Yard Goats rally to win season finale

Aaron Schunk, Daniel Montano and Brenton Doyle each homered and Hartford’s bullpen pitched seven scoreless innings as the Yard Goats (77-60) defeated the Binghamton Rumble Ponies 8-4 in the final game of the season at Mirabito Stadium in Binghamton, N.Y.

Doyle tied the franchise home record of 23 set earlier this season by Michael Toglia, who is now with the Colorado Rockies. Schunk hit his Eastern League-leading 32nd double and also set a franchise RBI record with 77.

Binghamton took a 4-0 lead over the first two innings off Hartford’s Mike Ruff. Luke Ritter had an RBI double and Nic Gaddis a two-run double to highlight the fast start.

The Yard Goats made it 4-3 in the third inning against David Griffin. Willie Maciver scored from second base on a wild pitch and sacrifice flies by Montano and Doyle.

The Yard Goats tied it on Schunk’s solo home run in the fourth, a liner off the batter’s eye, his 14th of the season. Montano gave the Yard Goats a 5-4 lead with a solo shot in the fifth off reliever Jordan Geber, and later in the frame Doyle hammered a long home run to left field to make it 6-4. Hartford added two more runs in the ninth inning.

Hartford relievers Noah Gotsis, Fineas Del-bonta Smith, Tony Locey, Blake Goldberry, Jarred Biddy and Dugan Darnell combined for seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits.

Athletic win third in a row: Ariel Martinez scored two goals and Yannik Oettl made five saves for the shutout as the Hartford Athletic beat Las Vegas Lights FC 3-0 before a crowd of 5,500 Saturday night at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford. It was the third straight win for the Athletic (9-15-6), who are 4-0-1 in their past five games.

Martinez scored in the 12th minute off an assist from Prince Saydee and made it 2-0 in the 28th minute, assisted by Peter-lee Vassell. Tom Brewitt capped the scoring in the 79th minute off a cross from Danny Barrera following a corner.

Hartford travels to Leesburg, Va., on Wednesday to face Loudoun United FC at 7 p.m.