Palmquist ties franchise record with 12 strikeouts as Yard Goats win 11 inning thriller

Palmquist ties franchise record with 12 strikeouts as Yard Goats win 11 inning thriller

WP: Alec Barger: (1-0)

LP: Trevor Clifton: (1-3)

Time: 3:08

Hartford, CT- Yard Goats starter Carson Palmquist tied a franchise record with 12 strikeouts across six quality innings and Ryan Ritter came through with a two-out RBI single in the 11^th inning, as the Hartford Yard Goats beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2-1 on Sunday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd (7,116) at Dunkin’ Park. Palmquist struck out seven of the first ten batters he faced. During that stretch, he racked up six strikeouts in a row, and with 12 K’s tied Joe Rock, Case Williams and Ashton Goudeau for the most in a single game. Palmquist along with relievers Brendan Hardy, Angel Chivilli, and Alec Barger combined for 17 total strikeouts. Ryan Ritter had three hits including the walk-off RBI single. Zach Kokoska hit his team-leading sixth home run of the season to break a scoreless tie in the sixth inning.

Yard Goats lefty Carson Palmquist kept the second-best hitting club in the Eastern League in check with six scoreless innings. He struck out the side in the second and third innings, and fanned every single Fisher Cats batter at least once. His franchise tying 12 strikeout came against Miguel Hiraldo for the first out of the sixth inning.

The Yard Goats scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the sixth inning as with two outs Kokoska stepped to the plate and hit a towering home run off of Fisher Cats starter Devereaux Harrison that hung inside the right field foul pole to give Hartford a 1-0 lead.

In the seventh inning, the Yard Goats mounted a scoring chance as Ronaiker Palma led off the inning and was hit by a pitch. After a Nic Kent flyout, Ritter delivered a double to left field to put runners on second and third base. The Fisher Cats escaped the inning unscathed as Sterlin Thompson grounded out to first base and Bladimir Restituyo struck out.

The Fisher Cats tied the game at 1-1 in the eighth inning as Devonte Brown hit a two-out double off the right field wall to drive home Garrett Spain.

Following scoreless ninth and tenth innings, the Yard Goats loaded the bases with no outs in the 11^th inning. With Warming Bernabel as the automatic base runner the Fisher Cats opted to walk Kokoska. Following the intentional walk Adael Amador singled to center. Fisher Cats reliever Trevor Clifton then struck out Palma and forced Kent to ground out. With two outs in the frame, Ritter stepped to the plate and hit an infield single to drive home Kokoska and give the Yard Goats a 2-1 win.

The Yard Goats will take the field again against the Boston Red Sox affiliate, the Portland Sea Dogs on Tuesday, May 21st (6:00 p.m.) for a doubleheader at Hadlock Field in Portland, Maine. RHP Jarrod Cande will start for the Yard Goats. The game will be streamed live on MiLB.tv and broadcast on the free Audacy app.