Sens Rally for Dramatic Comeback Win over Hartford

The Harrisburg Senators overcame a four-run deficit to knock off the Hartford Yard Goats 7-6 Friday night at FNB Field. Jake Lowery capped a five-run rally in the eighth with a pinch-hit go-ahead two-run single.  

After Hartford scored the first two runs of the game in the second, the Senators responded quickly by scoring a pair in the bottom of the frame. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Zach Collier lined a double into right-center field to score two runs and tie the game. 
Hartford retook the lead in the third on an RBI single by Yhonathan Daza. After the club added a run in the fourth, the Yard Goats scored two more runs in the sixth on back-to-back bases loaded to walks which gave them a 6-2 lead. 
Senators starter Jaron Long did not factor in the decision after surrendering four runs, three earned, across five innings. Before allowing the two runs in the second, Long extended his scoreless inning streak to 20, tied for the ninth highest streak in Senators history. 
The Yard Goats remained ahead until the Senators made a furious comeback in the eighth. Raudy Read and Jake Noll started the rally with back-to-back one out singles. The next two-batters, Alec Keller and Collier, knocked consecutive run scoring singles to slice the deficit in half. Osvaldo Abreu followed by ripping a double off the left-field fence to plate Keller, and cut the lead to one. With runners at second and third, Hunter Jones was intentionally walked with two outs. That loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Jake Lowery, who lined a 3-1 pitch from Yard Goat reliever Matt Pierpont into centerfield to score the tying run, Collier, and the go-ahead run, Abreu. 
"I thought our at-bats got better towards the middle and late part of the game," Senators manager Matt LeCroy said. "We kept putting the pressure on (Hartford). The guys came together at the end."
"(Lowery's) had good at-bats for us all year no matter how long he's been off. He put himself in a good position. He went with what (Pierpont) gave him, stayed up the middle and did a nice job."
Roman Mendez finished the game with a perfect ninth inning to notch his seventh save and close out the 7-6 victory. 
Derek Self (3-2) earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning of relief. Pierpont (1-1) took the loss after surrendering the go-ahead two runs in the two-thirds of an inning. 
Keller and Collier paced the Senators with three hits each while Collier led the club with three RBI. 
"I like the makeup of our club. The chemistry is really good, they pull for one another," LeCroy said. "When you have that kind of chemistry and fight, it usually can win games like this. We need that. We need to be able to fight and come up with some big wins."
"I met with the team today and told them that the goal for me and the coaches is to go into August playing for something. Whether you win it all or not, you want to play for something. Hopefully coming out of the break with two big wins like this will get us going in a good direction." 
The two teams continue the series Saturday night. Tyler Mapes starts for the Senators against Hartford starter Ryan Castellani. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at FNB Field.