Hunter Goodman Breaks Yard Goats' Single-Season Franchise RBI Record in Hartford Loss
August 1, 2023 - Eastern League (EL)
Hartford Yard Goats News Release
Hartford, CT- Hunter Goodman collected his 77th and 78th RBI of the season to break the Yard Goats single-season franchise RBI record, but the Yard Goats fell to the Reading Fightin Phils 9-4 at Dunkin' Park in Hartford. Kyle Datres also hit his 11th home run of the season for the Yard Goats. Goodman broke Aaron Schunk's previous record of 77 RBI from last year.
The Fightin Phils got on the board early, as they plated a run in the first inning. The second batter of the ballgame, Carlos De La Cruz, reached base on a fielding error by the Yard Goats. Five pitches later, Oliver Dunn doubled into the right field corner, allowing De La Cruz to score and giving Reading a 1-0 advantage after half an inning.
Hartford's offense responded immediately in the bottom of the inning. Kyle Datres bounced a ball to the left side of the infield and reached second base safely after an errant throw trickled out of play. Datres then stole third base and scored two batters later on a single up the middle from Hunter Goodman, thus knotting the score at one heading into the second inning.
Reading regained the lead in the second frame. Baron Radcliff led off the inning with a single in front of Casey Martin, who doubled to the left center field gap to put two men in scoring position with no outs. Next to the plate was Max McDowell, who drove in Radcliff and Martin on a single to left field to make it a 3-1 Reading lead after two innings.
Once again, the Yard Goats came back. In the third inning, Niko Decolati began the inning with a hustle double on a grounder up the middle, and Kyle Datres rewarded him by smashing a 2-run home run over the left center field wall. Through three innings, the Yard Goats and Fightin Phils found themselves tied at three.
The Fightin Phils exploded for five runs in the fourth frame to take a commanding lead. With one out in the inning, McDowell singled before Pedro Martinez worked a walk and Matthew Kroon was hit by a pitch, thus loading the bases for Reading. De La Cruz then floated a single into center field to chase home McDowell and Martinez, and Dunn followed that up by hitting a 3-run homer to left field. After four frames, Reading held onto a 8-3 Reading lead.
Reading tacked on another run in the fifth inning. McDowell began the frame by drawing a walk, and Martinez bounced a ball to third base but reached first safely after legging out a double play attempt. A throwing error by the Yard Goats then allowed Kroon to safely reach first base and Martinez to advance to third, and another fielder's choice on a ball chopped to third base let Martinez score, making it a 9-3 Reading advantage heading into the bottom of the inning.
Hartford displayed their power in the fifth inning on the back of Goodman, who launched his 25th home run of the year to cut Reading's lead to 9-4 after five frames.
The Yard Goats and Reading Fightin Phils will play the second game of a six-game series on Wednesday night (7:10 PM) at Dunkin' Park. Case Williams commands the hill for the Yard Goats, while Adam Leverett toes the rubber for Reading. Wednesday's game will be broadcast on AM 1410, FM 100.9 and on the iheart radio app.
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