Yard Goats 6, Fisher Cats 2

MANCHESTER – Despite home runs from second baseman Jay Harry and left fielder Jackson Hornung, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (23-17) fell on Thursday night to the Hartford Yard Goats (21-20), 6-2, at Delta Dental Stadium.

Box Score

Fisher Cats starter Gage Stanifer (L, 1-3) allowed three runs on three hits, and struck out four in the loss. Lefty Kai Peterson followed with 1-2/3 of scoreless ball. The California native has not allowed a run in his two outings this series against the Yard Goats. Newcomer Kelena Sauer made his Double-A debut and allowed one earned run over 1-2/3 on the mound. RHP Nate Garkow gave up a pair of runs in one inning.

Hartford righty Jake Brooks (W, 1-1) allowed one run over seven strong innings, and he struck out four batters. Brooks escaped a bases loaded jam in the seventh with a strikeout. Relievers Evan Shawver and Austin Smith (SV, 2) recorded the final six outs of the game and only allowed one run.

Top takeaways:

• Jay Harry clobbered his fourth home run of the double homestand and his 12th extra-base hit in May.

• Jackson Hornung swatted his first home run since May 1.

• Kelena Sauer made his Double-A debut, entering the game in the seventh inning.

• Patrick Winkel extended his hit streak to eight.

New Hampshire struck first in Thursday’s contest. Harry (4) clubbed a solo home run to lead off the second which made it 1-0.

Hartford answered in the third. With two outs and a runner on first, catcher Bryant Betancourt (8) mashed a two-run blast and gave the Yard Goats the lead.

Leading 2-1, third baseman Dyan Jorge worked a two-out walk. Following a pitching change, shortstop Andy Perez laced an RBI double and extended Hartford’s lead.

The Yard Goats’ bats stayed hot in the eighth. With a runner at third and two outs, left fielder Conner Capel tagged an RBI double and made it 4-1.

The Fisher Cats chipped away in the bottom of the eighth. Hornung (3) cracked an opposite-field home run and cut the deficit to two. In the ninth, Hartford added two more runs and handed the Cats a Thursday night loss, 6-2.

New Hampshire and Hartford continue their series on Friday at 6:03 p.m. RHP Austin Cates (0-1, 6.48 ERA) will start for the Fisher Cats, and the Yard Goats will counter with RHP Connor Staine (2-1, 4.91 ERA). Coverage begins at 5:43 PM on, Bally Live, MLB.tv, MiLB.tv, and the Fisher Cats Radio Network.

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