The Hartford Yard Goats put together a pair of four-run innings to defeat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 10-7 on Sunday afternoon at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, New Hampshire. Bedford, New Hampshire, native Grant Lavigne had three hits and Hunter Stovall had three hits and reached base five times helping the Yard Goats split the six-game series against the Blue Jays affiliate.
The Yard Goats took the early lead when Daniel Montano cranked a two-run homer in the first inning off Adam Kloffenstein. New Hampshire tied it in the second on Cam Eden’s two-run shot off Mitch Kilkenny.
The score remained tied until Hartford broke through with four runs in the fifth. Isaac Collins put the Yard Goats back on top 3-2 when he led off the inning with a home run off reliever Marcus Reyes. Aaron Schunk’s sacrifice fly scored Stovall to make it 4-2. Later in the inning Daniel Cope cracked a single that scored Montano and Lavigne and it was 6-2.
The Fisher Cats scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull to 6-4, but the Yard Goats added four more runs in the seventh to extend their lead to 10-4. Kyle Datres had an RBI double, Niko Decolati had a two-run single and Stovall hit an RBI single.
The Fisher Cats scored single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings and hit four homers in the game, but Hartford held on for the victory.
Kilkenny allowed five hits and two runs, striking out four and walking two for Hartford. Fineas Del Bonta-Smith (3-0) picked up the win, giving up three hits and two runs in 1 1/3 innings.
The Yard Goats return home Tuesday to open a six-game series against the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals affiliate) at 7:05 p.m. at Dunkin’ Donuts Park. RHP Tony Locey will make his home debut and start for the Yard Goats.