HARTFORD, CT— The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (1-1, 31-39) were overwhelmed by the Hartford Yard Goats (1-1, 39-31) at Dunkin’ Park on Wednesday night, 12-6. Like Tuesday, the Fisher Cats exploded early, scoring five runs in the first two frames. But Wednesday, the Yard Goats scored 11 unanswered runs from the fourth through sixth innings.

New Hampshire teed off on Hartford starter Andrew Quezada early. Second baseman Ryan McCarty led off the contest with a double, and shortstop Josh Kasevich singled to set the table for first baseman Rainer Nuñez, who drove McCarty in with a single to right field. With Kasevich and Nuñez on base, catcher Zach Britton crushed a home run to right field, his fourth of the year. New Hampshire held a 4-0 advantage after the top of the first inning.

McCarty tacked on another run with his fifth home run of the year in the top of the second inning. The 2022 NCAA leader in home runs (29) has crushed five for the Fisher Cats in 17 games. New Hampshire led 5-0 after two frames.

Hartford bounced back with five runs in the fourth against New Hampshire starter Adam Macko (L, 5-3). Macko and RHP Anders Tolhurst allowed three more runs in the fifth and three in the sixth. After six innings,

Hartford led, 11-5.

New Hampshire fought back in the top of the seventh. Designated hitter Gabriel Martinez singled in Britton to cut the Hartford lead to five, but the Yard Goats answered with a tally in the bottom of the seventh to retain the six-run lead.

The Fisher Cats stranded 11 men on base to Hartford’s five. The Fisher Cats (5-for-11) and Yard Goats (5-for-12) fared similarly with runners in scoring position.