5/30/17 – My First Yard Goats Game at Dunkin’ Donuts Park
In early April, I went to the first-ever game at Hartford’s new Dunkin’ Donuts Park between Quinnipiac and the University of Hartford.
Last night, I made it to my first Hartford Yard Goats game at the stadium to see the home team play the Richmond Flying Squirrels in a match-up of AA Eastern League teams.
I had avoided Yard Goat games at Dunkin’ Donuts Park so far this season because they typically have been crowded with people wanting to see the new stadium.
Last night was the perfect combination of us not having anything going on, an early weekday game after a holiday, the kids are still in school and the weather, while not awful, was poor enough that it would keep some folks away.
As expected, it was a small crowd which gave me the opportunity to move around a bit.
Hartford scored five runs in the third and three more in the fourth to break it open en route to a 12-2 victory.
It’s not often that you see the team on the good side of a 12-2 margin get outhit, but that’s what happened last night, with the Flying Squirrels out-hitting Hartford nine-to-seven. But the Yard Goats took advantage of 12 Richmond walks.
Hartford hit one home run late in the game, which meant that steam erupted from the large Dunkin’ Donuts cup atop the Left Field scoreboard. I was a little late in taking the picture, but you can still see a little steam left over.
For whatever reason, I decided to try and get Richmond’s lineup card, which I knew was risky given the lopsided loss. I am not sure what I was thinking because we already have a Richmond dugout lineup card from 2015. Richmond manager Kyle Haines did respond to my request, but told me he had promised it to someone else.
I was very fortunate to at least get the official batting order cards from the home plate umpire.
Neither team has any elite prospects. Andrew Suarez was a second round pick for the Giants, but didn’t pitch in this game. The same goes for Rockies’ 2nd round pick Ryan Castellani. Yard Goat first baseman Ryan McMahon was also a 2nd round pick back in 2013 and is hitting .326 for the Goats.
2017: 15 lineup cards (5 dugout/bullpen; 9 “official batting order”; 1 “today’s lineup” card)
Lifetime: 136 lineup cards (92 dugout/bullpen; 41 “official batting order”; 2 “relief pitcher usage”; and 1 “today’s lineup”)
Fun With Lineup Cards! 