitters five through nine—Schwecke, Cook, Luis De Los Santos, Sebastian Espino and Chris Bec—had five of New Hampshire’s first six hits.

Kloffenstein, the Fisher Cats starter, settled down nicely after a tough top of the first. He allowed just two hits and one run from the second inning on. He finished with 4.0 innings of work and allowed six earned runs on seven hits.

Yard Goats starter Mitch Kilkenny (W, 2-5) picked up the victory with 6.0 innings of work and gave up two runs. He tied his season-high for innings pitched and earned his first win since May 8 versus Binghamton.

The Fisher Cats continue their homestand tomorrow, July 5 at 7:05 p.m. against the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies). Tickets can be found at NHFisherCats.com, via email at [email protected], over the phone at (603) 641-2005, or in-person at the Fisher Cats box office at 1 Line Drive in Manchester.