Yard Goats Win Third Straight; 1.5 Games of First Place
Published on May 22, 2026 under Eastern League (EL)
Hartford Yard Goats News Release
Manchester, NH - Connor Staine worked five solid innings and was backed by eight runs as the Hartford Yard Goats defeated the first-place New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8-1 on Friday night at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, New Hampshire. Roc Riggio cranked a three-run homer and Aiden Longwell had two hits, including a two-run double. Relievers Davis Palermo and Fidel Ulloa combined to fire four scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. The victory pulled the second-place Yard Goats to within 1.5 games of the top spot in the division. Hartford has won three in-a-row and five of its last six games.
The Yard Goats took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the third inning off Fisher Cats starter Austin Cates. Jimmy Obertop singled and Roc Riggio walked and both scored on a two-out double to right field by Aiden Longwell.
The Fisher Cats scored their only run in the third inning on a leadoff home run by Jorge Burgos off Hartford starting pitcher Connor Staine.
Connor Staine pitched five solid innings to earn his third win in four starts. He retired the side in order in the first inning with two strikeouts and sat down six of the first seven batters. The righty allowed a solo homer to Jose Burgos in the third and walked two batters but got out of the jam when Patrick Winkel was picked off third base. Staine retired the final six batters he faced before turning things over to the bullpen.
The Yard Goats made it 5-1 with three runs on five hits in the fifth inning, chasing Fisher Cats starter Austin Cates from the game. Roc Riggio had a sacrifice fly and Andy Perez and Conner Capel each had RBI singles in the frame.
Roc Riggio, just activated from the IL yesterday, cranked a three-run homer in the sixth inning to make it 8-1. The line drive homer went over the right field fence and was Riggio's seventh of the season.
The Yard Goats continue the six-game series on Saturday afternoon in Manchester, New Hampshire (1:05 PM). LHP Konner Eaton will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Jackson Wentworth will pitch for the Fisher Cats. 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 for their next homestand next Tuesday night (7:10 PM) to host the Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate, the Altoona Curve.
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