Yard Goats Drop Game One of Playoffs
September 17, 2024 - Eastern League (EL)
Hartford Yard Goats News Release
Bridgewater, NJ - The Somerset Patriots scored two runs in the eighth inning to come from behind and beat the Hartford Yard Goats 3-2 in Game One of the best of three Eastern League Northeast Divisional Finals at TD Bank Park in Bridgwater, New Jersey. Alexander Vargas had an RBI infield single in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie. Juan Guerrero gave the Yard Goats a 2-1 lead with a home run in the seventh inning and Ryan Ritter had an RBI double. Hartford starter Chase Dollander went five innings and allowed one run on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts. The Yard Goats will host the Yankees affiliate in the first ever playoff game in Hartford on Thursday (7:10 PM) at Dunkin' Park.
The Yard Goats scored the first run of the game in the third inning on a two-out RBI double by Ryan Ritter off Somerset starter Bailey Dees. Juan Guerrero led off the inning with a walk and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Braiden Ward. Later in the inning, Ritter cracked a double down the line into the left field corner, scoring Guerrero from second base and giving the Yard Goats a 1-0 lead.
Somerset tied the game in the bottom of the third inning as Yankees prospect Spencer Jones homered off Yard Goats starting pitcher Chase Dollander. The former number one pick hit a 3-0 pitch over the right centerfield fence to tie the game at 1-1.
The Yard Goats took a 2-1 lead in the third inning on Juan Guerrero's solo home run, an opposite field blast to left field.
Somerset responded with a pair of runs in the eighth inning off the Hartford bullpen. Anthony Seigler led off with a walk and Elijah Dunham singled. Tyler Hartman followed with an RBI single, scoring Seigler to tie the game at 2-2. Grant Richardson reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Juan Mejia struck out Jared Wegner but Alexander Vargas contributed with an RBI infield single, scoring Dunham and giving Somerset a 3-2 lead. Mejia retired the final two batters.
The Yard Goats continue the best of three Eastern League Northeast Division Championship Series on Thursday night (7:10 PM) against the NY Yankees affiliate, the Somerset Patriots at TD Bank Ballpark in New Jersey. LHP Sean Sullivan will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Zach Messinger will start for Somerset. The game will be televised on NESN+ and broadcast on the free Audacy app and milb.tv.
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Game One Eastern League Northeast Divisional Finals
Final: Somerset 3, Hartford 2
WP: Danny Watson (1-0)
LP: Carson Skipper (0-1)
S: Eric Rayzelman (1)
Time: 2:33
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