SPOILER ROLE SUITS SQUIRRELS, BAYSOX ELIMINATED, 4-3

Richmond Wins Eastern League Attendance Race

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels eliminated the Bowie Baysox from playoff contention with a, 4-3, victory in front of 6,569 on Monday afternoon at The Diamond. The final crowd of the season put Richmond's season attendance total at 463,842 for an average of 6,626 fans per opening. Both of those totals were tops in the Eastern League as the Squirrels wrapped up a highly successful inaugural season in Richmond, VA.

Bowie grabbed the early lead with a first-inning run against Squirrels' right-hander Felix Romero. Danny Figueroa sparked the inning with a one-out single. He swiped second base and scored for a 1-0 lead when Joel Guzman singled into left-center field a batter later.

The Baysox extended that lead to 2-0 when Brandon Waring led off the fourth inning with a solo-home run off of Romero.

The Squirrels rallied back and raced past the Baysox in the bottom of the fourth. Brad Boyer led off the inning with a single off of Bowie left-hander Pedro Viola, who had limited Richmond to a lone hit over the first three innings. An out later, Sharlon Schoop doubled down the left-field line to bring him around. Clay Timpner followed with a single and Juan Ciriaco gave Richmond the lead with a two-run double to left-center field. Eliezer Zambrano capped a four-run inning when he doubled to the left-field corner for a 4-2 advantage.

Romero (5-3) finished his final start of the year after five innings. He left with the lead after surrendering a pair of runs on a scattered nine hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out two to earn his fifth win of the year.

Bowie capped the scoring in the ballgame with a run against right-hander Daryl Maday in the seventh inning, but ultimately stranded nine runners on 13 hits. The Squirrels used Mitch Lively, Maday and Adrian Martin each for an inning of relief to bridge to the ninth inning. Right-hander Rafael Cova worked a perfect ninth inning to claim his league-best 23rd save.

The 2010 season has concluded for the Flying Squirrels. Season tickets for the 2011 season are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling the Squirrels at (804) 358-FUNN (3866).

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SQUIRRELS DEAL BAYSOX DAMAGING DEFEAT, 1-0

Capacity Crowd Pushes Richmond to Overall Attendance Crown

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels prevailed in a brisk pitcher's duel, 1-0, over the Bowie Baysox in front of a capacity crowd of 9,560 on Sunday night at The Diamond. The ninth sellout crowd of the season for Richmond allowed them to overtake Reading and claim the overall Eastern League attendance title, having drawn 457,273 with one date remaining.

Nick Noonan started the game-winning rally for the Squirrels when he singled to lead off the eighth inning against right-hander Bob McCrory. Tyler La Torre walked behind him to put two aboard with nobody out. Ryan Lormand then attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt. However, catcher Steve Lerud and McCrory didn’t communicate and nobody played the ball, which turned into a bunt-single to load the bases. Brock Bond then gave the Squirrels the only run they needed with an RBI single into center field. McCrory (3-4) took the loss for Bowie.

Right-handers Craig Westcott for Richmond and Steve Johnson for Bowie dueled for nearly seven innings. Although both were brilliant, neither would factor in the decision as the game remained scoreless through their departures. Westcott finished his season with 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. He did walk four, but struck out seven. Johnson topped him, shutting out the Squirrels for seven innings on one hit. He walked one and struck out six.

Right-handed closer Rafael Cova struck out the side in order in the ninth to preserve the win for the Squirrels. In order, he fanned Danny Figueroa, Ryan Adams and Joel Guzman to earn his 22nd save of the season.

The final game of the 2010 season is scheduled for 12:05 PM on Monday afternoon at The Diamond. RHP Felix Romero (4-3, 3.42) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Pedro Viola (3-3, 3.34) for the Baysox.

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SQUIRRELS SPOIL SOX IN GAME TWO, 4-3

Mixon Earns 11th Victory in Relief

RICHMOND, VA - Clay Timpner broke a 3-3 tie with a two-out RBI single in the eighth inning, lifting the Richmond Flying Squirrels to a, 4-3, victory over the Bowie Baysox in front of 7,073 at The Diamond on Saturday night.

Timpner's single came off of Bowie left-hander Chad Thall and plated Brad Boyer who had walked to start the inning. Thall (2-1) was tagged with his first defeat of the season.

Brock Bond ignited the offense quickly for the Squirrels, leading off the first inning with a single against Bowie right-hander Eddie Gamboa. Gamboa struck out Boyer, but Conor Gillaspie launched a two-run home run to right field to give Richmond a 2-0 lead. Sharlon Schoop followed the blast with a single and came around to score two batters later when Nick Noonan singled for a 3-0 advantage.

Bowie struck back with a run against left-hander Jake Stevens in the second. Joel Guzman drilled a lead-off double on one hop off the wall in center field. Joe Mahoney singled him to third, and the Baysox got on the board with a sacrifice fly from Caleb Joseph.

The Baysox pulled even in the third after Stevens conceded a two-out single to Danny Figueroa. Ryan Adams followed with a two-run home run to left field to even the score, 3-3.

Stevens worked to a no-decision over four innings in his final outing of the year. He allowed three earned runs on four hits, walked two and struck out six. Gamboa rebounded to work through the sixth inning, and also didn't register a decision.

David Mixon (11-7) worked four scoreless innings of relief and earned his 11th victory in his final appearance of the season. Right-hander Ronnie Ray worked a perfect ninth inning for his fourth save of the season.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 5:05 PM on Sunday night at The Diamond. RHP Craig Westcott (3-3, 5.70) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Steve Johnson (7-8, 5.35) for the Baysox.

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SQUIRRELS TAKE OUT FRUSTRATION ON WOLVES, 14-0

Richmond Avoids Sweep in Finale for Second Time on Trip

ERIE, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels pounded the Erie SeaWolves, 14-0, salvaging the finale of a four-game series on Thursday night at Jerry Uht Park. The win allowed the Squirrels to avoid a four-game sweep, recording their 10th shutout of the season in their final road game of the year.

The Squirrels used the long-ball to take their first lead of the series in the first inning against Erie left-hander Jon Kibler. With one out, Brad Boyer cracked his second homer of the season to right-center field. A batter later, Conor Gillaspie pulled a solo-shot down the right-field line for a 2-0 lead.

Richmond broke the game open and chased Kibler in the fifth inning. Juan Ciriaco led off the inning with a double and things went downhill from there for Erie. Tyler La Torre reached on a throwing error and Ryan Lormand ripped an RBI double. Brock Bond doubled down the right-field line to plate two more and send Kibler to the showers with the Squirrels leading 5-0. Right-hander Rob Waite came on in relief, but Thomas Neal supplied an RBI double and Clay Timpner capped a five-run inning with an RBI single.

Kibler (4-7) absorbed the loss for the SeaWolves, charged with six runs - five earned - on six hits over four-plus innings. Lost amid the offense was a battling five-inning performance from Squirrels' right-hander Mike MacDonald (5-8). He earned the win in his final outing of the season, working five scoreless innings. He allowed five hits, walked three and struck out two.

The Squirrels were back it in the sixth, establishing a new franchise record with seven runs in the frame. It also marked the first time on the year that the Squirrels had batted around in successive innings. In the inning, Gillaspie contributed an RBI single, Timpner drove in two runs with a single and Ciriaco added a two-run home run.

Waite took the brunt of the rally, hit with seven runs - two earned - on six hits over just 1 2/3 innings. Right-handers Mitch Lively and Rafael Cova each worked two scoreless innings of relief to complete the 10th shutout of the season for the Squirrels.

The Squirrels will travel back to Richmond, VA, to open their final four-game series of the season against the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore) Orioles at The Diamond on Friday night at 7:05 PM. Tickets are available for the final four games of the season and can be purchased by calling (804) 359-FUNN (3866).

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THIRD TIME NOT THE CHARM, ERIE PREVAILS AGAIN, 4-1

Squirrels Offense Sputters in Third Straight Loss

ERIE, PA - A strong pitching performance carried the Erie SeaWolves to a third straight victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 4-1, on Wednesday night at Jerry Uht Park. With the victory, the SeaWolves effectively claimed the four-game series over Richmond.

Pitching dominated the early portion of the ballgame, but Erie got on the board first in the third inning against Squirrels' right-hander Felix Romero. Brent Wyatt lifted a lead-off triple to straight-away center field and scored a batter later on a sacrifice fly to right field from Brandon Douglas.

Erie right-hander Brayan Villarreal was in control through five innings. He shut out the Squirrels on two hits, while striking out seven.

However, Tyler La Torre led off the sixth inning and provided the only blemish for Villarreal with a solo-home run to left field that tied the ballgame, 1-1. Villarreal finished the inning and departed to a no-decision. All told, he allowed the lone run on four hits, walked two and struck out seven.

Romero also left to a no-decision after six innings. He allowed a single run on five hits, walked two and struck out five.

Erie grabbed the lead back with an unearned run against right-handed reliever Daryl Maday in the seventh. John Murrian led off with a single and was replaced on the base paths by Alden Carrithers on a fielder's choice. Carrithers swiped second base and advanced to third base on a throwing error from La Torre. Douglas brought in the go-ahead run with an infield-single tapped just to the left of the mound.

Erie capped the scoring with two more runs against Maday in the eighth inning. The inning was highlighted by Murrian, who pulled a two-run double up the third-base line. Maday (9-8) was tagged with the loss for the Squirrels, conceding three runs - two earned - over an inning-and-a-third.

Left-hander Matt Hoffman (1-2) worked 2 2/3 hitless innings of relief for the win, handing it off to right-hander Cory Hamilton with two outs in the ninth. Hamilton nailed down the win, flying out Clay Timpner to left field to end the ballgame and earn his first save of the season.

The finale of the four-game series and the final road game of the season for the Squirrels is scheduled at 7:05 PM on Thursday night at Jerry Uht Park. RHP Mike MacDonald (4-8, 4.05) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Jon Kibler (4-6, 6.19) for Erie.

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DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN, SQUIRRELS FALL, 4-2

Erie Claims Game Two By Same Score as Opener

ERIE, PA - In eerily similar fashion to their series-opening loss, the Richmond Flying Squirrels fell again, 4-2, to the Erie SeaWolves on Tuesday night at Jerry Uht Park.

For the second straight night, the SeaWolves started the ballgame with three consecutive hits, and for the second straight night they left the first inning with a 2-0 lead. Squirrels' right-hander Craig Westcott's first pitch of the night was sent on a line into left field by Alden Carrithers for a single. Brandon Douglas followed with a double into the right-center field alley to put two runners in scoring position with nobody out. Bryan Pounds then sent a two-run single back up the middle for the 2-0 advantage.

The trouble continued for Westcott into the second inning. Billy Nowlin led off the second and cranked a solo-home run to left field to extend the Erie lead to 3-0.

Nowlin took Westcott deep for a second time, leading off the fourth inning, for a 4-0 lead. His second blast of the ballgame was sent over the wall in right field. It marked the second time that Westcott had conceded two home runs to the same batter in a single start. Joel Guzman notched two long-balls off the righty on July 23rd.

Westcott (3-3) didn't survive the fourth, departing after 3 1/3 innings. He surrendered four earned runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out one. The damage could have been worse as Westcott left with one out and the bases loaded, but lefty Andy Sisco got out of the predicament for him.

Richmond got back in the ballgame as they finally broke through against Erie right-hander Anthony Shawler in the fifth inning. Ryan Lormand started the two-out uprising with a single back through the middle and Brock Bond singled to right field behind him. Brad Boyer cut the Erie lead to 4-2 when he rifled a two-run double into the alley in left-center field.

Shawler (5-3) settled back down and worked through the seventh inning, retiring the last seven batters that he faced. He earned the win, allowing two runs on six hits. He walked just one and struck out six.

Sisco and the Squirrels' bullpen kept the game close, as the lefty ultimately worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Right-hander Adrian Martin followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings and left David Quinowski got the final out in the eighth.

However, Richmond got no closer after Shawler's departure. Right-hander Jose Ortega worked a scoreless eighth inning and lefty Jay Voss earned his first save of the season by tossing a scoreless ninth. Voss struck out Tyler La Torre to end the ballgame.

Game three of the series is scheduled for Wednesday night at 7:05 PM at Jerry Uht Park. RHP Felix Romero (4-3, 3.55) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Brayan Villarreal (0-4, 4.06) for Erie.

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WILK SHUTS DOWN SQUIRRELS IN OPENER, 4-2

Erie Lefty in Control For Eight Innings

ERIE, PA - Left-hander Adam Wilk was masterful over eight innings as the Erie SeaWolves coasted to a, 4-2, victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 5,562 at Jerry Uht Park on Monday night.

Erie got started quickly against Squirrels' left-hander Jake Stevens with a pair of runs in the first inning. Brent Wyatt led off the game for Erie with a single and moved to third when Brandon Douglas followed with a double that put runners at the corners with nobody out. Bryan Pounds made it three consecutive hits as he singled home Wyatt for a 1-0 lead. A batter later, Billy Nowlin lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Douglas for a 2-0 advantage.

Clay Timpner cut the lead in half in the second inning against Wilk. Timpner launched a high-arching solo-home run to right field, his fourth of the season trimming the Erie lead to 2-1. It was the last time the Squirrels would threaten against Wilk.

Stevens (4-4) didn't allow any more damage, working 3 2/3 innings on the night and conceding the two runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out four as he took his second straight loss.

Right-hander Ronnie Ray entered in relief to bail Stevens out of a jam inning in the fourth inning, but he found his own predicament in the fifth. Douglas led off the inning with a single and Ray walked Pounds to put two aboard. Ray recorded the first two outs of the inning without incident, but Deik Scram cracked a two-run double off the wall in right-center field, scoring both runners for a 4-1 lead.

Wilk (2-0) never faced adversity after Timpner's home run, cruising through eight innings for the win. He allowed just the lone run on two hits, walked two and struck out eight.

The Squirrels managed a run in the ninth off Erie closer Lester Oliveros, but ultimately the right-hander earned his 13th save of the season, closing out the 4-2 victory.

Game two of the series is scheduled at 7:05 PM on Tuesday night at Jerry Uht Park. RHP Craig Westcott (3-2, 5.40) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Anthony Shawler (4-3, 4.84) for Erie.

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SCRAPPY SQUIRRELS DELAY CURVE'S CELEBRATION, 5-4

Richmond Avoids Sweep in Altoona

ALTOONA, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels scratched a run across in the ninth inning to avoid a four-game sweep as they clipped the Altoona Curve, 5-4, on Sunday night at Blair County Ballpark. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the Squirrels.

Tyler La Torre led off the ninth for the Squirrels and was walked by Curve right-hander Ramon Aguero. Clay Timpner followed and delivered a hit-and-run single into right field to move La Torre to third. A batter later, Brock Bond sent a ground ball to first base which scored La Torre with the eventual winning run. Aguero (2-5) took the loss for Altoona.

Richmond then spent three pitchers to secure the win, as right-hander Adrian Martin got the first out, left-hander David Quinowski got the second and right-hander Daryl Maday finished the game for his first save of the season.

Chase d'Arnaud led off the ballgame for Altoona and sparked the Curve with a single against Squirrels' left-hander Clayon Tanner. Josh Harrison replaced him on the bases with a fielder's choice and promptly stole second and third base on consecutive pitches. Hector Gimenez brought him in for a 1-0 lead withe a two-out single.

Richmond responded quickly against Curve righty Jared Hughes. Thomas Neal led off the second inning and launched his 12th home run of the season, into the bleacher seats in left field, to tie the game, 1-1. Sharlon Schoop followed and reached on an error on d'Arnaud. Two batters later, Timpner delivered a two-out RBI single to give Richmond the lead, 2-1.

The Squirrels plated two more runs against Hughes in the third after Hughes hit the lead-off man, Bond. Brad Boyer followed with a triple to the alley in right-center field and Bond's run made it 3-1. A Conor Gillaspie groundout brought in Boyer to stretch the lead to 4-1.

The lead was lost in the fifth, as Tanner walked Hughes on four pitches to start trouble. d'Arnaud launched his second home run of the series to left field to cut the lead to a lone run, 4-3. Harrison followed and made it back-to-back blasts when he went deep to left to tie the game again, 4-4.

Neither starter factored in the decision as Tanner left after the trouble in the fifth. He worked four-plus innings, conceding four earned runs on nine hits. Hughes lasted through the sixth inning, charged with four runs -- three earned -- on six hits.

David Mixon worked three scoreless innings of relief for Richmond following Tanner, and Andy Sisco worked a perfect eighth inning. Sisco (3-4) earned the win for Richmond.

The Squirrels' road trip continues as they travel to Erie, PA, to open a four-game series with the Erie SeaWolves (Detroit Tigers) at Jerry Uht Park on Monday night at 7:05 PM. LHP Jake Stevens (4-3, 2.38) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Adam Wilk (1-0, 0.00) for Erie.

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DURHAM DELIVERS WALK-OFF WIN TO CURVE, 3-2

Squirrels First Lose Lead, then Series in 10 Innings

ALTOONA, PA - Miles Durham doubled home Hector Gimenez in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Altoona Curve walked off with a, 3-2, victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Saturday night at Blair County Ballpark.

With Gimenez on first and two outs in the 10th inning, Durham pulled a double just fair inside the third-base line to bring around Gimenez with the winning run. Squirrels' closer Rafael Cova (0-6) was charged with the loss after conceding both the tying run in the ninth and the winning run in the 10th.

Three consecutive singles to start the ballgame put the Squirrels in a great spot against Curve left-hander Jeff Locke. However, with the bases loaded and nobody out, Richmond managed just a lone run, courtesy of a Brad Boyer sacrifice fly to center field. Brock Bond, Sharlon Schoop and Conor Gillaspie had supplied the singles to start the rally, and Bond scored for a 1-0 lead.

Squirrels' right-hander Mike MacDonald made that advantage stand up during his five innings. He worked five scoreless innings, scattering six hits, walking two and striking out three. However, he didn't factor in the decision as the Squirrels lost the lead in the sixth.

Altoona knotted the ballgame with an unearned run against right-hander Ronnie Ray in the sixth inning. With one out, Brad Boyer threw away a grounder from Matt Hague. Hague reached second base on the miscue and scored on a single back up the middle from Jim Negrych.

Richmond grabbed the lead back with a run in the eighth. With right-hander Michael Dubee on in relief, Schoop collected a lead-off single. An out later, Thomas Neal singled into center field to move Schoop into scoring position. Boyer then delivered the lead with a single back through the box to score Schoop for a 2-1 advantage.

The Squirrels led to the ninth inning where they handed the ball to Cova. He hurriedly walked Anthony Norman on four pitches to start the inning. Jose de los Santos bunted him to second base and Cova walked Chase d'Arnaud. Josh Harrison then poked a single to right field to plate Norman with the tying run. It marked the sixth blown save of the season for Cova.

