This time, Yard Goats sparked by good hitting; Greenwood is sharp for Bees

Jan Vasquez had three hits in Wednesday’s win in Harrisburg.

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 4  – The Hartford Yard Goats have the best pitching in the Eastern League. On Wednesday, Hartford used their bats to help and snap a two-game losing streak.

The Yard Goats had 12 hits and scored a season-high nine runs to beat the Harrisburg Senators, 9-3 on Wednesday afternoon in Harrisburg.

Hartford (19-6) jumped on Washington Nationals No. 1 draft pick Lucas Giolitto early for six runs in the first three innings. The Yard Goats were 7-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

The Yard Goats got hits off Giollito early, scoring three runs in the first inning.  Hartford’s Mike Benjamin delivered the key hit with a two-run bases loaded single with two outs.  Benjamin struck again with two outs in the third inning, knocking in two runs with a double.  He went 2-for-5 on the day with four RBI.

Catcher Jan Vasquez also contributed to the attack, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, as all but one Hartford batter collected at least one hit.

On the mound, Hartford’s Harrison Musgrave turned in another solid outing, improving to 4-0 on the campaign.  The left-hander pitched seven innings and allowed only two hits, while striking out a season-high eight batters.  He issued one walk and gave up three runs, one unearned, in snapping the Senators’ three-game win streak.

Hartford has the best earned runs average (1.75) in the league, the most wins (19) and the most saves (12). The Yard Dogs staff has given up the fewest hits (181), runs (61) and earned runs (45) in the Eastern League.

The Yard Goats were coming off a tough 3-2 loss in 11 innings on Tuesday night. Harrisburg’s Chris Bostick had a two-out home run that sailed over the outstretched glove of Yard Goats outfielder Raimel Tapia and over the fence to win the game for Harrisburg.

Held to one hit in the first six innings, the Yard Goats tied the game in the seventh.  David Dahl extended his hitting streak to eight games with a lead-off double. Hartford then drew even on infield hits by Jackson Williams and pinch hitter Dillon Thomas.

Hartford, which has not lost a series this season, goes for the split of the four-game set at Harrisburg on Thursday night at 6:30.  First round draft pick Kyle Freeland will pitch for the Yard Goats against Austen Williams. The game will be broadcast on News Radio 1410, WPOP.

ATLANTIC LEAGUE
New Britain 2, Sugar Land (Texas) 1

Southington native Nick Greenwood hasn’t given up a run in 19 innings pitched this year.

NEW BRITAIN, May 3 – The top pitcher in the Atlantic League shutdown the Sugar Land Skeeters Tuesday night at New Britain Stadium. The Bees’ Nick Greenwood won his third start of the season as New Britain beat the Skeeters, 2-1 in a pitcher’s duel. Wednesday evening’s game was rained out and will be played Thursday morning as part of a doubleheader beginning at 10:30 a.m.

On Tuesday night, the left-handed Greenwood shut down Sugar Land for seven innings before giving way to the bullpen. The Southington native allowed just four hits, walked one and struck out five. Greenwood improves to 3-0 and hasn’t allowed an earned run in three starts (19 IP, 0.00 ERA). He has struck out 17 batters so far this season and walked just four.

Right-handed relievers Shawn Haviland of Farmington and Craig Stem finished out the contest to give New Britain (5-7) the victory. Stem struck out two in one inning of work to pick up his third save of the year.

Greenwood outdueled Sugar Land’s Barret Loux, who struck out 11 New Britain batters in five innings to tie a Skeeters’ single game record.

New Britain took a 2-0 lead in the fifth, scoring twice on aRBI double from Greg Golson and a RBI single off the bat of Jovan Rosa.

The Bees have the No. 2 pitching staff in the league, having allowed the second fewest runs (37), second fewest hits (96) and the fewest home runs (2). The New Britain staff has the No. 2 ERA in the league (2.52). That’s important because the Bees are hitting just .233 as a team – last in the league.

On Monday night, the Bees had just six hits in a 4-0 loss to Sugar Land, who turned four double plays.