Yard Goats Drop Season Opener
April 6, 2023 - Eastern League (EL)
Hartford Yard Goats News Release
Hartford, CT- Designated hitter Hunter Goodman collected two hits on opening night, but the Hartford Yard Goats fell to the Bowie Baysox by a final score of 8-0 on Thursday night at Dunkin' Park in Hartford. It was the first game of a three-game series. It appeared the Yard Goats were going to take an early lead in the bottom half of the first when Goodman smacked a single to right field, but Baysox outfielder Billy Cook threw a strike to the plate to gun down Yard Goats outfielder Zac Veen at home and end the inning. Yard Goats starter Case Williams pitched well and allowed just one run in five innings and had five strikeouts.
For the next five innings, the game would develop into a pitcher's duel before the Baysox exploded for 6 runs in the top half of the 6th inning. Despite picking up the loss for Hartford, starting pitcher Case Williams threw five solid innings, only allowing two hits and one run to score while striking out five Baysox foes.
The scoring for the Baysox started in the 4th inning when Bowie first basemen Heston Kjerstad hit a solo home run to deep right center field. Hartford pitcher Jared Biddy then took over for Williams in the 6th inning, who started his outing by retiring the Baysox's number nine batter, shortstop Gilbert Lara. However, the Baysox scored six runs in the inning to take a 7-0 lead with an RBI single from Heston Kjerstad and an RBI double from third basemen Colby Mayo.
After setting down Bowie's clean-up hitter, second basemen Cesar Prieto, Biddy then gave up an RBI single to outfielder John Rhodes before hitting outfielder Donta Williams with a pitch and surrendering two consecutive RBI singles to designated hitter Shayne Fontana and catcher Connor Pavolony. Hartford pitcher Blake Goldsberry replaced Biddy on the mound, getting Lara to ground out to second basemen Eddy Diaz to end the frame.
Goldsberry would return for a scoreless 7th inning, thus ending his outing with one strikeout and one walk allowed in 1.1 innings pitched. Hartford pitcher Dylan Spain also proved to be a bright spot for the Yard Goats, as he threw a scoreless frame in the 8th inning while striking out one batter.
The Yard Goats and Baysox play the second of a three game series on Friday night (7:10 PM) at Dunkin' Park, and tickets are available. The game will be broadcast on AM 1410, FM 100.9 and on the iheart radio app.
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