Yard Goats Sweep Doubleheader as Jared Thomas Shines
August 2, 2025 - Eastern League (EL)
Hartford Yard Goats News Release
Hartford, CT - The Hartford Yard Goats swept the Reading Fightin Phils in a doubleheader on Saturday night in front of 7,240 fans at Dunkin' Park. Hartford won both games by a run, and got out of two bases-loaded jams in the final inning of both games as well. Jared Thomas led the Yard Goats as he went 3/4 with three RBIs in the two games combined. Thomas is slashing .326/.380/.500 since joining Hartford in July. The Yard Goats will try to win the series against Reading on Sunday.
The Fightin Phils started game one with two runs in the first inning. Carson DeMartini drove in Aidan Miller on an RBI single off Yard Goats starter Ben Shields. DeMartini later scored on a passed ball, giving the Fightin Phils a 2-0 lead.
Hartford answered back in the bottom of the first inning with three runs. Roc Riggio hit a sacrifice fly off Reading starter Estibenzon Jimenez in Riggio's first at-bat with the Yard Goats since being acquired from the New York Yankees. Benny Montgomery roped a two-run single down the right field line to score Jared Thomas and Charlie Condon, giving the Yard Goats a 3-2 lead.
Shields was stellar after the first inning, retiring the last 14 of 17 batters he faced, including four strikeouts on just one hit. Shields finished his outing with five innings pitched, two earned runs, and four strikeouts.
Zach Kokoska sliced an RBI single in the fourth inning to drive in Braylen Wimmer and extend the Yard Goats lead to 4-2.
The Fightin Phils loaded the bases down 4-3 with only one out, but Yard Goats reliever Carson Skipper came in and recorded the final two outs of the game, clinching the game one win.
In game two, the Fightin Phils put three runs on the board in the first inning. Felix Reyes drove the first run in when he singled off Yard Goats starter Mason Green. Paul McIntosh scored DeMartini on an RBI Groundout, and Robert Moore was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give Reading an early 3-0 lead.
The Yard Goats fought back with two runs in the bottom of the first. Cole Carrigg rocked a leadoff homer to the second deck in right field off Fightin Phils starter Mitch Neunborn. Julio Carreras drove in Jared Thomas on a sharp single to center field, cutting Hartford's deficit to 3-2.
Thomas tied the game in the fourth when he drove in Riggio on an RBI single, and later scored on a Carreras groundout to give the Yard Goats a 4-3 lead.
Carreras boosted Hartford's lead on a sac bunt in the fifth, followed by an RBI groundout from Nic Kent to extend the Yard Goats lead to 6-3.
Reyes hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to put the Fightin Phils within a run. Reyes went 4-4 in game two. Yard Goats reliever Evan Shawver got out of a bases-loaded jam to complete the doubleheader sweep.
The Yard Goats conclude their six-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies affiliate, the Reading Fightin Phils, on Sunday at 1:10 pm. It's Home Run for Heroes Day and Kids Run the Bases! The game will be televised on NESN+ and broadcast on the free Audacy app.
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Game One:
Yard Goats 4, Fightin Phils 3
WP: Ben Shields (2-2)
LP: Estibenzon Jimenez (2-3)
S: Carson Skipper (1)
Time: 1:50
Game Two:
Yard Goats 6, Fightin Phils 5
WP: Blake Adams (5-7)
LP: Mitch Neunborn (3-5)
S: Evan Shawver (1)
Time: 2:08
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