Hunter Goodman Hits Walk Off Homer in 5-4 Thriller

Final: Hartford 5, Reading 4

WP- Dugan Darnell (2-1)

LP- Max Kuhns (0-2)

T- 2:26

Hartford, CT- Yard Goats first baseman Hunter Goodman continued his hot streak, and smashed a walk off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning leading Hartford past the Reading Fightin Phils 5-4 on Thursday night at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford. Coming into the game leading the Eastern League in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, and total bases, Goodman added to his totals, finishing the night 2-4 with a double, a home run, and two RBI. Yard Goats’ starter Mike Ruff had an impressive game himself, producing a quality start by throwing 6.1 innings and striking out eight while allowing just three runs on seven hits.

Carlos De La Cruz gave the Fightin Phils an early lead thanks to a solo shot to deep left field in the top of the first inning. The next batter, Johan Rojas, drew a walk and was immediately rewarded, as Ethan Wilson stroked an RBI double to the alley in left center field. By the end of the first inning, the Fightin Phils had a 2-0 advantage.

Reading expanded their lead in the second frame. Back-to-back singles from Max McDowell and Wendell Rijo put two men on base with only one man out for leadoff hitter Madison Stokes, who lined a ball to center for an RBI double. Ruff buckled down and retired the next two Fightin Phils batters, as Reading stranded two men in scoring position but took a 3-0 lead.

The Yard Goats responded in the bottom of the second inning. In his first plate appearance since being reactivated from the injured list, Zac Veen cranked a double to left field. Two batters later, Colin Simpson drove Veen home on an RBI single to put Hartford on the board and cut the Fightin Phils’ lead to 3-1.

Hartford knotted the game up at three in the bottom half of the third inning. Restituyo, with one out in the inning, extended his hitting streak to 11 games on an infield single to the left side. The next batter, Kyle Datres, connected on his second home run of the year, roping the ball towards the right field foul pole for a two-run blast.

The score stayed tied at three for the next four innings, but in the top of eighth inning, Reading regained the lead. Rojas pulled a single into left field to lead off the inning before stealing second base and advancing to third on an error. Wilson would drive him in on a wall ball single to right field, giving Reading a 4-3 advantage.

However, Hartford would not go away quietly. Leading off the bottom of the ninth inning, Grant Lavigne worked a walk. Next up to the plate was Hunter Goodman, who torched a ball on a line to deep left field for a two-run walk off home run, sending Dunkin’ Park into a frenzy.

The Yard Goats and Fightin Phils play the fourth game of a six-game series on Friday night (7:10 PM) at Dunkin’ Park. Andrew Quezada takes the bump for the Yard Goats searching for his second straight win after throwing five innings and giving up no runs in his last outing against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. As for the Fightin Phils, Mike Abel looks to secure his second win of 2023. The game will be broadcast on AM 1410, FM 100.9 and on the iheart radio app.