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Nevin leads Yard Goats past New Hampshire during Whalers’ Alumni Weekend

Mylz Jones was 1-for-3 with a run scored in Saturday’s 11-9 Eastern League win over New Hampshire at Dunkin’ Donuts Park. The Yard Goats wore uniforms in honor of the former Hartford Whalers. (Photo courtesy Hartford Yard Goats)

HARTFORD, July 13 – Tyler Nevin, the Yard Goats’ 22-year-old first baseman, had crucial three-run home run, a single and drove in five runs to help the Hartford Yard Goats rally to beat the New Hampshire, 11-9 in an Eastern League contest and snap a three-game losing streak.

Hartford (47-42, 10-12 second half) survived a furious ninth inning Fisher Cats comeback, as they scored five runs with two outs.  New Hampshire (40-50, 9-14) finished with 17 hits. As part of Hartford Whalers alumni weekend, the Yard Goats played in uniforms that honored the former NHL franchise that played just down the street from Dunkin’ Donuts Park from 1975-97.

Trailing 4-0 in the fifth inning. Hartford sent eight men to the plate, scoring three runs.  The big blow was a two-out, two-run single to right by Nevin off of New Hampshire reliever Willie Ortiz.  The Yard Goats scored their first run in the inning on a bases-loaded walk to Vance Vizcaino by New Hampshire starter Patrick Murphy.

The Yard Goats batted around in the sixth inning, scoring six runs on RBI-singles by Scott Burcham and Vizcaino, a Carlos Herrera sacrifice fly and Nevin’s three-run blast into the left-field seats.  Vizcaino’s two-run homer in the eighth inning turned out to be the difference in the game. Vizcaino drove in four runs for the Yard Goats, who played before another sellout crowd of 6,850 – the 26th sellout of the season.

Hartford’s Rayan Gonzalez improved to 3-1, pitching a scoreless sixth inning.  Mitch Horacek hurled two scoreless innings.  Hartford starting pitcher Matt Dennis pitched five innings and permitted four runs on eight hits.  He struck out three.

Murphy, the New Hampshire starter, hurled 4 1/3 innings for the Blue Jays’ Double A affiliate.  The right-hander allowed three runs on three hits.  Ortiz suffered the defeat, giving up six runs on six hits in 1 2/3 innings.

Nevin’s homer, single and five RBI paced Hartford’s 11-hit attack, while Vizcaino added a single, home run and had four RBI. The Yard Goats are Colorado’s Double A affiliate.

Alberto Mineo went 4-for-5 with two RBI for New Hampshire, while former Yard Goat Forrest Wall had a home run and triple and Chad Spanberger added a home run, double and had three RBI.

The four-game series concludes on Sunday with the game against New Hampshire beginning at 5:05 p.m. Several former Whalers players will be in attendance and a mini hockey stick giveaway will highlight the final day of Whalers’ alumni weekend.

BOXSCORE: Hartford 11, New Hampshire 9

Since 2009, the Collinsville Press has been providing award-winning coverage of sports and news in the Farmington Valley and across Connecticut.

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