Left-hander Daniel Moskos (3-1) earned the win for Altoona, having worked a scoreless top of the 10th inning.

The finale of the four-game series is scheduled for 6 PM on Sunday night at Blair County Ballpark. LHP Clayton Tanner (9-8, 3.42) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Jared Hughes (12-7, 4.22) for Altoona.

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WATSON WAVES WAND, STYMIES SQUIRRELS, 5-0

Curve Lefty Baffles Richmond in Game Two

ALTOONA, PA - Spurred by seven sterling innings from left-hander Tony Watson, the Altoona Curve rolled over the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 5-0, on Friday night at Blair County Ballpark. The Curve have claimed the first two games of the series, in the process posting the 10th shutout of the season against the Squirrels.

Altoona struck first against Squirrels' right-hander Felix Romero in the second inning. With two outs, Romero walked Jim Negrych. Miles Durham followed and lofted a high-arching fly ball to center field. Ryan Lormand chased it to the track but couldn't reel it in, as Negrych raced around on the triple for a 1-0 lead.

The Curve struck again for two more in the third. Josh Harrison led off against Romero and belted a triple off the top of the wall in left-center field. A batter later, Hector Gimenez made it 2-0 with an RBI double. Negrych supplied the third run when he cracked a two-out double off the wall in right field to score Gimenez.

Romero (4-3) departed to the loss after just four innings, having conceded three earned runs on five hits. He walked three -- all in the second inning -- and struck out one.

Meanwhile, Watson (6-2) was rolling. After struggling with his command in the first inning and walking two, he allowed just two additional baserunners over his seven innings. He finished his outing by retiring the final 12 batters that he faced. He blanked the Squirrels on just two hits -- one a bunt single -- walking two and striking out a season-high nine. He earned his sixth victory of the season overall and second against the Squirrels.

The Curve picked up a pair of runs against right-hander Mitch Lively in the eighth inning to cap the scoring. Right-hander Tom Boleska came on to finish the ballgame for Watson, working the final two innings to record his third save of the season. Boleska retired the first five batters he faced, extended the string of futility that Watson started to 17 batters.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 7 PM on Saturday night at Blair County Ballpark. RHP Mike MacDonald (4-8, 4.21) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Jeff Locke (3-1, 2.89) for Altoona.

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SQUIRRELS COMPLETE WIN, BUT CURVE TAKE ROUND TWO

Richmond Grabs Suspended Game, Altoona Rolls in Nightcap

ALTOONA, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels held off the Altoona Curve, 9-6, completing a victory in a game started and suspended on July 12th. However, the Curve responded with a, 5-1, triumph in the seven-inning game that followed on Thursday night at Blair County Ballpark.

The Squirrels led 6-3 with two runners on base in the bottom of the fourth inning when the ballgame suspended due to rain on July 12th was resumed. The Curve capitalized on the two runners they had in scoring position upon the restart of the ballgame. With Adrian Martin on in relief, an RBI single from Chase d'Arnaud and a fielder's choice groundout from Josh Harrison pulled the Curve within a run at 6-5.

However, Richmond pulled away in the ninth inning. Right-hander Derek Hankins had worked four scoreless innings of relief, but the Squirrels finally solved him for three runs on five hits to take a 9-5 lead. The inning was highlighted by an RBI double for Thomas Neal, and RBI singles from Brad Boyer, Clay Timpner and Ryan Lormand.

The Curve plated an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth against Rafael Cova to cap the scoring, but the game ended oddly when Curve manager Matt Walbeck was cited for coach's interference for halting Kris Watts rounding at third base by wrapping his arms around him.

Although Martin (1-0) allowed the two inherited runners to score, he ultimately worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for the win. Left-hander Andy Sisco kept the Curve at bay over his two innings of relief and handed it off to Cova, who finished it off in the ninth. Tim Alderson (7-6) took the loss for Altoona.

In the nightcap, pitching dominated the early portion of the ballgame. However, the Curve broke through first, picking up a run against Squirrels' right-hander Craig Westcott in the fourth inning. Jim Negrych opened the inning with a single and a batter later, Jordy Mercer singled him to third with one out. Hector Gimenez followed with a grounder to first base that Sharlon Schoop attempted to take to second base. He threw wildly, and Negrych came in for a 1-0 lead on the error.

Altoona bumped that lead to 2-0 with a final run against Westcott in the fifth. Josh Harrison drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a groundout. He scored on an RBI single from Matt Hague with two outs for a two-run lead.

Westcott (3-2) departed to the loss after five innings. He conceded two runs on five hits, walked three and struck out four. He lost for just the second time as a professional.

Meanwhile, Altoona left-hander Rudy Owens (11-6) was cruising. He earned the win after shutting out the Squirrels on just two hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out five to earn his second win of the season over Richmond.

The Curve padded their lead against left-hander David Quinowski in the sixth inning. With Anthony Norman and Andrew Lambo aboard, d'Arnaud launched a towering three-run home run to left field for a 5-0 lead.

Left-hander Daniel Moskos lost the Curve's shutout bid in the seventh, allowing the only run of the ballgame to the Squirrels. However, he closed out the win without further damage done.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7 PM at Blair County Ballpark. RHP Felix Romero (4-2, 3.40) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Tony Watson (5-2, 2.73) for the Curve.

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R-PHILS TAME SQUIRRELS FOR SERIES WIN, 4-2

Capacity Crowd Takes in Series-Finale

RICHMOND, VA - The Reading Phillies turned back the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 4-2, in front of the eighth capacity crowd of 9,560 on the season on Wednesday night at The Diamond.

After striking out the side in the first inning, Reading righty Austin Hyatt found trouble in the second. He walked Thomas Neal leading off the inning, and conceded a single to Sharlon Schoop a batter later. Hyatt issued his second walk of the inning to Clay Timpner to load the bases with one out. Tyler La Torre struck out, but Squirrels' left-hander Jake Stevens aided his own cause with a two-run single through the right-side of the infield. Stevens' first professional hit put the Squirrels in front, 2-0.

An inning-opening walk issued by Stevens to Timo Perez in the third led to a four-run frame for the R-Phils. An out later, Tagg Bozied singled to put runners at the corners. John Suomi sent a hard grounder to second base for what appeared to be a double play chance. However, Nick Noonan couldn't handle the ball, and everybody was safe including Perez scoring on the error. Cody Overbeck followed with an RBI single to tie the game, 2-2. Stevens then uncorked three wild pitches that allowed both Suomi and Overbeck to score, giving the R-Phils a 4-2 advantage.

Stevens (4-3) retired after five innings, conceding four runs - two earned - on five hits. He was saddled with the loss in his first start of the season, walking two and striking out two.

Hyatt worked into the sixth inning for the victory, his first at the Double-A level. He limited the Squirrels to two runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out nine in the win.

Matt German worked a scoreless inning of relief for Reading and Jason Anderson closed it out for the save, working a perfect 2 1/3 innings. Right-hander Mitch Lively worked four scoreless innings of relief in the loss for Richmond.

The Squirrels will travel to Altoona, PA, to play a four-game series against the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates) at Blair Count Ballpark. Prior to the four-game series, the two clubs will complete their suspended game from July 12th. The game will resume at 5:30 PM, with the Squirrels leading 6-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning.

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SQUIRRELS SQUEEK OUT WIN OVER R-PHILS, 5-4

Tanner Earns 9th Win as Richmond Levels Series

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels held off the Reading Phillies, 5-4, in front of 6,194 at The Diamond on Tuesday night. With the victory, the Squirrels evened the three-game series at a game apiece.

Reigning Eastern League Batter of the Week, Tagg Bozied, led off the second for Reading and got the R-Phils started with a high-arching solo-home run to left field off of Squirrels' left-hander Clayton Tanner. John Suomi followed and singled on the next pitch. Tanner recorded the first two outs of the inning, but then walked Tuffy Gosewisch to put two aboard. Reading right-hander J.C. Ramirez used the opportunity to aid his own cause, sending a single back through the middle to plate Suomi for a 2-0 advantage.

The Squirrels came back to tie the game, 2-2, with a pair of runs against Ramirez in the fourth. With one out, Conor Gillaspie tripled into the right-field corner. Brandon Belt sent an infield-single to third base to score Gillaspie and advanced to third on a single from Thomas Neal. Brad Boyer's groundout plated Belt to tie the game.

Richmond raced in front for the first time with three runs to chase J.C. Ramirez in the fifth. All the runs came courtesy of a two-out rally started when Nick Noonan was walked by Ramirez. Four consecutive singles followed, with Gillaspie, Belt and Neal each contributing an RBI single as the Squirrels built a 5-2 lead. Neal's single proved to be the knockout blow for Ramirez.

Ramirez (3-4) departed to the loss after 4 2/3 innings. He was charged with five earned runs on eight hits, having walked one and struck out two.

Tanner (9-8) settled in and worked through six innings for the win. His final blemish came in the sixth when Cody Overbeck lifted a solo-home run to right field to cut the Richmond lead to 5-3. All told, Tanner conceded three runs on four hits, walked three and struck out five.

The R-Phils crept a run closer in the seventh against right-hander Daryl Maday. With one out, Kevin Nelson drilled a pinch-hit double. He scored to cut the lead to a lone run a batter later when Timo Perez singled back up the middle.

Left-hander Andy Sisco worked a scoreless eighth inning and handed it off to Right-hander Ronnie Ray for the ninth. Ray earned his third save of the season, punctuating the Richmond win by fanning Michael Spidale to end the ballgame.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Wednesday night at The Diamond. LHP Jake Stevens (4-2, 2.26) will make a spot-start for Richmond against RHP Austin Hyatt (0-0, 5.40) for Reading.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS SQAUNDER COMEBACK IN 10 INNINGS, 6-4

R-Phils Shake Off Richmond Rally for Series-Opening Victory

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels erased a 4-1 Reading Phillies lead, only to fall to the R-Phils, 6-4, in 10 innings in front of 7,370 on Monday night at The Diamond.

After being caught in the eighth, the R-Phils rallied for two runs and the win against right-hander Rafael Cova in the 10th inning. Cova walked Kevin Mahar with one out in the inning, and a batter later, Freddy Galvis lofted a triple to right field to provide the game-winning run. Galvis also scored on the play, when Ryan Lormand's relay throw to third was wild up the left-field line. Cova (0-5) was tagged with the loss in relief as the Squirrels fell to 6-7 in extra-innings.

Harold Garcia singled on the first pitch of the ballgame from Squirrels' right-hander Mike MacDonald. Two batters later, Tagg Bozied singled him home for a 1-0 Reading lead.

Richmond answered quickly in the bottom of the inning as Lormand cued a double just fair up the first-base line off of R-Phils' lefty Yohan Flande. Conor Gillaspie followed with a replicate double to the opposite line, scoring Lormand to tie the game, 1-1.

Reading was back at it in the third inning, as Timo Perez ignited a rally with a one-out single. Michael Spidale followed with a single and Bozied loaded the bases with a third consecutive single. Mahar bounced out to first base, with Perez scoring on the play to give the R-Phils the lead back. With two outs, Cody Overbeck singled to right-center field to plate two more runs, and extend the Reading lead to 4-1.

Once again, the Squirrels would respond, scratching across two runs in the fourth inning to pull within a run, 4-3. Thomas Neal singled off Flande to start the inning and was replaced on the bases by Clay Timpner, who bounced into a fielder's choice. Eliezer Zambrano singled to put two aboard and the pair advanced on a wild pitch. Sharlon Schoop delivered both runs with a two-run single back through the middle.

Flande lasted five innings on the night, conceding three runs on eight hits. He walked two and struck out one as he registered a no-decision.

MacDonald called it a night after six innings, settling in after conceding four runs on nine hits early in the ballgame. He didn't factor in the decision as he walked one and struck out one.

The Squirrels finally pulled even in the eighth inning, tying the game with a run against Chance Chapman. Schoop contributed his third RBI of the ballgame, sending a single to right field to score Timpner.

Left-hander Sergio Escalona (3-8) earned the win after working a perfect ninth inning, while Justin De Fratus earned his fifth save with a scoreless 10th.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Tuesday night at The Diamond. LHP Clayton Tanner (8-8, 3.38) will make the start for Richmond against RHP J.C. Ramirez (3-3, 5.18) for Reading.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS BLANK BAYSOX TO CLAIM SERIES, 4-0

Richmond Earns 9th Shutout Win of Season

BOWIE, MD - The Richmond Flying Squirrels fired their ninth shutout of the season, blanking the Bowie Baysox, 4-0, on Sunday night at Prince George's Stadium. The win netted Richmond the three-game series, and also dropped the Baysox out of second place in the Western Division.

Pitching dominated the early portion of the ballgame as Squirrels' righty Felix Romero and Bowie lefty Pedro Viola dueled to a scoreless-draw after five innings.

Romero (4-2) departed to the win after five innings, shutting out the Baysox on four hits. He walked one and struck out six, making his first start since August 4th.

Viola continued into the sixth inning, where the Squirrels finally broke through. Viola walked Ryan Lormand to start the inning and he advanced to second on a groundout from Thomas Neal. Conor Gillaspie put the Squirrels in front with a single to left-center field.

Viola (3-3) departed after Gillaspie's single, having worked 5 2/3 innings. He was saddled with the loss, allowing just a lone run on four hits. He walked three and struck out six in the hard-luck defeat.

Richmond added a pair of runs against the Bowie bullpen in the seventh. Chad Thall started the inning on the mound and Tyler La Torre greeted him with a single. A batter later, Nick Noonan laid down a bunt-single to put runners at the corners with one out. Bob McCrory was summoned in relief and Lorman greeted him with a perfect squeeze-bunt that brought in La Torre. The Squirrels made it 3-0 when Neal singled on the infield and Brandon Waring threw wildly to first base. The error allowed Noonan to score from second base.

The Squirrels capped the scoring with a final run on a second RBI single from Gillaspie in the ninth inning. The run support wasn't necessary however, as left-hander Andy Sisco dominated over three innings of scoreless relief. He struck out a season-high six and allowed just one hit. Ronnie Ray worked a perfect ninth, including two strikeouts, as Richmond hurlers struck out 14 batters in the ballgame.

The Squirrels return to Richmond to open a three-game series with the Reading Phillies (Philadelphia Phillies) at 7:05 PM on Monday night at The Diamond. RHP Mike MacDonald will make the start for Richmond against LHP Johan Flande for the R-Phils.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS SNEAK PAST SOX TO SNAP SKID, 7-6

Richmond Survives Furious Rally from Bowie to Level Series

BOWIE, MD - The Richmond Flying Squirrels raced out to an early lead and then hung on for dear life as they snapped a four-game losing skid with a, 7-6, victory over the Bowie Baysox on Saturday night at Prince George's Stadium.

Bowie right-hander Steve Johnson struggled with his command in the first inning, and the Squirrels took advantage. Johnson walked both Brad Boyer and Thomas Neal before Brandon Belt crunched a three-run home run to right-center field. Belt's ninth blast of the season put Richmond out in front, 3-0.

The Squirrels added a pair of runs and chased Johnson in the fourth inning. Ryan Lormand sparked the rally with a one-out single and Nick Noonan singled behind him. Boyer followed with an RBI single and Johnson was lifted in favor of Ryohei Tanaka. Thomas Neal sent a sacrifice fly to center field for a 5-0 advantage.

Johnson (7-7) was tagged with the loss, allowing five runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings. He walked a career-high tying six and struck out one.

Conor Gillaspie double off Tanaka to open the fifth inning as the Squirrels added to their lead. Sharlon Schoop singled behind him, and Clay Timpner made it 6-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Things unraveled for Squirrels' right-hander Craig Westcott in the bottom of the fifth inning. After allowing the first two batters of the ballgame to reach, he had retired 12 men in a row into the fifth. However, Tyler Henson led off the fifth with a single and Westcott walked Caleb Joseph. Greg Miclat singled to load the bases and Westcott walked in Bowie's first run with a free pass to Jonathan Tucker. Xavier Avery followed with a two-run double and Westcott's night was abruptly over with the Squirrels in front 6-3. Daryl Maday entered in relief and allowed a single to Carlos Rojas to load the bases back up. He then walked Ryan Adams to force in another run as Bowie pulled within two runs, 6-4.

Westcott was charged will all four runs in the fifth, and called it a night after four-plus innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Neal ripped a solo-home run to left-center field off of right-hander Jim Johnson in the sixth that stretched the Squirrels lead back out to 7-4. However, the Baysox posted a pair of runs against Maday in the bottom of the inning to pull within a run, 7-6.

They would get no closer, as left-hander David Quinowski (2-0) righted the ship with two scoreless innings of relief. He earned the win for his efforts. Right-hander Rafael Cova worked a perfect ninth for his league-leading 21st save of the season.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 6:05 PM on Sunday night at Prince George's Stadium. RHP Felix Romero (3-2, 3.62) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Pedro Viola (3-2, 3.51) for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS SLIDE CONTINUES IN BOWIE, 5-3

Baysox Take Opener as Richmond Loses Fourth Straight

BOWIE, MD - The Richmond Flying Squirrels lost their fourth consecutive ballgame, 5-3, to the Bowie Baysox in the opener of a three-game series at Prince George's Stadium on Friday night. The loss drops the Squirrels to 6 1/2 games behind Bowie in the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Division.

Sharlon Schoop got the Squirrels started with a lead-off double off of Bowie right-hander Eddie Gamboa in the second inning. Nick Noonan grounded out, but Schoop moved to third and scored a batter later when Tyler La Torre also grounded out. Clay Timpner made it 2-0 Richmond when he cracked a line-drive solo-home run to right-center field off of Gamboa with two outs.

Joel Guzman belted his league-leading 28th home run as he led off the bottom of the second against Squirrels' righty David Mixon. The blast to right-center field trimmed the Richmond lead to 2-1.

Bowie overtook Mixon and the Squirrels in the third. Greg Miclat, Jonathan Tucker and Xavier Avery notched back-to-back-to-back singles to start the frame. Avery's single scored Miclat to tie the game. A batter later, Ryan Adams gave Bowie the lead with a two-out single to center field. One of the runs charged to Mixon was unearned due a pair of errors charged to the Squirrels during the uprising.

The Baysox added some distance in the sixth inning, chasing Mixon in the process. Mixon allowed a lead-off single to Adams, got the next two batters and called it a night. Adrian Martin relieved him and Steve Lerud cracked a double off the wall in left field to bring in Adams. Caleb Joseph followed with a flared-double into right field to extend the Bowie advantage to 5-2.

Mixon (10-7) was tagged with the loss over 5 2/3 innings. He surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits. He walked none and struck out three.

