Home runs set the tone in New Hampshire’s win over Yard Goats in the rain

The sky was dark in Hartford during Thursday night’s Eastern League game at Dunkin’ Donuts Park. New Hampshire outslugged the Yard Goats, 13-8.

HARTFORD, July 11 – New Hampshire’s first three hits of the game set the tone Thursday night in the first game after the Eastern League All-Star game for the Hartford Yard Goats and the visiting Fisher Cats at Dunkin’ Donuts Park.

The Fisher Cats hit three home runs with their first three hits of the game to take a six-run lead after three innings. That lead swelled to ten runs before the Yard Goats tried to rally but New Hampshire beat Hartford, 13-8, before an announced crowd of 6,256 on a rainy evening.

There was a light rain throughout the game but it didn’t slow down the Fisher Cats, who had 12 hits including four home runs. Hartford had 15 hits in the game but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with New Hampshire.

Trailing 10-0, the Yard Goats launched a comeback bid, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring five runs in the fifth inning.  Seven of the first eight batters reached base for Hartford in the uprising, led by Manny Melendez, who delivered a two-run single.

After New Hampshire pitcher William Ouellette relieved starter Hector Perez and struck out the first batter he faced, Tyler Nevin, Arvicent Perez and Bret Boswell followed with run-scoring singles, before the right-hander retired the next two hitters.

The Yard Goats (46-41) added another run in the sixth on a lead off single by Carlos Herrera, a double by Melendez and Scott Burcham’s RBI-ground out to cut the lead to 10-5.

New Hampshire (39-49) picked up some insurance runs in the ninth inning when Christian Williams hit a three-run home run to center field to increase the lead to eight runs, 13-5.

The Yard Goats rallied for two runs in the ninth on an RBI-double by Mylz Jones and a run-scoring single by Vance Vizcaino. A passing shower delayed the game 11 minutes with one out left but Hartford ran out of time.

New Hampshire erupted for five runs in the second inning, the big blow a three-run homer into the right-field upper deck by Brock Lundquist that sent Hartford starter Ty Culbreth to the locker room. New Hampshire’s Vinny Capra then greeted southpaw reliever Matt Whitehouse with a home run down the left-field line for a 5-0 lead.

A home run by Nash Knight in the fourth inning gave New Hampshire a 6-0 lead. It was Knight’s fifth home run of the season.

Hartford’s Manny Melendez had a double, two singles and two RBI to lead the Yard Goats while DH Arvicent Perez three hits and an RBI. Mylz Jones had two hits including a double.

Riley Adams had three hits, and Lundquist, Williams and Capra each had a home run and two hits for the Fisher Cats.

Game two of the four-game series is Friday at 7:05 p.m. and it is the first night of the third annual Hartford Whalers alumni weekend at Dunkin’ Donuts Park. Left-handed pitcher Jack Wynkoop will pitch for Hartford against Yennys Diaz for New Hampshire.

Several former Whalers players and the former “Voice of the Hartford Whalers,” Chuck Kaiton will be at Dunkin’ Donuts Park throughout the weekend.  A fireworks display follows Friday night’s game.

BOX: New Hampshire 13, Hartford 8