Richmond 1-5-1Hartford 3-6-0WP- Ryan Castellani (1-0)LP- Shaun Anderson (1-1)S- Matt Pierpont (1)T- 2:23A- 4,189
Richmond 1-5-1
Hartford 3-6-0
WP- Ryan Castellani (1-0)
LP- Shaun Anderson (1-1)
S- Matt Pierpont (1)
T- 2:23
A- 4,189
HARTFORD- Rookie Sam Hilliard's towering home run and solid pitching lifted the Hartford Yard Goats to their first victory of the season, Wednesday night, a 3-1 nail biter over the Richmond Flying Squirrels. The game was played before 4,189 at Dunkin' Donuts Park. The first seven-game home stand drew 30,115.
The lefty hitting Hilliard blasted his second home run of the season, a two-run shot into the upper deck in right field, to give Hartford a 2-0 lead in the second inning. The Squirrels sliced the lead in half on an RBI-single in the fourth by Miguel Gómez. A run-scoring triple by Yonathan Daza in the fifth inning, handed the Yard Goats a two-run edge.
Meanwhile, Hartford starting pitcher Ryan Castellani turned in six sharp innings, retiring the side in order in four of the innings. The righthander allowed one run on three hits, with five strike outs and one walk. Southpaw Mitch Horacek pitched two scoreless innings with five strike outs, before Richmond made it interesting against closer Matt Pierpont in the ninth. Pierpont, who has won 15 games for Hartford in two seasons, gave up a one-out walk, then yielded a two-out double inside the left field foul line to Jonah Arenado. Pierpont then struck out Dylan Davis looking with the tying runs in scoring position, to hand Yard Goats new manager Warren Schaeffer his first victory.
Hilliard led the Hartford six-hit attack with two hits, including the two-run home run. Daza added an RBI-triple.
After a day off, the Yard Goats start their first road trip of the season Friday night in New Hampshire at 6:35. RHP Jesus Tinoco will pitch for Hartford against RHP Nick Tepesch for the Fisher Cats. The game can be heard on News Radio 1410 AM and on the iHeart Radio app
