Niko Decolati Homers in Yard Goats' Road Loss
June 3, 2023 - Eastern League (EL)
Hartford Yard Goats News Release
Akron, OH- Niko Decolati recorded the Yard Goats first hit with a leadoff home run in the seventh inning, as Hartford was dropped by Akron 15-1 on Saturday night at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio. RubberDucks starter Jack Leftwich retired 17 of 18 batters faced in six no-hit innings to earn his fourth win. Decolati slammed his first homer this season off reliever Randy Labout, a rocket over the center field fence. Akron put together a 22-hit attack, which is the most hits allowed by the Yard Goats this season. Juan Brito, Jose Tena and Jonathan Rodriguez each had four hits as Akron defeated Hartford for the third time in five games.
The RubberDucks scored the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the second inning off Yard Goats starter Joe Rock. Akron added two runs in the third inning on a pair of singles and an error. Rock allowed seven hits but just two earned runs in a five innings. The Guardians affiliate made it 7-0 after scoring four runs off the Hartford bullpen in the sixth inning.
Meanwhile Akron starter Jack Leftwich was terrific and retired the first ten batters with three strikeouts before Grant Lavigne walked in the fourth inning. The right-hander then got a double play grounder and faced the minimum 12 batters over three innings. He followed with a perfect fifth and sixth inning and turned a no-hitter over to the bullpen in the seventh inning.
Yard Goats outfielder Niko Decolati led off the seventh inning in style with a home run against reliever Randy Labout to make it 7-1. Akron rallied for a five-run seventh and then scored three times in the eighth for the win.
The Yard Goats conclude their two-city 12-game road trip on Sunday afternoon at 2:05, and play the final of a six-game series against the RubberDucks. The game can be heard on AM 1410 WPOP, FM 100.9 and the iheart radio app. The Yard Goats return home to Dunkin' Park on Tuesday, June 6th (7:10 PM), and host the New York Yankees affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, for a six-game series.
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