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Yard Goats Score Three Off Scherzer in 7-3 Loss to Rumble Ponies 

June 29, 2022

WP - Josh Hejka (4-1) LP - Noah Gotsis (3-2) T - 2:54 A - 6,850 Hartford, Conn - Aaron Schunk and Brenton Doyle drove in runs off Max Scherzer, but the Rumble Ponies responded with two in the seventh and three in the eighth to top the Yard Goats

WP - Josh Hejka (4-1)

LP - Noah Gotsis (3-2)

T - 2:54

A - 6,850

Hartford, Conn - Aaron Schunk and Brenton Doyle drove in runs off Max Scherzer, but the Rumble Ponies responded with two in the seventh and three in the eighth to top the Yard Goats 7-3 in front of a sellout crowd at Dunkin’ Donuts Park on Wednesday night. Hartford starter Mitch Kilkenny outlasted the three-time Cy Young award winner and left with a 3-2 lead after five innings.

Mets’ No. 2 prospect Ronnie Mauricio knocked Binghamton’s first hit of the game to left in the top of the second inning, but Kilkenny picked him off during the next at-bat. Following two more singles, Kilkenny induced a foul out and a grounder to third base that Aaron Schunk took to the bag for the final out.

In the third, Brandon McIlwain doubled down the line before Mets’ No. 1 prospect Francisco Álvarez crushed a 452-foot homer to left to put Binghamton ahead 2-0. Mauricio was picked off first base for the second time as the final out of the inning.

Rockies No. 8 prospect Michael Toglia ripped a single up the middle in the second inning for Hartford’s first hit off Scherzer. Toglia stole second with one out but was stranded there. In the bottom of the third, Hunter Stovall followed up his three-hit, two-homer night with a double down the third-base line.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Yard Goats got the first two hitters aboard on an error in field and a walk to Toglia. Schunk followed with a double past third to score both runners and tie the game. On the next pitch, Doyle went with a 95-mph fastball from Scherzer and sent it through the hole into right to put Hartford ahead 3-2. With two outs, Stovall hit a flyball to the wall in left that barely stayed in the park to end the inning. Scherzer ended his night after 4 2/3 innings on 80 pitches with eight strikeouts.

In the seventh inning, Carlos Cortes walked and Wyatt Young doubled. Cortes scored on a groundout to tie the game. Then, Matt Winaker flared a line drive down the rightfield line just out of the reach of a diving Niko Decolati to drive in Young and put Binghamton ahead, 4-3. The following inning, Hayden Senger doubled off the wall in right center to drive in a pair. Young capped the scoring with an RBI single to center.

The Yard Goats (1-1) and Rumble Ponies (1-1) play again tomorrow, June 30 (7:05 ET) at Dunkin’ Donuts Park. RHP Michael Baird starts for Hartford, and RHP Jesus Vargas will start for Binghamton. The game will be broadcast on Newsradio 1410 WPOP.