Gamboa (6-4) earned the win, also turning in 5 2/3 innings. He was charged with two runs on six hits, walked two and struck out one.

Bowie used four relievers to close out the win. Chad Thall recorded one out in the sixth, Jim Johnson handled a routine seventh and Raul Rivero worked a scoreless eighth. Closer Pedro Beato came on to close it out in the ninth, although he did conceded a two-out solo-home run to Timpner. Timpner became just the third Squirrel to homer twice in the same game, but Beato earned his 15th save of the season.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 6:35 PM on Saturday night at Prince George's Stadium. RHP Craig Westcott (3-1, 4.67) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Steve Johnson (7-6, 5.01) for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

ROCK CATS SEND SQUIRRELS TO ROCK BOTTOM, 7-6

Cellar-Dwelling New Britain Sweeps Richmond

RICHMOND, VA - The lowly New Britain Rock Cats completed a three-game sweep of the Richmond Flying Squirrels with a, 7-6, victory in the finale of a three-game series at New Britain Stadium on Thursday night. It marked the first sweep of the season for the Rock Cats, who own the worst record in the Eastern League (37-87)

The Squirrels initially started quickly, claiming their first lead of the series in the first inning against New Britain right-hander Deolis Guerra. Guerra walked Brad Boyer with one out to find trouble. Thomas Neal blasted an RBI double off the base of the wall in center field and the Squirrels led, 1-0. Guerra fell behind 3-0 to Brandon Belt and then grooved a fast ball that Belt hammered to right-center field. His eighth home run with the Squirrels put Richmond in front, 3-0.

The lead didn't last long as Richmond lefty Clayton Tanner misplayed a bunt attempt from lead-off man Estarlin de los Santos in the bottom of the inning. Evan Bigley followed with a single to put two aboard. A batter later, Juan Portes singled home New Britain's first run of the night. Steve Singleton followed with an RBI single, and Jair Fernandez tied the game, 3-3, with a sacrifice fly to center field. Two of the runs charged to Tanner were unearned.

Richmond grabbed the lead back in the third when Conor Gillaspie led off with a double off Guerra. Clay Timpner followed with a single and Gillaspie scored when Mark Dolenc misplayed the ball in center field.

The Squirrels added another run against Guerra in the fourth as Darren Ford lifted a solo-home run down the left-field line for a two-run advantage, 5-3.

Again, the lead was short-lived. The Rock Cats plated three runs off a trio of Richmond hurlers in the fourth inning as Tanner departed after allowing the first two hitters to reach. He walked Fernandez and Jeff Howell singled behind him to put two aboard. Mitch Lively came on in relief and got the first out in the inning. However, he walked Chris Cates and de los Santos to force home a run. Lively was lifted in favor of Jake Stevens, who struck out Bigley. With two outs, Chris Parmalee cracked a two-run single through the hole on the right-side of the infield, and New Britain had their first lead, 6-5.

Tanner (8-8) was charged with five runs over three innings and didn't factor in the decision. He allowed five hits, walked two and struck out none. Lively (2-4) was tagged with the loss in relief.

Guerra departed after four innings to a no-decision, having allowed five earned runs on nine hits. He walked three and struck out four.

New Britain added a run in the fifth against Stevens and the Squirrels responded with a run without the benefit of a hit in the sixth to keep it a one-run game, 7-6.

Loek Van Mil worked 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief before giving way to right-hander Billy Bullock. Bullock struck out Gillaspie to end the eighth and then worked a scoreless ninth for his second save of the series and 10th of the season.

The Squirrels will travel to Bowie, MD, overnight and open a three-game series with the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore Orioles) at 7:05 PM on Friday night at Prince George's Stadium. RHP David Mixon (10-6, 3.63) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Eddie Gamboa (5-4, 3.70) for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

HARD TIMES IN THE HARDWARE CITY, SQUIRRELS FALL AGAIN, 3-1

Province Carries Perfect-Game Bid into 7th Inning

RICHMOND, VA - New Britain righty Chris Province carried a perfect-game bid into the seventh inning, as the Rock Cats stymied the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 3-1, in the middle game of a three-game series on Wednesday night at New Britain Stadium.

Province was in control from the outset, setting aside the first 19 batters that he faced. He induced 13 ground ball outs during that stretch, recording the first out in the seventh inning before his bid was ended by a Brad Boyer single through the right-side of the infield.

New Britain got on the board first against Squirrels' right-hander Mike MacDonald in the second inning. MacDonald hit Steve Singleton to start the inning, and Jair Fernandez followed with a two-run home run to left-center field. Fernandez's fourth blast of the year put New Britain out in front, 2-0.

The Rock Cats added a run to their lead against MacDonald in the fifth, when Mark Dolenc singled to start the inning. He advanced to second on a groundout and stole third base. With the infield drawn in, Estarlin de los Santos sent a grounder to the shortstop, Ryan Lormand. Lormand played the ball cleanly and came home, but Tyler La Torre dropped the ball attempting to tag Dolenc and the Rock Cats led, 3-0. There was no error charged on the play.

The first Squirrels' hit against Province also sparked their first rally. Thomas Neal followed Boyer's single and roped a double to the alley in left-center field, plating Boyer and trimming the New Britain advantage to 3-1.

Province (6-5) retired after 6 2/3 innings. He allowed just the lone run on two hits, walking none and striking out one. He needed just 66 pitches to record 20 outs, as he earned his sixth win of the season. He received two standing-ovations for the New Britain Stadium crowd, the first coming after Boyer's single broke up his perfect-game bid in the seventh, and the other coming upon his departure from the ballgame.

MacDonald (4-8) lasted seven innings, but endured a hard-luck loss. He allowed three earned runs on four hits, walked none and struck out six. It marked the third consecutive quality start for MacDonald, although he fell for the eighth time on the year.

Right-hander Carlos Gutierrez worked the final 2 1/3 innings for his second save of the season. Right-hander Adrian Martin made his Giants' organizational debut, working a scoreless eighth inning for the Squirrels.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Thursday night at New Britain Stadium. LHP Clayton Tanner (8-8, 3.25) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Deolis Guerra (2-9, 5.99) for New Britain.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

ROCK CATS TURN BACK SQUIRRELS IN OPENER, 8-5

New Britain Snaps Six-Game Slide

RICHMOND, VA - The New Britain Rock Cats led throughout an eventual, 8-5, victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 5,478 on Tuesday night at New Britain Stadium. The win halted a six-game slide for the Cats as they defeated the Squirrels for just the second time in the 10th meeting between the two clubs.

The Rock Cats got off to a fast start against Squirrels' right-hander Daryl Maday in the first inning. Maday rolled a double play to record the first two outs in the inning, but Chris Parmalee followed with a two-out single. Juan Portes rifled an RBI double on one hop off the wall in center field to plate Parmalee for a 1-0 lead. The inning ended when Steve Singleton singled into right field and Portes was thrown out at the plate by Clay Timpner.

The Rock Cats picked up right where they left off in the second, as Jair Fernandez led off the inning with a single and Estarlin de los Santos doubled behind him into the alley in right-center field. With two aboard, Mark Dolenc lined a three-run home run down the left-field line for a 4-0 New Britain lead. The Rock Cats posted eight hits through the first two innings against Maday.

New Britain lefty Tyler Robertson held the Squirrels in check the first time through the order, but Richmond finally broke through in the fourth. Robertson walked Darren Ford to start the inning and Nick Noonan doubled him in with Richmond's first run. Robertson walked Neal to put two aboard and advanced the runners with a wild pitch. Robertson recorded the first two outs of the inning, but Sharlon Schoop delivered a two-out two-run double to right-center field to pull Richmond back within a run, 4-3.

Maday found trouble again in the bottom of the fourth as the Rock Cats added two runs back to their lead and forced him from the ballgame. de los Santos led off the inning with a bunt-single and a batter later, Maday walked Chris Cates. A groundout moved the two runners up and Evan Bigley delivered a two-out single to plate both runners for a 6-3 lead.

Maday (9-7) departed on the Bigley single, having conceded six earned runs on 10 hits. He walked one and struck out two in his second start since returning from Triple-A Fresno. He was saddled with his seventh loss of the season for the Squirrels.

Richmond got another run back against Robertson in the fifth, when Robertson walked Tyler La Torre. Two batters later, Ford tripled off the wall in right-center field to cut the lead to 6-4.

Robertson (3-11) allowed one more run before calling it a night in the sixth inning. He left with runners on the corners after 5 1/3 innings. One of those runners scored to trim the New Britain advantage to 6-5 upon the entrance of reliever Steve Hirschfeld. He earned his third victory of the season, and first since July 15th.

Robertson allowed five earned runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out four.

New Britain iced the win with a pair of runs charged to left-hander Andy Sisco in the seventh inning. Parmalee led off with a single and Sisco walked Portes to put two aboard. Singleton attempted to bunt the runners over, but bunted for a hit instead to load the bases with nobody out. Sisco left, and two of the runners scored with Ronnie Ray on in relief for an 8-5 New Britain lead.

The Rock Cats' bullpen was solid in relief. Right-hander Steve Hirschfeld worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings before fellow righty Billy Bullock nailed down the win with two perfect innings for his ninth save of the season.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Wednesday night at New Britain Stadium. RHP Mike MacDonald (4-7, 4.14) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Chris Province (5-5, 5.22) for New Britain.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS STEAL FINALE FROM SEA DOGS, 5-4

Richmond Walks Off with Five Runs in the 9th Inning

RICHMOND, VA - Lifeless through eight innings, the Richmond Flying Squirrels exploded for five runs in the ninth inning to stun the Portland Sea Dogs, 5-4, in front of 7,873 at The Diamond on Sunday night. Darren Ford's walk-off single also allowed the Squirrels to take the three-game series from the Sea Dogs.

Leading 4-0 into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Sea Dogs turned to right-hander Bryce Cox to close out the ballgame. Cox walked Thomas Neal to start the Squirrels and then hit Brandon Belt to put two aboard. Cox collected the first out, but Sharlon Schoop singled in the first run for Richmond. Tyler La Torre singled home a second run for Richmond and represented the tying run at first base. Clay Timpner followed and rolled a broken-bat grounder back up the middle. Ray Chang misplayed the ball behind the second base bag, and Schoop came in to make it a one-run game. La Torre took third on the error, and the Sea Dogs went to the bullpen for right-hander Ryne Reynoso. Brad Boyer tied the ballgame with a single to score La Torre before Ford lined a singled to left-center field to score Timpner with the winning run.

Cox (1-6) took the loss, tagged with all five runs - three earned. It marked just the second time on the season that the Squirrels had come back when trailing after eight innings.

Pitching dominated the early portion of the ballgame, but the Sea Dogs broke through for the first time against Richmond right-hander Craig Westcott in the fourth inning. Anthony Rizzo ripped a double with one out and a batter later, Jorge Padron brought him for a 1-0 lead with an RBI single.

Portland extended their advantage with three more runs in the fifth. Matt Sheely sparked the uprising with a lead-off single, and Che-Hsuan Lin followed with a single to put two aboard. Nate Spears then launched a three-run home run to right field for a 4-0 Portland lead.

Westcott retired following the fifth, having conceded four earned runs on nine hits. He walked two and struck out two.

Meanwhile, Kehrt was rolling. He shackled the Squirrels for the first six innings on just one hit, facing just three over the minimum. However, he was robbed of the victory following the dramatic rally for Richmond in the ninth.

Jake Stevens fired three scoreless innings of relief, and Ronnie Ray (2-3) worked a scoreless ninth to earn the win.

The Squirrels will enjoy an off-day on Monday before traveling to New Britain, CT, to open a three-game series against the New Britain Rock Cats (Minnesota Twins) at 7:05 PM on Tuesday night at New Britain Stadium. RHP Daryl Maday (9-6, 2.83) will make the start for Richmond in the opener against LHP Tyler Robertson (2-11, 5.17) for New Britain.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS HANG ON FOR WIN OVER SEA DOGS, 3-2

Richmond Wins Despite Walking Eight in Series-Opener

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels held off the Portland Sea Dogs, 3-2, in front of 7,224 on Friday night at The Diamond, claiming the opener of a three-game series.

Richmond rallied with two outs to plate the game's first run in the second inning. Portland right-hander Stephen Fife walked Tyler La Torre with two outs and he advanced to second on an infield-single from Clay Timpner. Brad Boyer followed and put the Squirrels in front, 1-0, with a double up the first-base line.

Portland finally broke through against Squirrels' lefty Clayton Tanner to draw even in the fifth. Tanner walked Chih-Hsien Chiang to start the inning and Luis Segovia bunted him to second base. Che-Hsuan Lin singled to put runners on the corners and Chiang came in to the tie the game, 1-1, on a passed ball charged to La Torre.

Timpner singled to start the bottom of the fifth, as the Squirrels went back in front against Fife. Boyer followed with a single back up the middle to put two aboard with nobody out. Fife threw wildly to second base as Darren Ford laid down a sacrifice bunt. Timpner scored on the play and Boyer moved on to to third. Nick Noonan gave the Squirrels a 3-1 lead when he lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. One of the runs charged to Fife was unearned.

Fife (6-5) retired to the loss following the fifth having allowed three runs - two earned- on six hits. He walked two and struck out one. It marked the second consecutive loss to Richmond for Fife, who suffered his first defeat on the road of the season.

Tanner (8-8) survived six walks to work into the seventh inning. He was ultimately lifted after 6 2/3 innings. He conceded just a lone run on five hits. He earned his eighth win of the season despite establishing a new career-high for walks in a ballgame, and also matching the club-high for the Squirrels on the year.

Ronnie Ray polished off the seventh inning for Tanner with one pitch and continued to work a scoreless eighth inning.

Things got tight for the Squirrels when Jake Stevens entered to begin the ninth. He allowed a lead-off single to Jorge Padron and a batter later walked Luis Segovia. Lin followed with an RBI single to pull the Sea Dogs to within a run with one out. Stevens was replaced by David Quinowski, who calmly entered to record the final two outs to secure the win. Quinowski earned his first save at the Double-A level.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 6:35 PM on Saturday night at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (10-6, 3.63) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Kyle Weiland (5-7, 4.40) for Portland.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

BELT WINS RICHMOND MARATHON FOR SQUIRRELS, 5-3

Richmond Levels Series in 14 Innings

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels walked off winners on Brandon Belt's two-run home run in the 14th inning that sunk the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 5-3, in front of 5,608 on Wednesday night at The Diamond.

With two outs and Nick Noonan aboard in the 14th inning, Belt decked a 2-2 offering from New Hampshire right-hander Ronald Uviedo over the wall in right-center field to give the Squirrels the victory. Belt's blast was the first walk-off home run in franchise history for the Squirrels, as they defeated Uviedo in extra-innings for the third time on the year.

Richmond had started quickly against Fisher Cats' righty Rey Gonzalez, plating a pair of runs in the first inning for a 2-0 advantage. Darren Ford led off and chopped a double up the third-base line. Gonzalez struck out Noonan, but he reached when strike three was a wild pitch, and the Squirrels had runners at the corners with nobody out. Thomas Neal grounded out to second base to bring in Ford, and a batter later, Conor Gillaspie laced a single to left field to bring Noonan in.

New Hamsphire sawed the lead in half in the second when Cats' catcher Matt Liuzza connected on a solo-home run to right-center field off of Squirrels' right-hander Mike MacDonald.

The second-inning home run turned out to be the only chink in MacDonald's armor as he worked through six innings. He allowed just the lone run on five hits. He walked two and struck out four, while not factoring in the decision.

Gonazalez also settled in to work six innings, ultimately earning a no-decision. The only damage he incurred was the first inning as he allowed two runs on six total hits. He walked two and struck out three.

The Squirrels acquired some breathing room in the seventh against a pair of New Hampshire relievers. Neal delivered a two-out double off of right-hander Clint Everts and the Cats went to the bullpen for lefty Boomer Potts to face Brandon Belt. Belt cracked an 0-2 pitch for a double to center field to bring in Neal and stretch the Richmond lead to two runs, 3-1.

Rafael Cova came on to try to close out the ballgame for Richmond in the ninth, but wound up blowing his fifth save chance of the season. Scott Bowman led off and blasted a solo-home run to left-center field to cut the Richmond lead to one. Cova then walked Adam Loewen before David Cooper ripped a game-tying double off the wall in right-center field. Cova did recover to force extra-innings by retiring the next three batters.

Following the ninth, Cova retired the next nine batters in succession, but Richmond couldn't rally for the win as Cova called it a night after four innings of relief. Left-hander David Quinowski (1-0) entered in the 13th and earned his first victory at the Double-A level by working two scoreless innings.

The finale of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Thursday night at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (10-6, 3.63) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Zach Stewart (6-2, 205) for New Hampshire.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

OFFENSIVE ERUPTION NETS SQUIRRELS SERIES, 16-8

Schoop Drives in Franchise Record Six in Richmond Win

PORTLAND, ME - The Richmond Flying Squirrels established a new franchise record with 16 runs as they rolled over the Portland Sea Dogs, 16-8, on Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field. The win delivered Richmond the series as they finish a six-game road trip at a record of 4-2, having claimed both series on the trip.

Once again, the Squirrels got started quickly, this time when Darren Ford led off the ballgame with a bunt-single against Portland righty Stephen Fife. Thomas Neal moved Ford to third with a hit-and-run single into right field. Brandon Belt put Richmond on top, 1-0, with a sacrifice fly to right field.

However, Richmond again lost the lead in a hurry. Squirrels' right-hander Craig Westcott walked Che-Hsuan Lin to start the bottom of the first, and he promptly swiped second base. Nate Spears followed and ripped a double on one hop off the wall in right field to tie the game, 1-1. Anthony Rizzo then cracked a single off the wall in right to plate Spears and put Portland in front, 2-1.

The Squirrels erupted in the third and battered Fife for six runs on seven hits to take a 7-2 lead. Ryan Lormand started the record-setting rally with a double up the third-base line. Ford followed with a double to score Lormand and was aboard as Nick Noonan launched a two-run homer to right-center field. Neal then sparked the rally a new with a double. Conor Gillaspie added a double to bring in Neal and then scored when Sharlon Schoop singled. Clay Timpner capped the rally with an RBI single to score Schoop.

Fife remained in the ballgame and was drilled again in the fourth before being lifted. Ford started the onslaught with a first-pitch double and scored when Noonan followed with a double. A batter later, Belt sent another sacrifice fly to center field. Gillaspie doubled again, and Portland finally went to the bullpen. Schoop greeted right-hander Eammon Portice with a two-run double, completing a four-run inning that put Richmond in front, 11-2.

Fife (6-4) was charged with all 11 runs over 3 1/3 innings. All the runs were earned on 13 hits. Fife took the loss, walking none and striking out one.

