Rock Cats Complete Sweep with 8-6 Win over Thunder
The New Britain Rock Cats completed a sweep of the Thunder with an 8-6 decision on Thursday night at ARM & HAMMER Park.
Rock Cats starter Jeff Hoffman surrendered the game's first run in the bottom of the fourth when Jake Skole doubled home Mark Payton with a shot to deep right field. Hoffman worked his way out of the frame with a strikeout of Jose Rosario and a double play ball off the bat of Eddy Rodriguez.
The visitors tied the game in the fifth when Jan Vazquez drove home Jordan Patterson with a sacrifice fly to center field off of Eric Ruth.
Ruth would surrender five runs in the sixth inning as the Rock Cats jumped out to a 6-1 advantage. Mike Tauchman, Patterson and Juan Ciriaco all drove in runs with base hits in the frame to chase the Thunder starter. Ruth went 5.1 innings and allowed six hits, a pair of walks and stuck out four on Thursday night.
The Thunder scored three times in the sixth when Jose Rosario singled home Mark Payton and Eddy Rodriguez followed him with a base hit back through the middle to cut the deficit to 6-4.
The team's would trade two-run innings late in the ballgame with New Britain plating two in the seventh on Jordan Patterson's single and the Thunder getting those back on a two-run home run by Jake Skole in the eighth.
Skole's home run was his first as a member of the Yankees organization, he finished the night 3-for-4 with three RBI and a double.
LHP Conner Kendrick, transferred to the Thunder roster prior to Thursday's game, was touched for a pair of runs in his Double-A debut following Ruth..
Your Thunder will begin a five-game set with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Friday night at ARM & HAMMER Park. The first 2,000 fans, ages 14 and up, will receive Bernie Williams Bobbleheads presented by Verizon Wireless to kick off the Thunder's Rockin' Labor Day Weekend. The Thunder will send RHP Rookie Davis (1-1, 5.47), New Hampshire will throw RHP Casey Lawrence (12-12, 4.55). Listen live to Thunder baseball on 91.3 WTSR and online at Trentonthunder.com beginning at 6:40pm.