New Hampshire 4-8-0Hartford 3-7-0WP- Zach Jackson (1-0)LP- Jason García (0-1)S- Conor Fisk (1)T- 3:16A- 3,537
New Hampshire 4-8-0
Hartford 3-7-0
WP- Zach Jackson (1-0)
LP- Jason García (0-1)
S- Conor Fisk (1)
T- 3:16
A- 3,537
HARTFORD- A run-scoring triple by Lourdes Gurriel and RBI-double by Cavan Biggio snapped a 2-2 tie and lifted the New Hampshire Fisher Cats to a 4-3, 11 inning victory over the Hartford Yard Goats Friday night. The game was played before 3,537 at Dunkin Donuts Park. The Yard Goats have dropped their first two games of the season and the Fisher Cats now lead the Plymouth Rock Assurance Cup, a trophy that's awarded to the winner of the season series. The game was decided under the new extra inning rule, where the inning starts with a runner at second base.
Colorado Rockies number one prospect Brendan Rodgers delivered the Yard Goats first run of the season, with a towering homer into the seats in left. One out later, Sam Hilliard tied the game with his first Double-A home run, an opposite field shot below the video board in left. The contest then settled down to a battle of bullpens, before the decisive 11th inning.
Guilford, CT native Craig Schlitter was steller in relief for Hartford, retiring 10 straight batters after yielding a single to the first batter he faced. Matt Pierpont, 15-3 in two seasons as a Yard Goats pitcher, tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Rodgers led the Hartford attack with a single, double, home run and two RBI. Hilliard added a homer and single. Gurriel had three hits and two RBI for the Fisher Cats. Biggio, the son of Hall of Fame player Craig Biggio, had two hits for the second straight night.
Game three of the four game series is Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. RHP Jesus Tinoco makes his Hartford Yard Goats debut, while RHP Nick Tepesch pitches for New Hampshire. The game can be heard on News Radio 1410 AM and on the iHeart Radio app. The game will be televised by Vantage SportsNet and video stream of the game can be viewed on MiLB.tv