Richmond wasn't done, as they hung another five runs on the board in the fifth. The inning was highlighted by Schoop sending a three-run home run over the "Maine Monster" in left field. With the home run, Schoop established a new franchise record with 6 RBIs in the ballgame. The Squirrels also eclipsed their previous high of 14 runs in a game as they went up, 16-2.

Anthony Rizzo clubbed a three-run home run off of Westcott in the fifth inning to cut the Richmond lead to 11 runs, 16-5. However, Westcott (3-1) earned his third win over 6 1/3 innings. He conceded five earned runs on five hits, walked three and struck out one.

Portland added a run against reliever David Quinowski in the eighth inning and two more against Mitch Lively in the ninth to cap the scoring in the ballgame. Ford, Neal and Schoop each had four hits in the ballgame for Richmond. Ford scored four times, and Noonan and Neal each came in three times.

The Squirrels are off Monday as they travel back to Richmond to open a three-game series with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at 7:05 PM on Tuesday night at The Diamond.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SEA DOGS SINK SQUIRRELS IN GAME TWO, 9-6

Portland Sets Up Sunday Rubber-Match

PORTLAND, ME - The Portland Sea Dogs raced in front early and never looked back, holding off the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 9-6, in front of 7,160 at Hadlock Field on Saturday night. The victory for Portland sets up a rubber-match scenario in the series-finale on Sunday afternoon.

The Squirrels scraped a run across against Portland righty Blake Maxwell in the first inning. Brad Boyer notched a one-out infield-single and stole second base. With two outs, Brandon Belt lined a single to score Boyer into left-field for a 1-0 lead.

The lead was short-lived as Squirrels' left-hander Clayton Tanner endured a rough beginning in the bottom of the inning. Che-Hsuan Lin started the inning with a sun-aided double to right field. Nate Spears followed and bounced a single back up the middle to tie the game, 1-1. Ray Chang then clubbed a two-run home run to left-center field and Portland owned a 3-1 lead.

Richmond got one of those runs back in the top of the second. Conor Gillaspie led off with a double into the left-field corner. He moved over on a groundout from Sharlon Schoop and scored when Tyler La Torre lifted a sacrifice fly to center field.

However, the floodgates opened in the bottom of the frame as Portland raced to a five-run lead with a four-run inning against Tanner. Ryan Khoury laid down a bunt-single to start the frame and advanced to second when Matt Sheely singled behind him. Tanner then walked Lin to load the bases with nobody out. Tanner retired Spears and Chang sent a pop-fly out to second base. Boyer lost the baseball and it fell for a single. Khoury scored on the misplay, and the bases remained loaded. Luis Exposition then sent a bases-clearing double to the alley in left-center field as Portland went ahead, 7-2.

The Sea Dogs added another run against Tanner in the third when Lin brought in Khoury with a single. Tanner (7-8) left after three innings, surrendering a season-high eight runs on a career-high matching 11 hits. He endured his eighth loss of the season, walking one and logging just one strike out.

Portland capped their scoring when Chih-Hsien Chiang homered off of left-hander Andy Sisco leading off the bottom of the fifth inning. Chiang's second blast of the series put Portland in front, 9-2.

Maxwell (3-0) battled his way through five innings for the win. He allowed just two runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out four.

The Squirrels fought their way back into the ballgame against former teammate Daniel Turpen in the sixth inning. The first four batters of the inning all recorded doubles to plate three runs. Gillaspie led off with a double and scored on a double from Sharlon Schoop. Schoop came in when La Torre doubled and Darren Ford brought in La Torre with the fourth double in the string. Richmond got within three runs at 9-6 when Clay Timpner singled on the infield, and Ford scored when Chang threw wildly toward first base. Turpen was tagged with four runs on five hits in the inning.

Right-hander Ryne Reynoso entered in the seventh and worked two perfect innings of relief. Righty Jason Rice closed it out with a scoreless ninth for his 11th save of the season.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 1:00 PM on Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field. RHP Craig Westcott (2-1, 3.82) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Stephen Fife (6-3, 4.25) for Portland.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS OUTLAST SEA DOGS IN OPENER, 7-4

Maday Returns and Wins in Relief for Richmond

PORTLAND, ME - In the first ever meeting between the two clubs, the Richmond Flying Squirrels bested the Portland Sea Dogs, 7-4, in front of 6,945 on Friday night at Hadlock Field.

The Sea Dogs struck first against Squirrels' right-hander David Mixon in the first inning. Mixon walked the lead-off man, Che-Hsuan Lin, to start trouble. Lin moved over on a ground ball and came in when Ray Chang doubled into the left-field corner for a 1-0 lead.

The Squirrels drew even against Portland righty Casey Kelley in the third, when Kellye walked Tyler La Torre to open the inning. Clay Timpner then shot a one-hop double off the wall in left-center field and La Torre raced around to tie the game, 1-1.

Lin led off the third and chopped an infield-single off the plate to get the Sea Dogs started. Mixon threw wildly attempting to throw Lin out, and he wound up at second base on the error. Nate Spears followed with an RBI double to right-center field to give Portland the lead back, 2-1. Two batters later, Anthony Rizzo poked a single into right-center field to plate Spears and the Sea Dogs enjoyed a 3-1 advantage.

Richmond came roaring back in the fifth. Ryan Lormand led off and sparked the Squirrels when Ryan Khoury misplayed his grounder to third. La Torre followed with a double to put two in scoring position with nobody out. Timpner then delivered an RBI single back up the middle and Brad Boyer replicated the feat to draw Richmond even, 3-3. After Darren Ford bunted the remaining runners up to second and third, Nick Noonan gave the Squirrels the lead, 4-3, with an RBI fielder's choice.

Mixon departed to a no-decision after five innings, having conceded three earned runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out five.

Kelley worked into the seventh inning, calling it a night after 6 2/3 innings. He didn't factor in the decision after surrendering four runs - three earned - on seven hits. He walked one and struck out one.

The Sea Dogs caught the Squirrels in the seventh. With left-hander Jake Stevens on the hill, Chih-Hsien Chang belted a solo-home run to right-center field to tie the game back up, 4-4.

The decisive inning came in the eighth for the Squirrels as they plated three runs to put the Sea Dogs away. Noonan sparked the uprising with a lead-off single. Neal walked behind him and the pair advanced on a wild pitch from reliever Mitch Herold. A batter later, Conor Gillaspie brought in Noonan with a single. Lormand then sent a swinging-bunt single left of the mound that brought home Neal for a two-run lead. A wild pitch with La Torre at the plate capped the scoring as Gillaspie completed the rally with the third run in the inning. Herold (2-4) was tagged the loss for Portland.

Daryl Maday (9-5), returning from a stint in Triple-A, earned the win in relief. He retired all four batters that he faced in a scoreless inning-and-a-third. Rafael Cova became the first Eastern League closer to 20 saves when he worked a perfect ninth.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 6:00 PM on Saturday night at Hadlock Field. LHP Clayton Tanner (7-7, 2.98) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Blake Maxwell (2-0, 2.25) for the Sea Dogs.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

MACDONALD MASTERFUL AS SQUIRRELS MOSEY PAST CATS, 10-0

Righty Goes the Distance as Richmond Claims Series

MANCHESTER, NH - The Richmond Flying Squirrels rode a masterpiece from right-hander Mike MacDonald and collected 13 hits as they pummeled the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 10-0, in front of 6,209 on Thursday night at MerchantAuto.com Stadium. The win netted the Squirrels the series victory as well.

Pitching against his former organization in a park where he flourished for parts of three seasons, MacDonald (4-7) turned in his finest performance of the season. He was dominant as he turned in the first nine-inning complete-game shutout in franchise history. He allowed just five hits, all singles, walked none and struck out five. He retired 13 consecutive batters stretching from the fourth inning through ninth inning as he won for a second straight start and the fourth time overall.

The Squirrels got out of the gates quickly, plating a first-inning run against New Hampshire righty Randy Boone. With one out, Nick Noonan chopped a single back over the mound. He advanced on a groundout from Thomas Neal and scored when Brandon Belt singled into right field for a 1-0 lead.

Richmond stretched that lead to 3-0 with two more against Boone in the second. Sharlon Schoop provided a one-out single and Boone walked both Tyler La Torre and Brad Boyer to load the bases. Ryan Lormand then grounded into a fielder's choice to score Schoop. Noonan cracked a single into right-center field which scored La Torre, but Lormand was out at the plate attempting to score from first base. When the dust settled, Richmond led the ballgame, 3-0.

Belt led off the sixth inning against Boone and singled to start Richmond again as they began to pull away. Conor Gillaspie followed and drilled a two-run home run to right-center field for a 5-0 lead.

Boone left to the loss after the sixth, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out two as he endured his sixth consecutive loss.

The Squirrels added insult to injury against right-hander Clint Everts in the seventh and eighth. Everts entered in the seventh and promptly walked Brad Boyer. Lormand singled behind him and Noonan bunted the runners up. Neal then cracked a two-run single into right field for a 7-0 lead. That lead swelled to 9-0 when Belt launched a mammoth two-run home run to right-center field.

Richmond tacked on a run when Noonan crunched an RBI triple off of Everts in the eighth. The ball appeared to have left the ballpark, but was ruled to have hit off the top of the wall by first base umpire Joel Hospodka.

The Squirrels travel to Portland, ME, to open a three-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) at 7:00 PM on Friday night at Hadlock Field. RHP David Mixon (10-6, 3.56) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Casey Kelly (3-5, 5.40) for Portland.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

CATS DROWN SQUIRRELS ON SPLASH DAY, 9-0

New Hamsphire Levels Series Behind Shawn Hill

MANCHESTER, NH - Right-hander Shawn Hill twirled seven shutout innings and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats pounded the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 9-0, in front of 5,422 on Wednesday afternoon at MerchantAuto.com Stadium. The Cats outhit the Squirrels 16-4 in the victory, which evens the three-game series between the two clubs at a game apiece.

Darin Mastroianni got New Hampshire started when he led off the first inning against Richmond right-hander Felix Romero with a single. Adeiny Hechavarria followed with a single to right-center field to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Adam Loewen followed with a groundout to the right side to score Mastroianni with the game's first run. Eric Thames singled home Hechavarria to give New Hampshire a quick 2-0 lead.

The Cats were back at it in the second as Matt Liuzza doubled with two outs in the inning. Jonathan Diaz singled him home for a 3-0 lead. Romero walked Mastroianni and then called for medical attention from trainer Eric Ortega. Romero left with shoulder fatigue and Ronnie Ray was called upon to finish the inning.

Romero (3-2) lasted just 1 2/3 innings and took the loss for Richmond. He surrendered three earned runs on five hits, walked one and struck out none as he fell for the second time on the season.

New Hampshire tacked on a run against left-hander Andy Sisco in the fifth inning. Thames singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. Concepcion Rodriguez singled him home with two outs for a 4-0 lead.

The Fisher Cats put the game away with five runs, all charged to Sisco, in the sixth inning. The first six Fisher Cats reached in the inning, which included RBIs for Hechavarria, Loewen, Thames, Rodriguez and Liuzza.

Meanwhile, Hill (1-0) cruised through his seven innings of work, shutting out the Squirrels on three hits. He walked two and struck out one and he won in his outing of the season for New Hampshire.

The Squirrels were forced to utilize catcher Tyler La Torre as a pitcher to save the bullpen over the final two innings, and he turned in two scoreless innings of relief.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Thursday night at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium. RHP Mike MacDonald (3-7, 4.69) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Randy Boone (2-7, 3.95) for New Hampshire.

# Squirrels #

SQUIRRELS RALLY PAST CATS IN 10 INNINGS, 4-2

Belt's Double in 10th Serves as Game-Winner

MANCHESTER, NH - The Richmond Flying Squirrels earned a hard-fought, 4-2, victory in 10 innings over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in front of 6,434 at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium on Tuesday night.

With the game tied, 2-2, Brad Boyer led off the 10th for the Squirrels and drew a four-pitch walk from right-hander Ronald Uviedo. A batter later, Nick Noonan delivered a hit-and-run single to right field. With runners at the corners and one out, Uviedo hit Thomas Neal to load the bases for Brandon Belt. Belt roped a two-run double down the right-field line to plate Boyer and Noonan with the decisive runs. Uviedo (2-4) was saddled with his fourth loss of the season.

Darren Ford got the Squirrels started quickly against New Hampshire right-hander Zach Stewart as he led off the ballgame with a triple into the left-field corner. Noonan brought him in with a groundout to the right-side of the infield and the Squirrels enjoyed an early 1-0 lead.

The Fisher Cats drew even with a run against Squirrels' right-hander Craig Westcott in the third inning. With two outs, Darin Mastroianni singled into left field. He promptly swiped second base and came around to tie the game, 1-1, when Adeiny Hechavarria rifled a single into left field.

Following Ford's triple, Stewart found a groove and retired the next 14 hitters in order. That included striking out six-of-seven batters during one stretch.

New Hampshire climbed into the lead with a final run off Westcott in the fifth inning. Jonathan Diaz opened the inning with a single and a batter later, Mastroianni singled to put two aboard. With two outs, Adam Loewen put the Fisher Cats ahead, 2-1, with a single through the left-side of the infield.

Westcott was lifted during the fifth inning and didn't factor in the decision. He allowed a pair of earned runs on six his over 4 2/3 innings, walked two and struck out four.

Stewart also retired to a no-decision following the fifth inning, and the Squirrels quickly pulled even against his replacement, Vince Bongiovanni. Brad Boyer led off the sixth inning with a double and moved to third when Ford flared a single to right-center field. A batter later, Thomas Neal tied the ballgame, 2-2, when he lifted a sacrifice fly to right field.

Mitch Lively (2-2) earned the win for Richmond, working an inning of scoreless relief. He handed it off to Rafael Cova with one out in the ninth inning. Cova nailed down the win for Richmond and his league-leading 19th save of the season as he calmly recorded the final two outs in the ballgame.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 12:05 PM on Wednesday afternoon at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium. RHP Felix Romero (3-1, 3.45) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Shawn Hill (0-0, ---) for New Hampshire.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

LIGHT MALFUNCTION SUSPENDS OPENER WITH R-PHILS

Tickets for Monday Will Be Honored on Tuesday

RICHMOND, VA - With the Reading Phillies leading the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 9-2, after six innings, the opener of a three-game series was suspended on Monday night due to a light malfunction. The game will be resumed at 6:15 PM on Tuesday night at The Diamond, and will be played to its conclusion. Game two of the series will follow upon the completion of the suspended game. Fans holding tickets for Monday night's suspended game may redeem those tickets for entry into Tuesday's game. Gates will open at 6 PM on Tuesday night.

The R-Phils opened quickly against Squirrels' starter David Mixon in the first inning. Rich Thompson opened the ballgame with a single and Harold Garcia moved him around to third when he followed with a single. A wild-pitch from Mixon opened the scoring as Thompson scored. Mixon walked Michael Spidale and Matt Rizzotti sent a double to left-center field that Darren Ford misread off the bat. As it scooted to the wall, Garcia scored for a 2-0 lead. Timo Perez brought in Spidale with a groundout to first base and Reading led 3-0.

The Squirrels got on the board with a run in the bottom of the first when Reading righty J.C Ramirez walked Ford to start the inning. Two batters later, Brandon Belt tripled through the alley in left-center field to plate Ford with Richmond's first run.

Reading was back at it against Mixon in the second when Tuffy Gosewisch led off with a single. Ramirez bunted him to second and Thompson ripped a double to make it 4-1 R-Phils.

The R-Phils opened up the ballgame with a pair of runs in both the third and fifth innings. Perez belted a two-run home run to right field in the third that stretched the Reading advantage to 6-1. In the fifth, Freddy Galvis contributed an RBI single and a second run scored when Clay Timpner misplayed a ball in right field. Mixon departed in the inning with the R-Phils in front 8-1.

Mixon was charged with a season-high eight runs - seven earned - in 4 2/3 innings of work. He also allowed a season-high 12 hits. He walked one and struck out three.

Richmond finally got back on the board with a lone run against Ramirez in the fifth inning. Aaron Lowenstein led off with a single and Timpner doubled him home into right-center field.

Ramirez got plenty of run support and pitched well. He was still in the game when it was suspended after the sixth inning. To that point, the righty had allowed two runs on five hits, walked one and struck out five.

The R-Phils added another run in the sixth when reliever Andy Sisco walked Galvis with the bases loaded.

Game two will be contested as a nine-inning game and will feature LHP Clayton Tanner (6-6, 3.17) making the start for Richmond against RHP Mike Cisco (2-6, 4.93) for Reading.

# Squirrels #

BAYSOX HOLD OFF SQUIRRELS TO SPLIT SERIES, 4-3

Richmond Gains No Ground On Bowie in Four-Game Set

BOWIE, MD - The Bowie Baysox held on to claim a, 4-3, win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Sunday night at Prince George's Stadium. The win allowed the Baysox to split a four-game series after the Squirrels had grabbed the first two games.

Joe Mahoney got the Baysox started with his 11th hit of the series in the second inning. His single off of Squirrels' right-hander Mike MacDonald came with one out. A batter later, MacDonald hit Steve Lerud. With two down, Jonathan Tucker sent a soft-single to right field to plate Mahoney with the game's first run.

Bowie was back at it in the third as Greg Miclat and Ryan Adams supplied back-to-back singles to start the inning, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. MacDonald struck out Tyler Henson, but Joel Guzman sent a broken-bat single to center field to score Miclat. With two outs, Brandon Waring made it 3-0 for Bowie when he lined a single to left field.

The Squirrels finally broke through against Bowie right-hander Steve Johnson in the fifth inning. Conor Gillaspie led off the inning with a double off the wall in right field and Brad Boyer followed with a single to score him. Two batters later, Boyer scored when Clay Timpner lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. Richmond eventually left the bases loaded, and left the inning trailing 3-2.

Bowie immediately got one of those runs back and chased MacDonald in the fifth. Henson doubled down the right-field line to open the frame, and Guzman singled him to third with one out. MacDonald departed in favor of righty Daniel Turpen. Turpen bounced Mahoney to third base, but Adams scored when the Squirrels couldn't complete a double play and Bowie led, 4-2.

MacDonald (2-7) surrendered four earned runs over 4 1/3 innings and lost in his first start since June 27th. He conceded eight hits, walked none and struck out three.

Johnson (5-6) departed after six solid innings. He allowed the two earned runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out five as he won for the first time against Richmond in his fifth start against them.

Richmond attempted to rally from behind in the eighth, netting a run against reliever Raul Rivero. Rivero walked Darren Ford to start the inning and Brandon Belt brought him in with a single to left field. However, Pedro Beato entered to squelch the rally with Richmond behind, 4-3. Beato went on to work a scoreless ninth inning, earning his 10th save of the season.

