Yard Goats Win 3-2 in 10 Innings
August 8, 2025 - Eastern League (EL)
Hartford Yard Goats News Release
Altoona, PA - The Yard Goats defeated the Altoona Curve 3-2 in 10 innings on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Zach Kokoska broke the 2-2 tie and scored the go-ahead run in the 10th inning on a wild pitch, and Victor Juarez pitched around a first and second situation in the bottom of the inning as Hartford beat Altoona for the second straight game. The Yard Goats had a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning before the Curve started the frame with back-to-back home runs to tie the game. Yard Goats starter Connor Staine fired 5.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, and Evan Shawver worked 2.1 shutout innings before Victor Juarez closed out the final three frames to earn his sixth win. Charlie Condon and Roc Riggio each had two hits for the Yard Goats.
The Yard Goats scored the first run of the game in the third inning off Curve starter Wilber Dotel. Zach Kokoska reached on a fielding error and went to third base on a single by Dyan Jorge. Jared Thomas followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Kokoska, and giving Hartford a 1-0 lead.
Yard Goats starter Connor Staine pitched into the sixth inning for the second straight game. The right-hander worked around some early traffic and retired the final eight batters faced before departing in the sixth inning after getting hit by a batted ball. He left with a 1-0 lead and went 5.1 innings and allowed just three hits, walked three and had three strikeouts.
Hartford made it 2-0 with a run in the ninth inning off the Curve bullpen. Braylen Wimmer had a two-out single and scored on a double by Nic Kent and it was 2-0.
Yard Goats reliever Evan Shawver worked out of a bases loaded situation in the sixth before hurling a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Victory Juarez pitched a perfect eighth with two strikeouts. However, he allowed home runs to the first two batters of the ninth, Esmerlyn Valdez and Duce Gourson to tie the game at 2-2. He then ended the inning with a strikeout as the Curve left two runners on.
In the 10th inning, the Yard Goats took a 3-2 lead on a wild pitch by Ryan Harbin and Zach Kososka scored from third base. In the bottom of the inning, the automatic runner Tres Gonzales tried to go from second to third on a grounder to shortstop and was thrown out by Jorge. The next batter grounded into a fielder's choice, and after a walk, Juarez got Gourson to fly to left field to end the game.
The Yard Goats continue their road trip on Saturday night at 6:30 in Altoona, PA. LHP Ben Shields will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Alessandro Ercolani will start for the Curve. The game will be broadcast on the free Audacy App, iHeartRadio app, Yard Goats website and streamed on MiLB.TV. The Yard Goats return to Dunkin' Park next Tuesday (7:10 PM) to host the Harrisburg Senators.
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