Zach Kokoska hits 5th Home Run in Yard Goats setback

Zach Kokoska hits 5th Home Run in Yard Goats setback

WP: Van Eyk (2-1)

LP: Quezada (2-1)

SV: Fraze (2)

Time: 2:34

Hartford CT -The New Hampshire Fisher Cats used a five-run sixth inning to defeat the Hartford Yard Goats for the second straight game by the score of 6-4 on Thursday night at Dunkin’ Park. Yard Goats starter Andrew Quezada, who entered the game with the Eastern League’s second-best ERA, retired the first 13 batters faced before Alex De Jesus cranked a solo home run in the fifth inning. Quezada finished with a season-high six strikeouts. Zach Kokoska hit his fifth home run, a solo shot in the ninth inning, and Bladimir Restituyo had a pair of RBI doubles.

Yard Goats starter Andrew Quezada got to work early with two strikeouts in each of his first two innings, and six strikeouts through five innings. He retired the side in order from the first through the fourth before getting reached for a solo home run in the fifth. The righty allowed five runs in the sixth inning on six hits, including a home run to Michael Turconi and he departed with Hartford behind 6-1.

The Yard Goats offense struck first with a leadoff single from first baseman Kyle Datres. This was followed up a couple batters later by an RBI double courtesy of Bladimir Restituyo who brought home Kyle Datres, giving the Yard Goats a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Yard Goats CF Bladimir Restituyo hit an RBI double to left field to bring home Ronaiker Palma. On the next at-bat Yard Goats, second baseman Adael Amador would ground out to first, scoring Nic Kent from third making the score 6-3.

In the ninth inning Yard Goats LF Zach Kokoska hit a towering home run into the upper deck of right field to cut the deficit to two and make it a 6-4 ballgame.

The Yard Goats will continue the series against the Toronto Blue Jays affiliate, New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Friday night May 17th (7:10), at Dunkin' Park. It’s Students Run The Show Night!! LHP Mason Albright will start for the Yard Goats opposite LHP Trenton Wallace who will start for the Fisher Cats. The game will be streamed live on MiLB.tv and broadcast on the free Audacy app.