The Squirrels return to Richmond to open a three-game series against the Reading Phillies (Philadelphia Phillies) on Monday night at 7:05 PM at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (10-5, 3.31) will make the start for the Squirrels against RHP J.C. Ramirez (2-2, 4.80) for Reading.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

BAYSOX BOMB SQUIRRELS IN GAME THREE, 10-0

"The Force" Not with Richmond on Star Wars Night

BOWIE, MD - The Bowie Baysox turned the tables on Richmond a night after being drubbed, and thrashed the Flying Squirrels, 10-0, on Saturday night at Prince George's Stadium. The Squirrels defeated Bowie by 10 runs the night prior.

Squirrels' right-hander Michael Main (0-3) breezed through the first inning, but the second was a different story. He walked the lead-off man, Joel Guzman, and conceded a two-run home run to Joe Mahoney that crashed violently off the video board in right-center field. Main then walked Brandon Waring and gave up an equally impressive home run to Steve Lerud, who also left the park to right field for a 4-0 lead.

The Baysox added a run against Main in the fifth on a Mahoney RBI double and put the game away with four more runs in the fourth. Main walked Danny Figueroa and Greg Miclat to start the fourth and was lifted in favor of Ronnie Ray. Ray allowed both inherited runners to score and two more of his own in the inning. Both runs to Ray were unearned after an error on Nick Noonan allowed the inning to continue. When the smoke cleared, four more runs had scored and Bowie led, 9-0.

Main was tagged with seven earned runs on five hits over three innings to take his third straight loss. He walked a career-high six, while striking out just two.

Bowie starter Eddie Gamboa was ineligible for the win after tossing just three scoreless innings. Right-hander Bob McCrory (2-2) entered to earn the win, working two hitless innings of relief.

Mahoney added another home run in the sixth inning, his fourth hit of the game sailing over the right-center field wall to put Bowie on top, 10-0. Mahoney finished the game 4-for-4, and has at least three hits in every game in the series. All told, he is 9-for-11 in the first three games in the series.

Right-hander Jose Diaz worked two scoreless innings behind McCrory and right-hander Sean Gleason kept the shutout bid intact with a scoreless eighth. Pedro Beato finished the win with a scoreless ninth as the Squirrels were shutout for the seventh time on the year.

The finale of the four-game series is scheduled for 6:05 PM on Sunday night at Prince George's Stadium. RHP Michael MacDonald (2-6, 4.48) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Steve Johnson (4-6, 5.53) for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

BATS BUST OUT IN BOWIE, SQUIRRELS ROLL, 14-4

Richmond Establishes New Franchise Record for Runs in Game Two

BOWIE, MD - The Richmond Flying Squirrels exploded for ten runs over the first three innings and strolled through the heat and humidity to a, 14-4, win over the Bowie Baysox on Friday night at Prince George's Stadium. The win represents the most lop-sided win of the season for the Squirrels.

Bowie right-hander Ryohei Tanaka looked like he was on his way to a quick first inning when Thomas Neal disrupted him with a two-out single. Brandon Belt followed and ripped double off the top of the wall in right-center field. The relay thrown to the plate beat an arriving Neal, but he bowled over catcher Caleb Joseph, knocking the ball loose for a 1-0 Richmond lead. Joseph was knocked from the ballgame. Tanaka then walked Conor Gillaspie, and Brad Boyer gave the Squirrels a 4-0 advantage when he crushed a three-run home run to right-center field.

The Baysox got on the board in the second when Joe Mahoney led off and launched a massive solo-home run down the right-field line against Squirrels' right-hander Craig Westcott.

However, the floodgates opened as Richmond jumped on Tanaka again in the third. Tanaka hit Neal to start the inning and Belt followed with a single to left field. Gillaspie flew out, but Boyer lined an RBI single to left field to score Neal. Sharlon Schoop then cracked a two-run double into the alley in left-center field. Tyler La Torrre kept the ball rolling with his own RBI double to the alley. Tanaka finally recorded the second out of the inning, but Darren Ford rifled a triple into left-center field to plate La Torre. Tanaka was lifted in favor of lefty Pedro Viola who was greeted by a Nick Noonan RBI single. When the dust cleared, the Squirrels had matched their franchise-record with six runs in the inning, and held a 10-1 lead.

Tanaka (4-11) was charged with 10 earned runs as he endured his 11th loss of the season over just 2 2/3 innings. He fell to 1-5 against Richmond on the season, surrendering eight hits, walking one and logging no strike outs.

Joel Guzman launched a solo-home run off Westcott in the third and then struck again with a two-run blast in the fifth. Those two home runs gave Guzman the league-lead back with 22 on the season and pulled Bowie to within six runs, 10-4.

Westcott (2-1) ultimately worked through six innings for his second straight victory over the Baysox. He allowed four runs -- two earned -- on eight hits. He walked just one and struck out three.

Boyer contributed another RBI single in the eighth inning. He hit drove in Belt, and allowed Boyer to match the franchise record with his 5th RBI of the night. It also marked a career-high for Boyer.

Neal added the exclamation point when he crushed a three-run home run to left-center field in the ninth inning to establish a new franchise record for runs in a single game. Neal's blast also gave him 50 RBIs for the season, the first Squirrel to reach that plateau.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 6:35 PM on Saturday night at Prince George's Stadium. RHP Michael Main (0-2, 7.84) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Eddie Gamboa (3-4, 3.21) for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

TANNER TWIRLS SQUIRRELS PAST BAYSOX, 3-2

Richmond Takes Opener of Four-Game Series

BOWIE, MD - Left-hander Clayton Tanner turned in seven sterling innings as the Richmond Flying Squirrels hung on for a, 3-2, victory over the Bowie Baysox in the opener of a four-game series at Prince George's Stadium on Thursday night.

The Squirrels caught a break to start the game and capitalized on it to take the lead. Nick Noonan led off the ballgame with a fly ball to left-center field. Tyler Henson, Bowie's left fielder, misplayed the fly and Noonan was able to advance to second base. Ryan Lormand bunted him to third and he scored for a 1-0 lead when Thomas Neal bounced out to the shortstop. The run was unearned and charged to Bowie left-hander Rick Zagone.

Tanner held the lead and the Baysox in check through four innings. However, they would tie the game with a run in the fifth. Danny Figueroa singled with one out and promptly swiped second base. He advanced to third on a wild-pitch from Tanner and scored to tie the game when Greg Miclat singled back up the middle.

Zagone worked himself into trouble in the sixth as the Squirrels grabbed the lead back. Zagone issued back-to-back two-out walks to Neal and Brandon Belt. Conor Gillaspie made them hurt when he ripped a single to right field to score Neal with the go-ahead run.

Zagone (1-2) departed after six innings. He surrendered two runs -- one earned -- on three hits. He walked three and struck out one as he endured the hard-luck loss.

The Squirrels again rallied with two outs against the Bowie bullpen in the seventh. With two outs and reliever Raul Rivero in the ballgame, Skyler Stromsmoe legged out an infield-single. Noonan followed and ripped a triple into the right-field corner to score Stromsmoe and stretch the Richmond advantage to 3-1.

Tanner (6-6) left in style, working a perfect seventh inning before calling it a night after seven solid innings. The left-hander allowed just a lone run on five hits. He walked one and struck out four to earn his sixth win of the season.

Bowie battled back to plate a run off of reliever Daniel Turpen in the eighth inning, creeping to within a run, 3-2. However, the Squirrrels held the lead to the ninth and right-hander Mitch Lively came on to retire the side in order for his second save of the season.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Friday night at Prince George's Stadium. RHP Craig Westcott will make the start for Richmond against RHP Ryohei Tanaka for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS GRAB SERIES FROM THUNDER, 4-2

Mixon Earns 10th Win Over Six Innings

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels outlasted the Trenton Thunder in the afternoon heat, claiming a, 4-2, series-clinching victory in front of 8,309 on Wednesday afternoon at The Diamond.

The Squirrels created an early run against Trenton right-hander Andrew Brackman in the first inning. Nick Noonan got Richmond started with a one-out single and was advanced to second when Brackman walked Thomas Neal. A groundout moved Noonan to third and he scored to give Richmond a 1-0 lead on a passed ball charged to Rene Rivera.

Trenton evened the score with a run against Squirrels' right-hander David Mixon in the second. Daniel Brewer and Marcos Vechionacci contributed back-to-back singles at the outset of the inning. With runners at first and third, Jack Dye sent a swinging-bunt up the third-base line. Mixon sprinted to it and was able to flip it to the catcher Tyler La Torre ahead of the arrival of Brewer. However, Brewer was ruled to have slid safely around the tag, and the game was tied, 1-1.

The Thunder pulled ahead in the sixth inning. Rene Rivera sent a two-out solo-home run to center field as Trenton took the lead for the first time, 2-1.

Richmond wrestled the lead away with a pair of runs charged to Brackman in the bottom of the inning. Clay Timpner drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. With two outs, Darren Ford drilled a triple into the alley in left-center field to tie the game, 2-2. Brackman was chased by the triple, and lefty Wilkin Arias entered in relief. His first pitch was wild and squeezed through the legs of Rivera to allow Ford to score from third for a 3-2 lead.

Brackman (1-5) was saddled with the loss for Trenton, conceding three runs -- two earned -- over 5 2/3 innings. He allowed nine hits, walked two and struck out seven.

Mixon (10-5) notched his 10th victory of the season over six innings. He pulled into a tie with Altoona's Jared Hughes for the league-lead in wins by allowing a pair of runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out four.

The Squirrels collected an insurance run in the eighth against reliever J.B. Cox. Ryan Lormand sailed Richmond's third triple of the day to right-center field and scored a batter later when Ford singled back up the middle.

Rafael Cova nailed down the win and earned his 17th save of the season, working a perfect ninth inning. Cova pulled into a tie for the league-lead in saves with his effort.

The Squirrels will travel to Bowie, MD, to open a four-game series with the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore Orioles) at 7:05 PM on Thursday night at Prince George's Stadium. LHP Clayton Tanner (5-6, 3.30) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Rick Zagone (1-1, 4.00) for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

EXPLOSIVE EIGHTH PUSHES SQUIRRELS PAST THUNDER, 8-3

Richmond Levels Series with a Wild Win in Game Two

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels used a six-run eighth inning to roar past the Trenton Thunder, 8-3, in front of 5,144 on Tuesday night at The Diamond. The ballgame was delayed 34 minutes at the outset due to rain.

Trailing 3-2 to the bottom of the eighth inning, Richmond exploded for six runs against the Trenton bullpen. Right-hander Kevin Whelan started the inning and promptly walked Sharlon Schoop. Whelan got the first out of the frame, but conceded a flare-single to Brad Boyer to put two aboard. Whelan then issued back-to-back walks to Thomas Neal and Brandon Belt. The walk to Belt brought in Schoop to tie the game, 3-3. The Thunder went back to the bullpen for lefty Wilkin de la Rosa, but he didn't put out the fire. Conor Gillaspie greeted him with a comeback single to put Richmond in front, 4-3. Ryan Lormand then sliced a ball into right field that bounced over a diving Edwar Gonzalez and wound up clearing the bases as Lormand pulled into third with a three-run triple. Clay Timpner capped the rally with an RBI single to plate Lormand.

The six-run inning matched the most prolific offensive inning of the season for the Squirrels. Whelan (1-3) was tagged with the loss over just a third of an inning.

Trenton had snatched the lead with a pair of runs spanning the seventh and eighth innings. Both of those runs were charged to left-hander Jake Stevens. Right-hander Daniel Turpen (5-5) earned the win for Richmond, having finished the eighth inning for Stevens.

Richmond starter Felix Romero retired seven of the first eight batters of the ballgame, but the ninth put Trenton on the board first in the third inning. Gonzalez delivered a solo-home run to right-center field for a 1-0 Thunder lead.

The Squirrels answered against Trenton righty Hector Noesi in the bottom of the frame. Clay Timpner led off with a single and a batter later Sharlon Schoop cranked a two-run home run to right-center. The blast, Schoop's first of the year, pulled Richmond in front, 2-1.

Romero was outstanding through six innings, conceding only the solo-home run. He departed with the lead, but wouldn't factor in the decision. He allowed a lone run on three hits, walked one and struck out three.

Noesi lasted through the seventh inning. He also didn't register a decision, allowing just two runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Rafael Cova mopped up the win as he mowed down the side in order in the ninth inning. Richmond won for just for the fourth time when they trailed after five innings.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for Noon on Wednesday afternoon at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (9-5, 3.33) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Andrew Brackman (1-4, 4.56) for Trenton.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

THE THUNDER ROLLS OVER RICHMOND, 6-0

Squirrels Blanked in Series Opener with Trenton

RICHMOND, VA - The Trenton Thunder got six one-hit innings from right-hander Lance Pendleton as they cruised past the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 6-0, in front of 4,086 at The Diamond on Monday night.

Squirrels' right-hander Michael Main found trouble for the first time in the third inning when he hit the lead-off batter Edwar Gonzalez. Gonzalez stole second base and advanced to third on a wild-pitch from Main. Austin Romine gave Trenton a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to center field.

The Thunder doubled the lead with an unearned run against Main in the fourth. Main threw away a comebacker from Matt Cusick allowing him to reach with one out. A batter later, Jack Rye tripled him home off the top of the wall in right field for a 2-0 advantage.

Trenton stretched the lead to four runs and chased Main in the fifth. Justin Snyder laid down a bunt-single to spark the rally, and scored on a double from Romine. Brandon Laird singled Romine to third and he scored for a 4-0 edge when Daniel Brewer lifted a sacrifice fly to center field.

Main (0-2) was tagged with the loss over 4 1/3 innings. He allowed four runs - three earned - on four hits. He walked two, committed two throwing errors and struck out two as he dropped his second consecutive decision.

Meanwhile, Pendleton (8-4) was magnificent over his six innings. He blanked the Squirrels on just one hit. He did walk four, but struck out five as he won for the eighth time.

The Thunder put the game away with a pair of runs off of right-hander Mike MacDonald in the top of the ninth inning. Wilkins Arias, George Kontos and Ryan Pope combined for three scoreless innings out of the Trenton bullpen to complete the shutout.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:05 on Tuesday night at The Diamond. RHP Felix Romero (2-1, 3.88) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Hector Noesi (6-1, 1.74) for Trenton.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

WESTCOTT'S GEM EARNS SQUIRRELS SPLIT WITH BOWIE, 4-2

Righty Earns First Double-A Win Over Seven Sterling Innings

RICHMOND, VA - Right-hander Craig Westcott (1-1) earned his first Double-A win as the Richmond Flying Squirrels dumped the Bowie Baysox, 4-2, in front of 8,814 on Sunday night. Westcott limited the Baysox to three hits over seven innings as Richmond earned a split of the four-game series.

The Baysox did open the scoring against Westcott in the third inning, plating an unearned run for the game's first lead. Westcott issued a one-out walk to Greg Miclat and threw errantly on a pick-off attempt at first base to advance him to second. Miclat moved up to third on a groundout and scored for a 1-0 lead when Danny Figueroa singled into center field.

The Richmond response came in the fourth against Bowie right-hander Ryohei Tanaka (4-10). Thomas Neal sparked the rally with a one-out infield-single. Brandon Belt doubled behind him to put runners at second and third with one out. The double for Belt extended his personal hit-streak to 12 games. Tanaka walked Conor Gillaspie to load the bases and Clay Timpner chopped an infield-single to the right of the mound that scored Neal to tie the game, 1-1. On Timpner's single, Tanaka and first baseman Joe Mahoney collided. The collision bloodied the mouth of Mahoney and forced his departure from the ballgame. Tanaka continued and allowed the Richmond go-ahead run when Ryan Lormand sent a fielder's choice grounder to the shortstop Miclat.

Bowie wasted no time tying the ballgame as Brandon Waring led off the fifth inning with a mammoth solo-home run to left field off of Westcott. Waring's 16th of the season knotted the score, 2-2.

The Squirrels grabbed the lead again with another run against Tanaka in the bottom of the inning. Darren Ford doubled into left field with one out and a batter later, Neal ripped a single into right field to plate Ford and put Richmond back in front, 3-2.

Richmond took a parting shot at Tanaka in the sixth as the righty conceded a triple to Gillaspie to lead off the inning and then called it a night. Timpner singled off Tanaka's replacement, lefty Pedro Viola, to score Gillaspie for a 4-2 lead.

Tanaka was charged with four earned runs on seven hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out two as he lost for the fourth time against Richmond.

Westcott lasted seven innings, matching the longest outing of his career. He earned his first Double-A victory, and also established a new career-high with nine strike outs. He was charged with two runs - one earned - on just three hits.

Rafael Cova worked the final two innings to earn his 16th save of the season. Cova issued a walk, but did not allow another Bowie hit. He struck out Waring to end the ballgame.

The Flying Squirrels open a three-game series with the Trenton Thunder (New York Yankees) at 7:05 PM on Monday night at The Diamond. RHP Michael Main (0-1, 9.00) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Lance Pendleton (7-4, 3.97) for the Thunder.

# Squirrels #

TANNER TAMES BAYSOX AS SQUIRRELS SNAP SKID, 5-2

Lefty Helps Richmond End Slide at Four Games

RICHMOND, VA - Left-hander Clayton Tanner's strong performance led the Richmond Flying Squirrels to a, 5-2, victory over the Bowie Bayson in front of 8,039 at The Diamond on Saturday night. With the win, Richmond snapped a four-game losing-streak.

The Squirrels jumped on top with a pair of runs against Bowie left-hander Rick Zagone (1-1) in third inning. Ryan Lormand sparked the rally with a lead-off single. A batter later, Clay Timpner rifled a triple into center field to bring Lormand around with the game's first run. Darren Ford bounced out to second base to plate Timpner and Richmond enjoyed a 2-0 advantage.

Richmond doubled their lead with another pair of runs against Zagone in the fourth. Conor Gillaspie singled to start the inning and Brad Boyer tripled behind him up the first-base line. Gillaspie came around on Boyer's triple as Richmond expanded their lead to 3-0. Lormand lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to cap the inning with the Squirrels in front, 4-0.

Meanwhile, Tanner (5-6) had the Baysox handcuffed through the first six innings. The lefty allowed just a lone hit and did not allow a Bowie base runner past first base.

Bowie finally got to Tanner in the seventh inning, plating their first run of the night. Joel Guzman singled into left field with one out and moved to second when Tanner walked Brandon Waring. Caleb Joseph singled up the middle to score Guzman, as Bowie cut the Richmond lead to 4-1.

The Baysox picked up a final run against Tanner and finally forced him from the ballgame in the eighth inning. Tanner earned the victory by allowing just two runs over 7 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five as he won for the fifth time on the year.

