Yard Goats Blast Three Homers in Win and Return to First Place

Final: Hartford 9, Somerset 3

WP: Connor Van Scoyoc (3-5)

LP: Yorlin Calderon (0-1)

S: none

Time: 3:03

Bridgewater, NJ- The Hartford Yard Goats (29-23) blasted three home runs and cruised past the Somerset Patriots (25-28) 9-3 on Wednesday night at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, New Jersey in the second of a six-game series. It was the Yard Goats third straight win, and eighth victory in nine games. The win, combined with Portland’s loss, has put the Yard Goats back in first place in the Eastern League’s Northeast Division. 16 games remain in the first half of the season which concludes on June 23^rd, and the second half begins on June 25^th.

Zach Kokoska, Adael Amador and Yanquiel Fernandez each hit home runs, and Hartford starting pitcher Connor Van Scoyoc pitched well over six innings to earn his second straight win. Van Scoyoc allowed three runs (2 earned) on eight hits with no walks and two strikeouts. The right-hander retired 12 of 13 batters from the second until the sixth innings. Relievers Bryce McGowan and Reagan Todd combined for three scoreless to finish the game.

The Yard Goats built a two-out rally to score a run in the first inning off Somerset starter Yorlin Calderon. Ryan Ritter singled, stole second base and scored on a hit by Yanquiel Fernandez to give the Yard Goats a 1-0 lead. Zach Kokoska led off the second inning with his team leading eighth home run making it 2-0 Hartford. The Yard Goats added two more runs on an error and wild pitch to take a 4-0 lead.

Somerset scored twice in the bottom of the inning on a single by Aaron Polansky and a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-2 game. It stayed that way until the sixth when the Patriots made it 4-3 on Jordan Groshans RBI single, scoring Jared Wegner as part of a two-out rally. Van Scoyoc retired Spencer Jones to end the inning.

Hartford put together a four-run seventh inning against the Somerset bullpen, highlighted by a three run homer by Adael Amador, his second in two days. Yanquiel Fernadez added to the hit parade with a solo homer in the eighth inning.

The Yard Goats will continue the series against the Somerset Patriots at TD Bank Ballpark on Thursday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Jared Cande will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Trystan Vrieling will pitch for Somerset. The game will be broadcast on the free Audacy app.