Yard Goats Lose Rubber Game in Richmond

August 19, 2018
Final: Richmond Flying Squirrels 4, Hartford Yard Goats 3    
WP: Conner Menez (6-4)
LP: Jesus Tinoco (7-11)
SV: Dusten Knight (4)
T: 2:22
ATT: 4,112

Yard Goats Lose Rubber Game in Richmond
Richmond, VA- The Hartford Yard Goats were defeated by the Richmond Flying Squirrels by the score of 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond in Richmond, Virginia. The Flying Squirrels scored two runs in consecutive innings and cruised behind a solid start by lefty Conner Menez who earned his sixth win. It was the final of 13 games between the two clubs with Richmond winning the season series seven games to six. The Yard Goats had the bases loaded in the fifth inning with nobody out and failed to score. Trailing 4-1 in the sixth inning, the Yard Goats scored a run after Drew Weeks tripled and made it a one-run game in the eighth on Roberto Ramos' solo home run. Hartford had the potential tying run at second base in the ninth when Chris Rabago doubled but Dusten Knight retired the final two batters for the save. Richmond pitching combined for 15 strikeouts as the Flying Squirrels took the series. Hartford went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.    
The Yard Goats scored the first run of the game in the third inning. Scott Burcham led off the inning with a double to left field. He went on to steal third base and catcher Jeff Arnold's throw to third sailed past the bag and into left field allowing Burcham to score on the error, giving the Yard Goats a 1-0 lead.
Yard Goats starting pitcher Jesus Tinoco got off to a nice start and retired 10 of the first 11 batters faced and permitted just one hit over the first three innings. However, Ryan Howard cracked a double in the fourth inning and Luigi Rodriguez followed with a walk. Then, with two outs, Dillon Dobson smashed a double to the gap in left centerfield scoring Howard and Rodriguez and Richmond took a 2-1 lead.
After scoring twice in the fourth inning, the Flying Squirrels added another pair of runs in the fifth. Jeff Arnold started the rally with a leadoff single and moved to second on a bunt. Richmond then connected on back-to-back doubles with CJ Hinojosa's double scoring Arnold and Caleb Gindl's double bringing home Hinojosa to make it a 4-1 game.
After squandering a scoring opportunity in the fifth inning and failing to score with the bases loaded and nobody out, the Yard Goats scored in the sixth and eighth innings to make it a one run game 4-3. Brian Mundell's grounder scored Drew Weeks and Roberto Ramos blasted a solo home run. Hartford's Chris Rabago doubled in the ninth but Dusten Knight retired the final two batters for the save.      
The Yard Goats continue their road trip and open up a two-game series on Monday night in Trenton, New Jersey against the New York Yankees affiliate, the Trenton Thunder. The game will be broadcast on AM 1410 WPOP and streamed on newsradio.1410.com and MiLB.com. The Yard Goats return to Dunkin' Donuts Park in Hartford for the final homestand of the season beginning on Wednesday night, August 22 (7:05 PM) against the NY Mets affiliate, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.