Zagone recovered to last through seven innings, but he couldn't escape the loss, falling for the first time at the Double-A level. He was charged with four runs on nine hits. He walked two and struck out five.

The Squirrels capped the scoring in the ballgame with an insurance-run in the eighth inning against reliever Sean Gleason. Ford supplied an RBI single that scored Lormand with the final run of the ballgame.

Right-hander Mitch Lively nailed down the win for Richmond, finishing the eighth for Tanner and working a perfect ninth. He earned his first save of the season.

The finale of the four-game series is scheduled for 5:05 PM on Sunday night at The Diamond. RHP Craig Westcott (0-1, 3.27) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Ryohei Tanaka (4-9, 5.33) for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

SQUIRRELS' HEARTS BROKEN IN OPENER, 8-6

Richmond Comeback Turns Into Deflating Series-Opening Defeat

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels lost in deflating fashion, coughing up a ninth-inning lead and falling to the Bowie Baysox, 8-6, in front of a capacity crowd of 9,560 at The Diamond on Thursday night.

After Richmond had erased a 5-2 deficit with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Baysox ripped the Squirrels' hearts out with three runs in the ninth. Squirrels' closer Rafael Cova couldn't hold the lead, walking Carlos Rojas to start the inning. He got the next two outs, but Tyler Henson tied the game, 6-6, with a single into left field. Cova then walked Joel Guzman before being taken out in favor of Ronnie Ray. Ray encountered Joe Mahoney, and Mahoney lifted a game-winning two-run triple off the wall in right-center field. Cova (0-4) was charged with all three runs and the loss for Richmond.

Squirrels' righty Felix Romero held Bowie at bay through three innings, but the Baysox finally broke through against him in the fourth. Romero started the trouble when he walked Guzman with two outs. Mahoney followed with a two-out single and Brandon Waring put the Baysox on the board with single back up the middle.

Richmond answered quickly as Brandon Belt led off the bottom of the inning with a towering solo-home run to right field off of Bowie right-hander Steve Johnson. Belt's fifth blast with the Squirrels extended his personal hit-streak to nine games and tied the game, 1-1.

The Baysox reclaimed the lead and chased Romero with three runs in the sixth inning. Ryan Adams led off the inning with a single and came around for a 2-1 lead when Henson doubled behind him. Romero righted himself to retire the next two hitters, but Waring clubbed a two-run home run to left field to extend the advantage to 4-1.

Waring's homer was the last pitch thrown by Romero, who exited after 5 2/3 innings. He conceded four earned runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Johnson departed after five innings. He allowed a lone run on four hits, walked one and struck out two.

Richmond tried to chip away with a run against Johnson's replacement, Eddie Gamboa, in the bottom of the sixth. Belt led off the frame with a triple off the wall in left field. Brad Boyer brought him in with a groundout to the shortstop and Richmond trailed, 4-2.

The Baysox added a run courtesy of three Richmond walks in the eighth inning. Left-hander Andy Sisco issued the final walk to force in a run to put Bowie ahead, 5-2.

The Squirrels roared back in the bottom of the inning as Nick Noonan led off against reliever Brandon Cooney with a single. Thomas Neal followed with a double to put two in scoring position for Belt. Belt delivered again, notching a two-run single up the middle to pull the Squirrels within a run. Boyer forced Belt, and Ryan Lormand doubled to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Cooney was lifted in favor of right-hander Pedro Beato, who entered to face Tyler La Torre. La Torre laced a two-run single to put Richmond ahead for the first time in the ballgame, 6-5.

Beato (4-0) righted himself to strike out the side in the bottom of the ninth inning for the win. Belt, who finished the night a double away from the cycle, struck out to end the ballgame.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Friday night at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (9-5, 3.21) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Chorye Spoone (6-5, 3.73) for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS AND CURVE FINALE SUSPENDED IN 4TH INNING

Richmond Leads 6-3, Game to be Resumed on August 27th

ALTOONA, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels were leading the Altoona Curve when rains forced the suspension of the series finale in the bottom of the fourth inning. The game will be resumed and completed when the Flying Squirrels return to Altoona on Friday, August 27th.

When the game resumes, Altoona will have runners at second and third base with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, trailing Richmond 6-3.

The Curve wasted no time getting to Squirrels' right-hander Craig Westcott. Shelby Ford stroked a double to left field to start the rally with one out. Jordy Mercer followed with an RBI single to put Altoona in front, 1-0. Westcott retired Matt Hague, but walked both Kris Watts and Brandon Jones to load the bases. Miles Durham followed the free-passes and cracked a two-run single off the top of the wall in left field. His liner plated Mercer and Watts for a 3-0 lead.

Richmond came racing back in the top of the second against Altoona righty Tim Alderson. Brandon Belt led off and extended his hit-streak to nine games with a single back through the box. Conor Gillaspie followed with a single through the right-side of the infield that moved Belt to third. Clay Timpner got the Squirrels on the board with a single to right field. Eliezer Zambrano followed with a grounder to first base that Matt Hague threw away attempting to force Timpner at second. The error left the bases loaded with nobody out. Ryan Lormand dug in and tied the game, 3-3 with a two-run single up the middle.

Westcott retired the side in order in the second and the Squirrels jumped on Alderson again in the third. Belt led off with a double to the alley in right-center field and Alderson used 10 pitches before walking Gillaspie. Timpner then drilled a two-run double down the right-field line to score both runners for a 5-3 Richmond lead. Two batters later, Westcott belted a double off the wall in left-center field to plate Timpner, aiding his own cause and extending the Squirrels' advantage to 6-3.

The Squirrels will enjoy the Eastern League All-Star Break on Tuesday and Wednesday. They will open a four-game series against the Bowie Baysox at The Diamond on Thursday night at 7:05 PM.

# Squirrels #

CURVE CLAIM BRISK GAME TWO, 2-1

Mixon Denied 10th Win Despite Gem

ALTOONA, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels squandered an outstanding outing from starter David Mixon as they fell to the Altoona Curve, 2-1, in front of 4,602 on Saturday night at Blair County Ballpark. The ballgame was played in just two hours and eight minutes.

The Curve got all they would need for victory against Mixon in the first inning. Anthony Norman led off the inning with a single through the right-side of the infield. Two batters later, Matt Hague ripped a two-run home run to left-center field to give Altoona a 2-0 advantage.

Rehabbing lefty Zach Duke had the Squirrels off-balance and held them hitless into the fourth inning. However, with two outs, Brandon Belt launched a solo-home run to right field, cutting the Altoona lead in half, 2-1. Belt's blast extended his hit-streak to seven games.

Duke worked four innings in his second rehab start for the Pirates and didn't factor in the decision. He allowed a lone run on two hits, walked one and struck out none.

Mixon (9-5) settled in and following a single from Jordy Mercer in the first inning, he retired 19 of the next 20 batters that he faced. He departed after seven innings, having retired 12 consecutive Curve hitters. Unfortunately, he took a hard-luck loss despite allowing just two runs over seven innings. He conceded just four hits, walked none and struck out five.

Left-hander Anthony Watson (3-0) earned the win, working three hitless innings of relief from the fifth through the seventh inning. Right-hander Anthony Claggett worked a scoreless, stifling the only good change the Squirrels had to draw even. Right-hander Ramon Aguero worked a perfect ninth for his second save of the season.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 6:00 PM on Sunday night at Blair County Ballpark. LHP Clayton Tanner (4-6, 3.34) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Justin Wilson (7-4, 2.71) for Altoona.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SENATORS SURVIVE SQUIRRELS IN FINALE, 9-7

Richmond Comeback Thwarted as Harrisburg Grabs Series Win

HARRISBURG, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels erased a 6-0 deficit only to have their hearts broken by the Harrisburg Senators, 9-7, in front of 2,996 on Thursday night at Metro Bank Park. The win gave the Senators the series victory as well, having taken three-of-four from the Squirrels.

The Squirrels led 7-6 into the bottom of the eighth inning after storming back, but the Senators scored three times in the eighth to rescue the ballgame. All the damage was done against Richmond righty Daniel Turpen (4-5), who took the loss for the Squirrels. With one out, Turpen conceded a single to Michael Martinez and walked Tim Pahuta. Jhonatan Solano followed with a lengthy at-bat that culminated in an RBI double off the wall in right field that tied the game, 7-7. Edgardo Baez then cracked a two-run single to right-center field to cap the scoring, 9-7.

Squirrels' right-hander Michael Main got the Senators started in the first inning when he hit Danny Espinosa with an 0-2 pitch with one out. Marvin Lowrance was then walked by Main to put two aboard. Chris Marrero followed and cranked a three-run home run to left field for a 3-0 Harrisburg lead.

The Senators were back at it in the third as Espinosa recorded a single off Main with one out. Main walked Lowrance again, and Marrero drove in Espinosa with a single for a 4-0 lead. Lowrance moved to third on the single and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field from Jesus Valdez.

Lowrance drove in a sixth run for the Senators against Main in the fifth and Main was lifted after 4 1/3 innings. He allowed six runs -- all earned -- on five hits. He walked three, hit another and struck out none in his second start as a Squirrel.

All the while, Harrisburg lefty Aaron Thompson was cruising. He allowed just two singles as he blanked Richmond for the first six innings.

However, the Squirrels finally got to Thompson in the seventh, plating three runs to cut the lead in half, 6-3. Thomas Neal got the rally started with a one-out single. Brad Boyer doubled behind him to put two aboard for Conor Gillaspie. Gillaspie sent a two-run triple into the right-field corner to put Richmond on the board. Tyler La Torre brought in Gillaspie with a groundout as the Squirrels closed to 6-3.

Richmond completed the comeback with four runs in the eighth inning as they raced ahead against a pair of Senators' relievers. Hassan Pena walked both Darren Ford and Nick Noonan before being replaced by Jack Spradlin. The lefty promptly gave up an RBI double to Brandon Belt as the Squirrels pulled within two runs. Ryan Lormand followed and sent a single into right field that Jesus Valdez misplayed. As the ball got behind him, both runners scored to tie the game and Lormand raced all the way to third. Gillasie singled Lormand in as Richmond took the lead, 7-6.

Joe Bisenius (1-0) earned the win for the Senators, facing and retiring just one batter in the eighth inning. Adam Carr worked a scoreless ninth inning for his second save of the season.

The Squirrels will travel to Altoona, PA to open a four-game series against the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates) on Friday night at 7:05 PM at Blair County Ballpark. RHP Felix Romero (1-1, 3.96) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Jared Hughes (10-5, 4.21) for Altoona.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

PUNCHLESS SQUIRRELS SHUT OUT BY SENATORS, 4-0

Westcott Suffers First Professional Loss

HARRISBURG, PA - The Harrisburg Senators used a trio of hurlers to shut out the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 4-0, in front of 1,860 at Metro Bank Park on Wednesday night.

Harrisburg cracked the scoreboard first, plating an unearned run off of Squirrels' right-hander Craig Westcott in the third inning. Starting pitcher Andrew Kown led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a single from Marvin Lowrance two batters later. Westcott walked Chris Marrero to load the bases with two outs and got a ground ball to third base from Jesus Valdez that should have ended the inning. Brad Boyer's throw to first was wide of the bag however, and Kown came in to give Harrisburg a 1-0 lead.

That lead expanded in the fifth when Westcott walked Brad Coon to lead off the frame. He got the first two outs in the inning, but Valdez lined a two-run homer into the left-field bleachers for a 3-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Kown was in control. He faced just one over the minimum through his first six innings, shutting out the Squirrels on one hit. He retired 10 consecutive batters from the first to the fifth inning, only having that string ended on an error on Michael Martinez.

Kown (3-4) retired after the sixth inning to his third victory of the season. He allowed just a lone hit, walked none and struck out four.

Westcott (0-1) departed after the fifth inning. He was charged with three runs -- two earned -- on six hits. He lost for the first time as a professional in his 22nd professional start.

Right-hander Cole Kimball worked two scoreless innings behind Kown and Zech Zinicola closed out the ballgame with a scoreless ninth. The Squirrels were shut out for the sixth time this season.

Tim Pahuta capped the scoring with a solo-home run off of Richmond reliever Mitch Lively in the eighth inning.

The finale of the four-game series is scheduled for 7:00 PM on Thursday at Metro Bank Park. RHP Michael Main (0-1, 0.00) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Aaron Thompson (4-10, 5.79) for Harrisburg.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

VICTORY IN THE MIX FOR SQUIRRELS, 5-1

Mixon Earns Ninth Win in Opener in Harrisburg

HARRISBURG, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels rolled behind right-hander David Mixon to a series-opening , 5-1, victory in front of 4,334 on Monday night at Metro Bank Park. The win for Richmond sent Harrisburg to a sixth consecutive defeat.

Brandon Belt put Richmond on the board first against Harrisburg left-hander John Lannan in the fourth inning. For the second consecutive game, Belt drilled a solo-home run down the left-field line. The drive, tucked just inside the foul-pole, put the Squirrels in front, 1-0.

Richmond was back on the bats in the fifth when Clay Timpner led off with a single to left-center field. David Mixon attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but Lannan and first baseman Chris Marrero didn't communicate and Mixon reached on a bunt-single. Darren Ford followed and smoke a two-run double into the left-field corner for a 3-0 lead. Ford advanced on a groundout and scored for a 4-0 advantage on a single from Thomas Neal.

Meanwhile, Mixon held off the Senators for five innings, including squashing a bases-loaded opportunity for Harrisburg in the fifth. However, Harrisburg finally tallied a run against him in the sixth. Michael Martinez tripled over the head of Ford in center field with one out. He scored on a groundout to second base from Tim Pahuta to cut Richmond's lead to 4-1.

Lannan (1-2) called it a night after seven innings. He allowed four earned runs on nine hits in his third Eastern League start and took his second loss. He walked one and struck out four.

Mixon (9-4) became the second Eastern League hurler to nine wins as he worked a strong seven innings. He allowed just a lone run on six hits. He walked two and struck out none.

The Squirrels added a run against reliever Jack Spradlin the eighth inning. Conor Gillaspie contributed his third single of the night to score Neal and cap the scoring, 5-1.

Ronnie Ray worked a scoreless eighth inning for Richmond and Jake Stevens closed out the ballgame with a scoreless ninth.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:00 PM on Tuesday night at Metro Bank Park. LHP Clayton Tanner (4-5, 3.28) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Ross Detwiler (0-1, 3.09) for Harrisburg.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

BROWN BAFFLES SQUIRRELS IN GAME THREE, 6-0

Capacity Crowd Watches Erie Snap 11-Game Skid

RICHMOND, VA - Erie right-hander Brooks Brown twirled a complete-game shutout, limiting the Flying Squirrels to four hits as the SeaWolves took a, 6-0, victory in front of a capacity crowd of 9,560 at The Diamond on Saturday night. The win snapped an 11-game losing-streak for the SeaWolves.

Making his Giants' organizational debut, Richmond right-hander Michael Main worked a scoreless first inning. However, he struggled in the second and the SeaWolves took advantage. Main walked Kody Kaiser to start the inning and then endured a fielding error behind him on Brandon Crawford. He then walked Andy Bouchie to load the bases with nobody out. Main struck out the next two hitters to view the light at the end of the tunnel, but then conceded a ground-rule double to Ben Guez. The drive, that hopped over the left-center field wall scored two runs for a 2-0 Erie edge.

Main, who was on a pitch-count, was lifted in favor of right-hander Mike MacDonald following Guez's double. MacDonald entered to allow a two-run single to Alden Carrithers that stretched the Erie lead to four runs, 4-0.

All four runs in the second inning were charged to Main. They were all unearned due to Crawford's error. Main (0-1) took the loss in his Double-A debut, surrendering two hits, walking two and striking out two.

MacDonald surrendered an additional run to Erie in the third. Kaiser started the inning with a single and stole second base. He took third on a wild pitch and scored for a 5-0 lead on a grounder to first from Bouchie. Erie tacked on their final run against MacDonald in the seventh. Kaiser scored the run, his third run scored of the ballgame.

Meanwhile, Brown (6-5) was cruising. He breezed through the Squirrels, allowing just one runner past second base. He worked his league-leading third complete game of the season to earn his sixth victory of the year. The righty allowed just four hits -- all singles -- walked one and struck out six.

The finale of the four-game series is scheduled for 6:35 PM on Sunday night. RHP Felix Romero (1-1, 4.36) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Ramon Garcia (0-4, 5.18) for Erie.

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Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS SQUEEZE OUT A WIN OVER SEAWOLVES, 3-2

Ciriaco's Squeeze-Bunt Sends Erie to 11th Straight Defeat

RICHMOND, VA - Juan Ciriaco's eighth inning squeeze-bunt gave the Squirrels the deciding run as they defeated the Erie SeaWolves, 3-2, in front of 6,128 on Friday night at The Diamond. The Squirrels have claimed the first two games of a four-game series extending Erie's losing-skid to 11 games.

Erie staged a two-out rally to take the early lead against Richmond right-hander Craig Westcott in the first inning. Westcott, making his Double-A debut, conceded a single to Andy Dirks back up the middle. He promptly stole second base and scored for a 1-0 Erie lead when Rawley Bishop singled into left field.

The SeaWolves added a run to their lead in the third when Westcott walked Carmelo Jaime to start the inning. A batter later, Bryan Pounds doubled down the left-field line and Jaime scored from first for a 2-0 advantage.

The Squirrels leveled the ledger in the bottom of the inning against Erie right-hander Thad Weber. Tyler La Torre doubled to start the inning and came in to cut the deficit to one when Ryan Lormand doubled to right field. Skyler Stromsmoe laid down a bunt-single to move Lormand to third and he tied the game when Brandon Crawford bounced into a fielder's choice.

Westcott departed after six strong innings in his Eastern League debut. He allowed two earned runs on five hits, walked two and struck out three.

With Weber still in the ballgame, the Squirrels plated the game-winning run in the eighth. Roger Kieschnick hooked a triple into the right-field corner with one out and stood at third as Conor Gillaspie drew a walk. Ciriaco then stepped in and laid down a perfect squeeze-bunt to the first-base side. Kieschnick slid across with the difference-making run as Richmond took a 3-2 lead.

Weber (4-9) was doomed to the loss despite a solid showing. He allowed three earned runs on five hits over 7 1/3 innings. He walked two and fanned six as he endured his ninth loss of the season.

Daniel Turpen (4-4) earned the win in relief for the Squirrels. He worked two perfect innings to record the victory. Rafael Cova struck out the side in order in the ninth for his 15th save of the season. The Richmond bullpen has now recorded eight consecutive hitless innings in the series.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 6:35 PM on Saturday night at The Diamond. The Squirrels have yet to name a starter to oppose RHP Brooks Brown (5-5, 4.70) for Erie.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

TWO STREAKS END AS AEROS OUTLAST SQUIRRELS, 4-3

Akron Ends Richmond's Win-Streak to Level Series

RICHMOND, VA - The Akron Aeros threw the final blow in a back-and-forth affair that they claimed, 4-3, over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 3,688 on Tuesday night at The Diamond. The win snapped Richmond's four-game winning-steak and also the Aeros' four-game losing-streak.

