Yard Goats open the season with shutout win over Portland

PORTLAND, Maine, April 7, 2024 – The Hartford Yard Goats finally got the baseball season underway.

Hartford pitcher Carlson Palmquist fired five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, and relievers Seth Halvorsen, Juan Mejia and Jaden Hill finished the effort, as the Yard Goats shutout the Portland Sea Dogs 1-0 on Opening Day 2024 Sunday.

The four pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts and limited the Sea Dogs to just three hits.  The Yard Goats scored the only run of the game in the third inning as Ryan Ritter scored on a grounder by Bladimir Restituyo.

The Yard Goats and Sea Dogs were supposed to open the season on Friday but the first two games were postponed due to snow.  The Yard Goats home opener at Dunkin Park is Tuesday night at 7:10 against the Bowie Baysox.

The Yard Goats scored the only run of the game in the third inning off Sea Dogs starter Angel Bastardo.  Ryan Ritter led off the frame with a walk and stole second and third base.  Ritter scored on an infield grounder by Bladimir Restituyo, giving Hartford a 1-0 lead.

Palmquist got stronger as the game progressed, and retired 13 of the final 14 batters faced from the first through five innings.  The former University of Miami star struck out seven of the last nine batters, including the side in the fifth inning and departed with a 1-0 lead.

Hartford’s bullpen got the job done with four scoreless innings.  Seth Halvorsen worked the sixth and seventh and Juan Mejia pitched the eighth.  Jaden Hill entered in the ninth inning and struck out Roman Anthony.  Marcello Meyer reached on a fielding error before Hill struck out Kyle Teel.  Blaze Jordan was hit by a pitch putting runners at first and second.  Hill ended the game by striking out Nick Yorke.

The Yard Goats’ Tuesday night game will be streamed on MiLB.TV and on the free Audacy app. It will also be available on WTIC-1080 since the Red Sox are playing on Tuesday afternoon at Fenway Park.