New Hampshire 10-15-2Hartford 5-12-1WP: Jon Harris (2-3)LP: Jack Wynkoop (2-2)HR: Vladimir Guerrero (6), Mylz Jones (3), Juan Kelly (3)T- 3:04A- 4,052
New Hampshire 10-15-2
Hartford 5-12-1
WP: Jon Harris (2-3)
LP: Jack Wynkoop (2-2)
HR: Vladimir Guerrero (6), Mylz Jones (3), Juan Kelly (3)
T- 3:04
A- 4,052
HARTFORD, CT- Baseball's number one prospect, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., homered in his very first at bat, had three hits and two RBI, but it was Juan Kelly's eighth inning grand slam that let the air out of Hartford's balloon, as the Yard Goats fell to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Monday night, 10-5, before 4,052 at Dunkin' Donuts Park. The second place Fisher Cats (21-13) increased their lead over third place Hartford (21-16) to a game-and-half. The loss was only the Yard Goats second in their last 15 home games. New Hampshire improved to 6-1 vs. Hartford this season.
Kelly unloaded his upper deck blast off of Scott Griggs, who relieved Jason García, after the first two Fisher Cats reached base via walks. A single by Bo Bichette, whose dad, ex-big leaguer Dante Bichette was in attendance, loaded the bases, setting the stage for Kelly's dramatics. Kelly had entered the game in the sixth inning, after Cavan Biggio, the son of Hall of Fame player Craig Biggio, left the game, following a collision at second base with Hartford's Scott Burcham on a stolen base attempt.
Guerrero, whose father, Vladimir Guerrero will be inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame this summer, opened the scoring in the first inning with his upper deck home run. New Hampshire batted around to score three runs in the second inning against Wynkoop. With one out, Patrick Cantwell reached base on a throwing error by Brendan Rodgers and scored on a triple by Conor Panas. A double by Andrew Guillotte knocked in the second run and Guillotte scored on a single by Gunner Heidt.
The Yard Goats rallied for three runs in the third inning. Jones began the frame with the first of his three hits, a double and scored on a single by Garrett Hampson. RBI singles by Yonathan Daza and Rodgers cut the lead to 4-3.
New Hampshire chased Wynkoop in the fourth, when the first four hitters reached base safely. RBI-singles by Guerrero and Biggio did the damage, increasing the lead to 6-3. But Hartford battled back. Dom Nuñez opened the Yard Goats' fifth with a double and scored on a throwing error by Guerrero on a ball hit by Sam Hilliard to the third baseman. Hartford sliced the lead to 6-5 on a solo home run by Jones to left-center.
Hartford, which entered the game second in the league in hitting (.258) behind New Hampshire (.271), banged out 12 hits. Jones led the way with three hits, including a solo home run. Wes Rogers, Hampson and Daza each had two hits. Guerrero, who raised his league-leading batting average to .405, had three hits, including a home run and two RBI. Bichette and Panas each had three hits to pace the Fisher Cats 15-hit assault.
Game two of the series at Dunkin' Donuts Park is Tuesday night at 7:05. RHP Ryan Castellani will pitch for the Yard Goats against RHP Nick Tepesch for New Hampshire. The game will be televised on Vantage Sportsnet, broadcast on AM 1410 WPOP and streamed on newsradio.1410.com and MiLB.com.
