Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon
Double-A Affiliate
The Official Site of the Hartford Yard Goats Hartford Yard Goats

Baird Pitches Yard Goats to Win and First Place  

June 24, 2022

Final: Hartford 5, Somerset 2 WP- Michael Baird (1-1) LP- Randy Vazquez (0-2) S- Stephen Jones (3) T-2:33 A-6,505 Somerset, New Jersey- Michael Baird pitched into the seventh inning, and was backed by home runs by Jimmy Herron and Michael Toglia, as the Yard Goats defeated the Somerset Patriots 5-2

Final: Hartford 5, Somerset 2

WP- Michael Baird (1-1)

LP- Randy Vazquez (0-2)

S- Stephen Jones (3)

T-2:33

A-6,505

Somerset, New Jersey- Michael Baird pitched into the seventh inning, and was backed by home runs by Jimmy Herron and Michael Toglia, as the Yard Goats defeated the Somerset Patriots 5-2 on Friday night at TD Bank Ballpark in Somerset, New Jersey. The Yard Goats have won three of the first four games against the Yankees affiliate, and a victory tomorrow or Sunday would clinch the first half and send Hartford to the playoffs in September. The Yard Goats have won 20 of their last 24 road games, and lead the Eastern League’s Northeast Division by one full game with two games remaining in the first half. Yankees reliever Aroldis Chapman pitched the seventh inning on MLB rehab, and allowed a double to Yard Goats SS Ezeqiel Tovar, who extended his hitting-streak to ten games.

The Yard Goats scored a pair of runs in the second inning off Somerset starter Randy Vasquez. Aaron Schunk led off the inning with a double and Brenton Doyle knocked him in with an RBI single to make it 1-0. Doyle took second base on the throw to the plate and advanced to third on a single by Willie MacIver. Kyle Datres’ sacrifice fly scored Doyle and it was 2-0 Hartford. The Yard Goats added a run in the fifth inning on a two-out solo home run by Jimmy Herron.

Yard Goats starter Michael Baird was terrific and only allowed a pair of singles over the first four innings. He retired 13 of the first 15 batters faced before Mickey Gasper hit a two-out solo homer in the fifth inning to make it a 3-1 game. Michael Beltre followed with a home run and it was a 3-2 game with the back-to-back homers by the Patriots.

Hartford added a run in the sixth inning off Vasquez. Aaron Schunk led off with a single and stole second base. He scored on a two-out double by Kyle Datres to make it 4-2 Yard Goats.

Baird, who got help from two double play grounders, worked into the seventh inning. The right-hander pitched 6.2 innings and allowed just two runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. PJ Poulin came in and struck out Michael Beltre with two runners on in the seventh inning. He also pitched around a single and a walk and struck out the side in the eighth inning. The Yard Goats made it 5-2 on Michael Toglia’s third homer in four games. Stephen Jones pitched a perfect ninth for the save.

The Yard Goats continue their six-game series on Saturday night (7:05 PM) at TD Bank Ballpark in Somerset, NJ. LHP Nick Bush will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Will Warren will start for the Patriots. The broadcast can be heard on AM 1410 WPOP and FM 100.9 and on the iheart radio app. The Yard Goats return to Dunkin’ Donuts Park on Tuesday, June 28th (7:05 PM) and will host the New York Mets affiliate, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.