Yard Goats Get Six in 9th Highlighted by Zac Veen Grand Slam in Win

*Final: Hartford 6, Altoona 0 *

WP: Evan Justice (2-0)

LP: Oliver Garcia (3-1)

S: none

Altoona, PA- The Hartford Yard Goats scored six runs in the 9^th inning to beat the Altoona Curve 6-0 on Saturday night at People’s Natural Gas Field in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The game was scoreless heading to the final frame when Bret Boswell belted an RBI double off the right field fence, scoring Niko Decolati for the first run. Later in the inning, Zac Veen cranked a grand slam home run, making it 6-0 Yard Goats. The line drive blast over the right field wall was Hartford’s first grand slam this season. Yard Goats pitching was stellar with starter Andrew Quezada and relievers Will Ethridge, Michael Petersen, Evan Justice and Dugan Darnell combining on the four-hit shutout. The Yard Goats try for a third straight win tomorrow night and look to split the six-game series.

Yard Goats starter Andrew Quezada pitched well, and retired nine of the first ten batters faced before having to work out of a bases loaded situation in the fourth inning. Meanwhile, Hartford has plenty of scoring opportunities against Curve starter Jared Jones. The Yard Goats left 10 men on base over the first six innings as the game remained scoreless.

Hartford reliever Will Ethridge retired the side in order in the fifth inning, and then worked out of a bases loaded spot in the sixth. Michael Peterson struck out the side in the seventh inning and Evan Justice pitched around a lead-off double in the eighth inning.

Yard Goats OF Niko Decolati, who had hits in his three previous at-bats led off the ninth with a walk against reliever Oliver Garcia. Decolati went to second base on a wild pitch. Bret Boswell hit a rocket double off the right field fence, scoring Decolati to make it 1-0. Bladimir Restituyo added a hit and Grant Lavigne walked, loading the bases with nobody out. Garcia then threw another wild pitch allowing Boswell to score to make it 2-0. After a strikeout, Kyle Datres walked to load the bases and Garcia was pulled for former University of Hartford star pitcher Nick Dombkowski. Veen hit Dombkowski’s first pitch over the right field wall, his second homer of the season, to make it 6-0 Yard Goats.

The Yard Goats continue their two-city 12-game road trip on Sunday night at 6:00, and play the final of a six-game series against the Altoona Curve. LHP Joe Rock will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Sean Sullivan will pitch for the Curve. The game can be heard on AM 1410 WPOP, FM 100.9 and the iheart radio app. The Yard Goats return home to Dunkin’ Park on Tuesday, June 6th (7:10 PM), and host the New York Yankees affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, for a six-game series.