The Aeros jumped on top quickly against Squirrels' right-hander Daryl Maday in the first inning. With one out, Jason Kipnis slugged a solo-home run on a high-arch to right field for a 1-0 Akron lead.

Richmond pulled even in the second against Akron righty Marty Popham. Roger Kieschnick led off the inning with a single back through the middle. Conor Gillaspie singled to right field to move Kieschnick to second base and Jackson Williams tied the ballgame with a single pushed through the hole on the right-side of the infield.

Both starters settled into a groove and the ballgame continued at a 1-1 score through six innings. Popham called it a night after six innings, recording a no-decision despite a sterling performance. He allowed just the lone run on five hits, walking none and striking out six. He retired the final 11 batters that he faced.

Maday had also retired 11 straight as he entered the seventh inning. He found trouble there, allowing a one-out single Matt McBride. Beau Mills followed with a single to move McBride to third base. He scored from there for a 2-1 lead when John Drennen doubled to right field.

The Squirrels quickly came to Maday's aid in the bottom of the inning. Michael Ambort started the uprising with a lead-off single off of reliever Zach Putnam. Conor Gillaspie the delivered a hit-and-run double to tie the game, 2-2. A batter later, Clay Timpner delivered the lead when he plated Gillaspie with a single over a drawn-in infield.

The lead didn't last long for Richmond as Maday returned to start the eighth. Damaso Espino notched a single to start the inning. Cristo Arnal followed and Maday threw away his sacrifice bunt. His error allowed the runners to second and third with nobody down. Maday departed and left-hander Jake Stevens entered to concede the game-winning single to Jordan Henry. Henry scored both runners to cap the scoring, 4-3.

Maday (8-5) was charged with both runs and endured a tough-loss. He worked seven-plus innings, allowing four runs - three earned - on eight hits. He walked none and struck out one as he dropped his fifth decision of the season.

Right-hander Bryce Stowell thwarted any comeback plans for Richmond as he closed out the ballgame by striking out the final four Squirrels for his seventh save of the season.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Wednesday night at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (8-3, 3.07) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Alex White (2-4, 1.77) for Akron.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS COMPLETE SWEEP OF SLOPPY SEAWOLVES, 5-4

Erie Commits Five Errors as Squirrels Steal Finale

ERIE, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels completed a three-game sweep of the Erie SeaWolves with a come-from-behind, 5-4, victory on Sunday afternoon at Jerry Uht Park. Richmond finished its six-game road trip with a record of 4-2 with the win.

The SeaWolves got to Richmond right-hander Mike MacDonald in the second inning as they took a 3-0 lead. Kody Kaiser started the uprising with a one-out single and MacDonald walked Deik Scram behind him to put two aboard. Andy Bouchie followed and drilled a MacDonald fastball to center field for a three-run home run, giving Erie the game's first lead.

Richmond got one run back against Erie right-hander Thad Weber in the third when Skyler Stromsmoe led off with a single. Darren Ford laid down a bunt-single that was thrown away by Michael Bertram up the first-base line to move Stromsmoe to third. He scored when Brandon Crawford bounced into a double play, pulling Richmond withing two runs, 3-1.

The Squirrels finally pulled even in the seventh inning. Stromsmoe led off again with a single and Ford doubled him to third with a liner to the left-field corner. Weber recovered to get the next two batters without damage done, but with two outs Roger Kieschnick delivered a two-run single to left-center field to tie the game, 3-3.

Weber departed to a no-decision following the single. He allowed three runs on 11 hits over 6 2/3 innings, walked none and struck out five.

MacDonald returned for the seventh and recorded the first out before facing Bouchie. Bouchie stung him again with his second homer of the day, a drive to left-center that gave Erie the lead back, 4-3. Bouchie drove in all four runs in the loss for Erie. MacDonald also departed after 6 2/3 innings and didn't factor in the decision.

The lead was short-lived for the SeaWolves as Michael Ambort led off the eighth inning against left-hander Matt Hoffman. Ambort drilled the first pitch over the right-field wall to tie the game, 4-4. Tyler La Torre followed and send a routine-grounder to second base that was booted by Alden Carrithers. Richmond used the opening to score the game-winning run as La Torre advanced to third on a Ryan Lormand single and scored on a sacrifice fly from Stromsmoe. Hoffman (0-1) was tagged with the loss as the SeaWolves committed five errors in the ballgame.

Andy Sisco (1-4) had finished the seventh for MacDonald and continued to work a scoreless eighth. His efforts were rewarded with his first victory of the season. Tony Pena Jr. worked a perfect ninth to complete the series-sweep and earn his sixth save of the season.

The Squirrels return home to Richmond to open a three-game series with the Akron Aeros (Cleveland Indians) on Monday night. The opener of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM at The Diamond.

# Squirrels #

NEAL BOMBS WOLVES IN EXTRA-INNINGS, 6-3

Three Home Runs Lift Richmond to Series Victory

ERIE, PA - Thomas Neal became the first Flying Squirrel to homer three times in a lone game as Richmond dropped the Erie SeaWolves, 6-3, in 11 innings on Saturday night at Jerry Uht Park.

With the game tied, 3-3, into the 11th inning, Darren Ford sparked Richmond's game-winning rally with a two-out bunt-single off reliever Lester Oliveros. Ford stole second base, and Brandon Crawford blistered a single up the middle to score Ford with the eventual game-winner. Neal's third home run of the evening to left-center field followed and became icing on the cake for Richmond as it put them ahead, 6-3. With the third blast, Neal tied his own franchise record with 5 RBIs in the ballgame. Oliveros (0-1) lost in his Eastern League debut.

Squirrels' left-hander Clayton Tanner got the SeaWolves started in the first inning when he hit Alden Carrithers with his first pitch of the ballgame and followed it up with a walk issued to Cale Iorg. Andy Dirks followed with a single and Rawley Bishop gave Erie the lead with a sacrifice fly to center field. Michael Bertram followed and laced a single to left field to score Iorg for a 2-0 lead.

The SeaWolves added a run against Tanner in the third when Iorg led off with a single. He stole second base and advanced to third on a groundout. Bishop collected his second RBI of the ballgame when he bounced out to second base, scoring Iorg for a 3-0 advantage.

Richmond responded in the fourth as Erie lefty Charlie Furbush walked Crawford to start the inning. Neal followed and belted a two-run home run to left-center field to pull Richmond within a run, 3-2.

Neal was back it again the sixth inning as he led off against Furbush. On a 2-1 pitch, he belted a solo-home run to left-center field, eclipsing his earlier blast and tying the game, 3-3. It was the second time Neal had homered twice in the same game, also accomplishing the feat on April 23rd at Reading.

Furbush recovered to work through the seventh inning. He didn't factor in the decision in his Double-A debut, allowing three runs on eights hits. He walked two and struck out four.

Tanner worked into the eighth inning, where he was called for a balk and was eventually ejected after arguing with first base umpire Adam Hamari. Andy Sisco and Ronnie Ray finished the inning for Tanner, who also didn't factor in the decision. He allowed three runs on five hits, walked two and struck out one. It was the first player ejection of the year for the Squirrels.

Following the 11th-inning rally for Richmond, Rafael Cova came on and shut down the SeaWolves for his second save of the series. Cova punctuated the win with a strike out of Shaun Roof as he earned his 14th save of the year. Jake Stevens (3-1) faced just one batter in the 10th inning, but was credited with the victory for the Squirrels.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 1:05 PM on Sunday afternoon at Jerry Uht Park. RHP Mike MacDonald (2-6, 4.57) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Thad Weber (4-8, 4.12) for Erie.

# Squirrels #

SQUIRRELS SURVIVE SURGING SEAWOLVES IN OPENER, 6-5

Mixon Earns Eighth Victory of Season

ERIE, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels survived a furious comeback from the Erie SeaWolves to claim the opener of a three-game series, 6-5, on Friday night at Jerry Uht Park.

The Squirrels opened the scoring against Erie left-hander Duane Below in the third inning. Jackson Williams started the frame with a double to the left-field corner and Ryan Lormand moved him to third with a bouncer to second base. Below walked Juan Ciriaco to put two aboard and Darren Ford gave Richmond the lead with a single to left field that plated Williams. Brandon Crawford followed with another single to left field that loaded the bases with one out. Thomas Neal brought in two runs with a single through the hole on the left-side of the infield that gave Richmond a 3-0 lead. A batter later, Conor Gillaspie capped the rally with an RBI single that brought in Crawford.

Juan Ciriaco tacked a run onto the Richmond lead in the fifth when he sent his first home run of the season to left field off of Below with two outs. The line-drive homer increased Richmond's advantage to 5-0.

Below (3-7) departed following the fourth to his seventh loss of the season. He allowed five earned runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out five.

Right-hander Jared Gayhart came on in relief in the fifth and was greeted rudely by Crawford, who doubled to open the inning of the wall in left field. Roger Kieschnick singled to left to move Crawford to third, and he scored the Squirrels' sixth run when Gillaspie lifted a sacrifice fly to right field.

Squirrels' right-hander David Mixon navigated through six scoreless innings before Erie exploded in the seventh. Mixon allowed a single to Shawn Roof to start the frame and then walked Alden Carrithers before he was removed from the game. Right-hander Daniel Turpen came on in relief and quickly allowed a double to Cale Iorg that brought home Erie's first run. Turpen followed by walking Andy Dirks to load the bases. Rawley Bishop then ripped a three-run double into the right-center field alley to pull Erie within two runs, 6-4. Tony Pena Jr. relieved Turpen and a batter later, Kody Kaiser made it a one-run game with a double down the left-field line.

Mixon (8-3) was charged with two of the runs over his six-plus innings. He earned the win as the Squirrels hung on for victory. Mixon tied Daryl Maday for the team-lead in victories with his eighth, allowing the runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Pena lasted through the eighth inning before handing it off to closer Rafael Cova. Cova allowed a couple of runners to reach, but fanned Andy Bouchie to end the ballgame, earning his 13th save in the process.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Saturday night at Jerry Uht Park. LHP Clayton Tanner (4-5, 3.44) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Charles Furbush (0-0, ---) for Erie.

# Squirrels #

SQUIRRELS FIZZLE IN FINALE, 3-2

Aeros' Bullpen Silences Richmond for Six Innings

AKRON, OH - The Akron Aeros hung on for a, 3-2, victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 4,949 on Thursday afternoon at Canal Park. The victory also earned Akron the series win, as they claimed the final two games of the three-game series.

Following a 19-minute rain-delay, the Aeros got after Squirrels' right-hander Daryl Maday in the second inning. With two outs in the inning, Carlos Rivero singled to start the rally. Jerad Head followed and laid down a bunt-single that put two runers aboard. Tim Fedroff put Akron on top with an RBI single and Miguel Perez made it 2-0 with a single to score Head.

Richmond answered immediately in the third when Darren Ford led off with a single. He stole second base and advanced to third on a wild-pitch from Akron left-hander Nick Hagadone. Brandon Crawford walked and with runners at the corners, Hagadone uncorked a second wild-pitch that allowed Ford to score and Crawford to move to second. Thomas Neal followed and smacked an RBI single back through the box and into center field. Crawford scored on the play to tie the ballgame, 2-2.

The Aeros wrestled the lead back in the bottom of the inning as Jason Kipnis led off with a single. Lonnie Chisenhall followed with a single and after a fielder's choice, the Aeros had runners at the corners with one out. John Drennen, Wednesday's hero, then delivered a single to plate Kipnis and give Akron the lead back, 3-2.

Hagadone lasted just three innings and didn't factor in the decision. The lefty allowed a pair of runs on four hits, walked three and struck out seven.

Maday (8-4) rebounded following his troubles in the third inning, retiring the next 10 batters that he faced. He lasted into the eighth inning, ultimately working 7 2/3 innings and allowing just the three runs on 11 hits. He walked one and struck out four, but endured the loss as Richmond was silenced by the Akron bullpen.

Right-handers Bryan Price, Connor Graham and Steven Wright each stymied the Squirrels for two innings in relief. Price (2-2) earned the win behind Hagadone, while Wright recorded his third save of the season.

The Squirrels travel to Erie, PA, to open a three-game series against the Erie SeaWolves (Detroit Tigers) on Friday night at 7:05 PM. RHP David Mixon (7-3, 3.07) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Duane Below (3-6, 4.19) for Erie.

# Squirrels #

SQUIRRELS STUMBLE AT FINISH LINE, FALL IN GAME TWO, 5-4

Akron Evens Series with Unearned Run in the Eighth

AKRON, OH - The Richmond Flying Squirrels fell in a heart-breaker, 5-4, to the Akron Aeros in game two of a three-game series in front of 3,396 at Canal Park on Wednesday night. With the win, Akron leveled the series at a game apiece, setting up a rubber-game scenario in the finale on Thursday.

Squirrels' right-hander Felix Romero found himself in immediate trouble in the first inning when Jordan Henry poked a lead-off double to left field. Akron took the lead when Jason Kipnis followed and sent a high-arching two-run home run to right field for a 2-0 advantage.

Richmond's bats were silenced through the first four innings by Akron righty Paolo Espino, but they came alive in a big way in the fifth inning. Conor Gillaspie led off with a single and Michael Ambort followed with a double down the left-field line to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Jackson Williams brought in Gillaspie to cut Akron's lead in half with a single to center field. With runners at the corners, Clay Timpner sent a low-flying three-run home run to the bleachers in right field, giving the Squirrels a 4-2 lead.

The lead was short-lived as Akron broke through against Romero again in the bottom of the inning. Damaso Espino snapped a string of 12 consecutive batters retired by Romero when he doubled up the third-base line with one out. A batter later, Henry delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Espino. Henry advanced to second on the throw home and scored to tie the game, 4-4, on the next pitch when Kipnis singled to right field.

Neither starter factored in the decision as Espino left after the Squirrels' big inning in the fifth. Romero lasted into the seventh, turning in the longest outing of his career. All told, he worked 6 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits. He walked none and struck out seven.

The Aeros broke the tie against left-hander Andy Sisco in the eighth inning when Sisco hit Lonnie Chisenhall with one out in the inning. He promptly stole second base and Williams' throw down to second hit Sisco in the back and caromed into center field. The throwing error allowed Chisenhall to third base. John Drennen brought him home with the game-winning run when he followed with a single to left field. Despite the run being unearned, Sisco (0-4) was doomed to the loss for Richmond.

Right-hander Bryce Stowall handled the final two innings for Akron and earned his first victory of the season. He allowed just one hit and struck out three over his two scoreless innings.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 12:05 PM on Thursday afternoon at Canal Park. RHP Daryl Maday (8-3, 2.09) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Nick Hagadone (1-0, 6.19) for Akron.

# Squirrels #

MACDONALD HELPS SQUIRRELS SNAP SKID IN AKRON, 6-2

Richmond Never Looks Back from Big First Inning

AKRON, OH - The Richmond Flying Squirrels used a strong performance from right-hander Mike MacDonald to snap a five-game losing-streak with a, 6-2, series-opening victory over the Akron Aeros in front of 5,652 on Tuesday night.

Akron left-hander Kelvin De La Cruz retired Darren Ford to start the ballgame, but things went downhill quickly after that. He walked both Brandon Crawford and Thomas Neal before delivering a wild-pitch that moved them both into scoring position. Roger Kieschnick followed and roped a double off the wall in center field to score both runners for a 2-0 Richmond lead. Michael Ambort singled on the infield and Kieschnick stayed at second base. Conor Gillaspie then sent a single to right field that brought in Kieschnick and moved Ambort to third base. Jackson Williams gave Richmond a 4-0 advantage with a sacrifice fly to right field.

De La Cruz (1-4) rebounded, and held at the Squirrels at bay through the next four innings. He retired for the night after five-plus innings. He allowed the four runs on six total hits, walked three and struck out three as he endured his fourth loss of the season.

Richmond got back on the board in the eighth inning to expand their lead to 6-0. Both runs were charged to reliever Chen Chang Lee, who entered to start the frame. Crawford singled and stood at second base with two outs when Kieschnick singled him in for a 5-0 lead. Lee walked the next two batters to load the bases before departing. Shane Lindsay entered and walked Williams to force in the Squirrels final run.

Meanwhile, MacDonald (2-6) was cruising, shutting the Aeros out over the first seven innings on two hits. He proved mortal in the eighth, allowing a lead-off home run to Carlos Rivero, but followed with strikeout of Jerad Head to end his evening. He lasted 7 1/3 innings - his longest outing of the season - to earn his second win of the season. He allowed just a lone run on three hits, walked one and struck out five.

Wilmin Rodriguez was charged with the final run for the Aeros in the eighth inning. The run was unearned as the Aeros benefitted from the lone error committed on the evening. Tony Pena Jr. entered to diffuse the situation in the eighth and earned his fifth save when he worked a perfect ninth inning.

Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for Wednesday night at 7:05 PM at Canal Park. RHP Felix Romero (0-1, 4.60) will make the start for Richmond against a yet to be determined starter for Akron.

# Squirrels #

SUN AND CURVE CONSPIRE FOR SWEEP, 6-2

Reeling Squirrels Drop Fifth Straight

RICHMOND, VA - The Altoona Curve used a sun-aided triple and seven Richmond walks to complete a three-game sweep of the Richmond Flying Squirrels with a, 6-2, win in front of 7,367 on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. The loss for the Squirrels extended their losing-skid to five games as Altoona swept them for the second time on the season.

Richmond left-hander Clayton Tanner and Altoona right-hander Tim Alderson traded scoreless innings through the fourth and the game went scoreless to the fifth inning. Tanner worked his way through trouble and kept the game scoreless into the bottom of the inning.

In the fifth, the Squirrels used a wicked hop that allowed Tyler La Torre to reach with a single to take the first lead of the night. La Torre reached to start the inning and a batter later, Tanner bunted him to second base. Darren Ford contributed his third hit of the ballgame, a bloop-single to left-center field to score him. The run was earned against Alderson as Richmond took a 1-0 lead.

The Curve responded in a big way in the sixth as Tanner endured some shaky defense behind him and the glare of the sun. Gorkys Hernandez got Altoona started with a solid-single into center field with one out. Josh Harrison followed with an infield-single to third that Conor Gillaspie couldn't handle. Matt Hague then sent another hard-shot to third that Gillaspie couldn't get cleanly. The error loaded the bases for Altoona and Jordy Mercer tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right field. After the Squirrels intentionally walked Hector Gimenez to reload the bases, Alex Presley lifted a fly ball to center field that Ford lost in the sun. Presley scampered all the way to third as the bases emptied for a 4-1 Altoona lead on the sun-aided triple.

