Yard Goats infielder Brandon Rodgers promoted to Triple A

Hartford shortstop Brendan Rodgers hit 17 home runs with the Yard Goats in 95 games this summer.

HARTFORD, July 31 – The top prospect in the Colorado Rockies’ organization has made his long anticipated jump to Triple A.

Infielder Brandon Rodgers was promoted from the Hartford Yard Goats on Sunday night to Colorado’s Triple A affiliate in Albuquerque, New Mexico, joining the Isotopes in the Pacific Coast League.

Rodgers left the fans here in Hartford and Dunkin’ Donuts Park after many stellar performances including a pair of walk-off hits on the same day that lifted Hartford to victories in a doubleheader against Reading in July.

He had a walk-off single to lift Hartford to a 2-1 victory in the opener and did it again in the second game with an extra-inning double to drive in two runs and spark the Yard Goats’ 3-2 win in eight innings.

Rodgers hit two home runs in the same game on May 6 against Portland and had an eight-game hitting streak in April.

He leaves the team with a .275 average and leading the Yard Goats in home runs (17), RBI (62), doubles (23) and hits (98). He stole 12 of 15 bases in 95 games.

Brendan Rodgers played primarily at shortstop and third base with the Yard Goats this summer.

It’s been a little over a year that Rodgers has been in Hartford. He joined the Yard Goats last June 22. He played in the Eastern League All-Star game this season and made two appearances in the Major League Future’s Game in Washington, D.C.

He played 133 career games with the Yard Goats and batted .270 with 28 doubles, two triples, 23 home runs and 79 RBI. He has the most home runs in Yard Goats history (2015-17).

After a tough series with New Hampshire over the weekend dropping all four games to the first place Fisher Cats. Hartford (51-55) began a series in Binghamton Tuesday night with four games in three days.

The Yard Goats swept a pair from Binghamton on Tuesday night at NYSEG Stadium in Binghamton. Hartford won the opener, 6-5, as Yard Goats pitcher Ryan Castellani threw six solid innings along with a hit and a RBI as he won his first game since June 26.

In the second game, Chris Robago’s sacrifice fly in the fourth inning snapped a 1-1 tie in a 2-1 Yard Goats victory. Four Hartford relievers held the Rumble Ponies, the Mets’ Double A affiliate to just one run. The Yard Goats have beaten Binghamton in nine straight games.

The Yard Goats return to Dunkin Donuts Park on Friday for a quick three-game homestand against the Trenton Thunder, the New York Yankees’ Double A affiliate.