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Yard Goats shutout in final game before home opener Thursday in Hartford

Dunkin’ Donuts Park hosted their first event Tuesday when the University of Hartford baseball team beat Quinnipiac, 6-4. The Yard Goats play their first game in Hartford on Thursday night against New Hampshire.

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 12 – Harrisburg’s Spencer Kieboom lowered the boom on the Hartford Yard Goats Wednesday afternoon.

The veteran right-handed hitting catcher, belted a two-run homer off the top of the left field wall in the fourth inning, leading the Harrisburg Senators to a 6-0 Eastern League victory before 2,549 fans.

Kieboom’s homer spoiled another solid outing by Hartford southpaw Jack Wynkoop, who pitched seven innings and allowed two runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

The only chance the Yard Goats (3-4) had to score was in the third inning, when Max White slugged a triple off the wall in right center but was thrown out at the plate attempting an inside-the-park home run.

Starting pitcher Jaron Long pitched six innings of four-hit baseball and along with two relievers combined on the shutout, one day after Hartford pitching shutout the Senators by a 4-0 score.

Now, all eyes turn to the historic opener Thursday night at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, when the Yard Goats host the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

Right-handed pitcher Yency Almonte will start for Hartford.  Although he is looking forward to pitching before a sellout crowd, Almonte is taking a low-key approach.

“Honestly, I haven’t really thought about it.  It’s another start,” he said.  “I just gotta go out there and do my job and hopefully come out with a ‘W’.”

“We can’t wait,” said pitcher Parker French.  It’s a great ballpark.  They did a great job.  We can’t wait for Thursday night to get in there.” The Yard Goats worked out at the park, when they team arrived from spring training last week.

The game begins at 7:05 p.m. and is sold out. It will be broadcast on WPOP-AM (1410).

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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