Richmond got one run back off Alderson in the sixth, but Altoona put the game away with two insurance runs in the seventh. Tanner was charged with one of the runs in the seventh and departed to the loss after six-plus innings. He allowed five runs - one earned - on seven hits. He walked five and struck out two.

Alderson (6-3) earned the victory, eventually lasting seven innings and allowing just two runs on nine hits. He walked just one and struck out four.

Derek Hankins took the Curve to within an out of the sweep with a scoreless inning-and-two-thirds. Danny Moskos earned his league-leading 16th save of the season when he bounced Ford out for the final out of the ballgame.

The Squirrels will take Monday off as they travel to Akron, OH, to open a three-game series with the Akron Aeros (Cleveland Indians) on Tuesday night at 7:05 PM. In the opener of the series at Canal Park, RHP Mike MacDonald (1-6, 4.96) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Eric Berger (3-4, 5.25) for Akron.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

WILD PITCH THE DIFFERENCE FOR CURVE IN WILD AFFAIR, 3-2

Sell-Out Crowd Watches Squirrels Drop Fourth Straight in 12 Innings

RICHMOND, VA - The Altoona Curve got the last word in a marathon game two, plating a run in the top of the 12th inning to down the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 3-2, in front of a sell-out crowd of 9,560 at The Diamond on Saturday night.

The Curve mounted the game-winning rally against Richmond closer Rafael Cova in the 12th. Cova recorded the first two outs in the inning, but walked Josh Harrison. Matt Hague followed with a single to center field that moved Harrison to third. Cova (0-3) then unleashed a wild-pitch that plated Harrison with the winning run.

The Squirrels went with an unconventional approach to start a rally against Curve left-hander Justin Wilson in the first inning. Darren Ford led off with a bunt-single pushed to the right of Wilson on the mound. Skyler Stromsmoe followed and duplicated the bunt-single, moving Ford to second. The pair pulled off a successful double-steal and Richmond went ahead, 1-0, when Michael Ambort lifted a sacrifice fly to right field.

Squirrels' right-hander David Mixon faced just one over the minimum as he kept the Curve at bay for the first four innings. However, Altoona finally got to him for a pair of runs and the lead in the fifth. Miles Durham contributed an RBI double in the inning and Kris Watts brought home Alex Presley with a groundout that put Altoona in front.

Mixon left after six innings to a no-decision. He allowed just two earned runs on six hits, walked two and struck out one.

Richmond lifted him off the hook with a run to tie the ballgame in the seventh. The run was charged to Wilson as he departed in the midst of the rally. Ford singled Conor Gillaspie with the run. Gillaspie had led off the inning with a single. Wilson also didn't factor in the decision.

For the third time on the season, the two teams played into extra-innings. The stalemate was due to outstanding efforts from both bullpens. Jake Stevens worked a scoreless inning for Richmond before Tony Pena Jr. turned in a career-long performance and 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Cova retired the final batter in the 11th before his troubles in the 12th.

For Altoona, Jeff Sues worked 2 1/3 innings following Wilson. Tony Watson handled the 10th inning without incident and Michael Dubee did likewise in the 11th. The Curve improved to 2-1 in extra-inning games against Richmond with their win and 4-1 in extra-innings overall. Richmond dropped to 1-3 in extra-frames.

Dubee (3-1) was rewarded with his third victory of the season for his efforts. Left-hander Danny Moskos mowed down the Squirrels in order in the bottom of the 12th to claim his 15th save of the year.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 5:05 PM on Sunday night at The Diamond. LHP Clayton Tanner (4-4, 3.65) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Tim Alderson (5-3, 4.70) for Altoona.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

PITCHERS’ DUEL ENDS ON SOUR NOTE FOR SQUIRRELS, 1-0

B-Mets Claim Three-Game Series with Shutout

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels squandered six solid innings from Felix Romero and were shut out, 1-0, by the Binghamton Mets in front of 9,399 on Thursday night at The Diamond.

Luis Hernandez led off the ballgame ominously for Romero as he singled into center field. With Hernandez running, Sean Ratliff followed with a double to the right-field corner. Hernandez came all the way around for a 1-0 B-Mets' lead.

Pitching dominated the ballgame, and left-hander Eric Niesen (2-3) set the tone. Binghamton's starter worked 5 1/3 innings to earn his second victory of the season. He shut down the Squirrels on four hits, working around three walks and striking out five.

Romero (0-1) recovered to turn in his finest outing of the season. He worked a career-long six innings, allowing just the lone run on six hits. He walked just one and struck out, extending his previous career-long outing by two innings.

Right-hander Scott Shaw followed Niesen and worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief through the seventh inning. Righty Manuel Alvarez was tasked with the final six outs, and he recorded them in succession to close out the ballgame. He earned his first save of the season in the process.

The Squirrels got a combined three innings of scoreless relief from Tony Pena Jr. and Rafael Cova in the loss. Richmond was shut out for the fourth time on the year.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Thursday night at The Diamond. RHP Felix Romero (0-0, 5.40) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Eric Niesen (1-3, 3.49) for Binghamton.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

B-METS TAKE IT TO SQUIRRELS LATE, 11-2

Binghamton Evens Series with Lop-Sided Victory

RICHMOND, VA - The Binghamton Mets racked up 18 hits and nine unanswered runs as they clobbered the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 11-2, in front of 4,097 on Wednesday night at The Diamond.

The Squirrels got started quickly when Darren Ford led off the first inning with a single off of Binghamton right-hander Josh Stinson. He stole second on the next pitch and came in two batters later when Roger Kieschnick singled back through the box.

Squirrels' right-hander Mike MacDonald shook off a comebacker off his thigh in the first inning and fended off the B-Mets through the first three frames. However, he walked Marshall Hubbard to start the fourth inning. Eric Campbell followed and drilled a two-run homer to left field on MacDonald's first pitch for a 2-0 Binghamton lead.

An inning-opening error on Binghamton second baseman Justin Satin opened the door for the Squirrels response in the fifth. The error allowed Tyler La Torre to reach, and he moved to second when Stinson followed with a walk to MacDonald. The pair was bunted to second and third by Ford and Nick Noonan tied the game, 2-2, with a sacrifice fly to center field.

The B-Mets broke back on top in the sixth and signaled the beginning of the end for Richmond. Binghamton posted three runs in three consecutive runs. The first two runs in the sixth were charged to MacDonald, who departed to the loss in the midst of the sixth inning. He dropped his sixth decision on the season as the Squirrels fell to 1-12 on the season in his starts. MacDonald was charged with four earned runs on 10 hits over five innings.

A two-run home run from Omir Santos highlighted a three-run seventh inning for the B-Mets, and three Richmond errors in the eighth inning helped plate three more to cap the scoring.

Stinson (4-1) was the winner, working seven innings for his longest out of the season. He surrendered just two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out four.

Every starter in the Binghamton lineup recorded at least one hit as the B-Mets posted the most hits against Richmond in a single game this season. The 11 runs also matched the high-water mark for the year.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Thursday night at The Diamond. RHP Felix Romero (0-0, 5.40) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Eric Niesen (1-3, 3.49) for Binghamton.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

MIXON DOES IT ALL IN SQUIRRELS WIN, 7-2

Righty Earns 7th Win and Homers to Aid Own Cause

READING, PA - Right-hander David Mixon turned in a quality start and also homered as the Richmond Flying Squirrels claimed the finale of a four-game series from the Reading Phillies, 7-2. The win, which came in front of 6,195 on Monday morning at FirstEnergy Stadium, snapped a four-game losing-streak for Richmond.

Skyler Stromsmoe woke up early on Monday and immediately got the Squirrels started in the first inning. He led off the ballgame with a solo-home run to right field off of Reading right-hander Josh Fogg to give the Squirrels a 1-0 lead.

Mixon ran into trouble in the second when three consecutive hits helped the R-Phils tie the game, 1-1. Ozzie Chavez contributed an RBI single to plate Michael Spidale with the first run of the morning for Reading.

Mixon took matters into his own hands as he got the lead back for Richmond in the third inning. He led off the inning and belted Fogg's first pitch over the wall in left field. The first home run in Mixon's professional career put the Squirrels back on top, 2-1.

Richmond added to their lead as Michael Ambort led off the fourth inning with a single. Conor Gillaspie bunted for a single behind him, and Ambort moved to third on a fly-out from Clay Timpner. Tyler La Torre plated the Squirrels third run when he singled back through the middle, and Richmond held a 3-1 advantage.

Ambort was on the other end of the rally as the Squirrels tacked on two more in the fifth. Fogg recorded the first two outs in the frame, but issued back-to-back walks to Ryan Lormand and Roger Kieschnick with two outs. Ambort then stepped in and cracked a two-run double off the wall in left-center field. His drive on the first pitch from Fogg ran the Richmond lead to 5-1.

Fogg (0-2) departed to the loss after the fifth. He allowed five earned runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out three.

Mixon (7-3) continued into the eighth inning, where he allowed two hits and a second run to start the frame. He departed on that note, claiming his seventh win of the season. He allowed two earned runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out one.

La Torre belted a two-run homer to right field off of reliever Matt German in the ninth inning to cap the scoring in the ballgame. It marked the second time on the season that the Squirrels have hit three homers in a game.

Daniel Turpen came on to finish the eighth inning and Andy Sisco worked an incident-free ninth to secure the victory for the Squirrels. Richmond completes an 11-game slate in Reading with an overall record of 3-8.

The Squirrels will return to Richmond to open a three-game series against the Binghamton Mets (New York Mets) at 7:05 PM on Tuesday night at The Diamond. LHP Clayton Tanner (3-4, 3.72) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Mike Antonini (3-4, 4.33) for Binghamton.

# Squirrels #

SQUIRRELS FIRST LOSE LEAD, THEN BALLGAME, 7-5

R-Phils Win Despite 15 Richmond Hits in Game Three

READING, PA - The Reading Phillies erased a four-run Richmond lead, and surged past the Flying Squirrels, 7-5, in game three of a four-game series on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium. The loss represented the largest blown lead of the season for Richmond, and stretches their current losing-skid to four games.

The Squirrels got to left-hander J.A. Happ - making a Major League rehab start - in the third inning. Darren Ford led off the frame and cracked a double off the wall in center field. A batter later, Thomas Neal whistled a low-flying two-run home run to left field, putting Richmond out front, 2-0. It was the fourth home run of the season for Neal, three of which have been hit in Reading. Brandon Crawford started the Squirrels after the blast with a single. He promptly stole second base and came in for a 3-0 lead when Michael Ambort singled to right field. Ambort moved up to second on the throw home on the play. Roger Kieschnick then rapped a single back up the middle to score Ambort and give Richmond a 4-0 lead.

Happ was removed following the Kieschnick single. He was charged with four earned runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out four in his rehab appearance.

Daryl Maday was in control for the first three innings, but proved mortal in the fourth. Tagg Bozied led off the inning with his 11th home run of the season. The drive to left field trimmed the Squirrels' lead to 4-1.

The R-Phils were back at it in the fifth, rallying with two outs to chase Maday from the ballgame. Quintin Berry singled with one out and Maday walked Tuffy Gosewisch behind him. Maday then hit Dominic Brown to load the bases. Bozied followed and got the best of Maday again with a two-run single back through the box to pull the R-Phils within a run, 4-3.

Maday didn't record a decision over his shortest outing of the season. He worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out four.

Tony Pena Jr. came on to finish the fifth for Maday, but then endured his toughest inning of the season in the sixth. Pena walked Michael Spidale to start the inning, and things got worse from there. Freddy Galvis followed with a single and Brandon Pinckney bunted the two up a base to second and third. Ozzie Chavez pinch-hit, and sent a single to left field that scored Spidale to tie the game. Neal misplayed the baseball and Galvis also came in on the play to give the R-Phils the lead. Berry followed with a double to the right-field corner to bring in Chavez for a 6-4 lead. Pena was removed in favor of Ronnie Ray and Gosewisch capped the four-run rally with a single that scored Berry and put Reading ahead 7-4.

Pena (3-2) was charged with all four runs in the inning, surrendering the runs on three hits over just 2/3 of an inning. He was tagged with the loss, his second of the season.

Ty Taubenheim (2-1) entered upon Happ's departure in the third and cooled the Richmond bats over 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. He did allow five hits, but was awarded his second victory of the season.

Skyler Stromsmoe knocked in the final run of the ballgame for Richmond, plating Juan Ciriaco with an RBI single in the eighth inning, but the Richmond rally stalled as they left the bases loaded. Richmond stranded 13 runners in the ballgame.

Right-hander Michael Schwimer handled the ninth inning without incident to claim his sixth save of the season for Reading.

The finale of the four-game series is scheduled for 9:35 am at FirstEnergy Stadium on Monday morning. RHP David Mixon (6-3, 3.13) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Josh Fogg (0-1, 13.50) for Reading.

# Squirrels #

R-PHILS SURVIVE COMEBACKS AND WALK OFF WINNERS, 5-4

Reading Waits Through Rain-Delay for Dramatic Win Over Squirrels

READING, PA - The Reading Phillies survived two Richmond comebacks and walked off winners, 5-4, in front of 8,160 at FirstEnergy Stadium on Saturday night. The game included a 43-minute rain-delay in the middle of the sixth inning.

With the game knotted, 4-4, the R-Phils staged the game-winning rally in the bottom of the ninth inning. Right-hander Daniel Turpen walked the lead-off batter, Michael Spidale, to start the inning. Quintin Berry bunted him to second base and he advanced to third on a groundout from Tuffy Gosewisch. Tagg Bozied then supplied the game-winner, as he cranked a single through the left-side of the Richmond infield to score Spidale with the final run of the ballgame. Turpen (3-4) was tagged with the loss for Richmond.

Pitching dominated game two into the fourth innning, when Reading broke through against Richmond right-hander Felix Romero. Kevin Mahar singled with one out to start the threat, and Freddy Galvis singled behind him to put runners at the corners. Galvis stole second base, and the Squirrels were forced to bring the infield in. Ozzie Chavez then sent a well-struck grounder towards first base. Michael Ambort dove to it, and deflected it to Skyler Stromsoe, the Richmond second baseman. His throw to the plate was high, sailing to the back-stop and allowing both runners to score. Chavez was credited with an RBI infield-single on the play, with Stromsmoe charged with a throwing error on the back-end. Chavez wound up at second base on the play. He came in to make it 3-0 a batter later when Berry singled on the infield.

Romero, making a spot-start for Richmond, departed after the troublesome fourth. He was charged with three runs - two earned. He surrendered six hits, walked two and struck out three.

Meanwhile, Vance Worley (5-3) was cruising for the R-Phils. The right-hander was forced from the game when the rains came, having worked six scoreless innings while allowing just four hits.

Following the rain-delay, Richmond erased the Reading lead quickly. Right-hander John Ennis came on in relief for the R-Phils and gave up a lead-off single to Thomas Neal in the seventh inning. Ennis then walked Conor Gillaspie to put two aboard. Ambort then drilled a line-drive three-run home to left field, tying the game, 3-3. The blast was Ambort's second of the season, and the Squirrels third of the series.

Reading hurriedly reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning. Berry led off against left-hander Andy Sisco and decked a solo-home run to right field to put Reading back on top, 4-3. The blast was the first of the season for Berry.

A costly error on Dominic Brown in right field allowed Richmond to pull even once again in the top of the eighth. Stromsmoe singled with one out and advanced to second on a groundout. Neal lifted a deep fly ball to right-center field that Brown got to, but dropped. Stromsmoe scored on the error, again evening the ballgame, 4-4.

Michael Schwimer (4-2), who diffused a Richmond rally in the top of the ninth inning, was awarded his fourth victory of the season.

Game three of the four-game series is scheduled at 1:05 PM on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium. RHP Daryl Maday (8-2, 1.77) will make the start for Richmond against LHP J.A Happ (0-0, ---) making an MLB rehab start for the R-Phils.

# Squirrels #

READING ROLLS OVER SQUIRRELS IN OPENER, 11-5

R-Phils Score in First Five Innings

READING, PA - The Reading Phillies scored at least one run in each of the first five innings as they trounced the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 11-5, in the opener of a four-game series in front of 8,571 on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Squirrels got right after Reading right-hander Drew Naylor in the first inning, recording three hits and the game's first run. Skyler Stromsmoe got the Squirrels started when he tripled off the right-field wall with one out. A batter later, Thomas Neal singled through the right-side of the infield for a 1-0 Richmond lead.

The lead was short-lived, as Reading grabbed the lead off of Squirrels' right-hander Mike MacDonald in the bottom of the inning. Michael Spidale got Reading going with a double off the top of the wall in left field with one out. MacDonald followed by walking Dominic Brown. The pair moved up a base on a groundout and scored for a 2-1 lead when Matt Rizzotti punched a two-run double down the third-base line.

Things worsened for MacDonald in the second as four hits led to three more Reading runs. Freddy Galvis singled to lead off the inning, but was forced at second by Ozzie Chavez. Naylor laid down a sacrifice bunt and Quintin Berry made it 3-1 with a single to score Chavez. Spidale then singled to put two aboard. After Spidale swiped second base, Brown cranked a single into left field to to score both runners and increase Reading's advantage to 5-1.

The R-Phils tacked on an additional run against MacDonald with three consecutive hits to start the third inning. Rizzotti started the inning with a single and John Suomi doubled to put two on. Freddy Galvis then sent an infield-single to the left-side to plate Rizzotti for a 6-1 lead.

Reading scored for the fourth consecutive inning when MacDonald plunked Berry to start the fourth. He promptly stole second and third base and came in on a sacrifice fly from Brown.

The run scored by Berry marked the end of the line for MacDonald (1-5), who departed after 3 2/3 innings, having conceded a season-high seven earned runs on 10 hits. He lost for the fifth time on the year, and endured his fourth loss to the R-Phils.

Darren Ford launched a two-run homer for the Squirrels off of Naylor in the top of the fifth that pulled Richmond within four runs, 7-3.

However, Reading put the ballgame away with four runs against reliever Craig Whitaker in the bottom of the inning. Whitaker issued four walks in the frame, as the R-Phils plated the four runs with just two hits to take an 11-3 lead.

Ronnie Ray, who entered in relief for Whitaker, cracked a two-run homer off Naylor in the seventh inning to cap the scoring, 11-5. Naylor (5-6) left to the win following the seventh, having allowed five runs on 10 hits.

Game two of the four-game series is scheduled at 6:35 PM on Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. RHP Felix Romero (0-0, 5.59) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Vance Worley (4-3, 3.93) for Reading.

# Squirrels #

SQUIRRELS EARN VICTORY WITH UNEARNED RUNS, 2-1

Costly Error Dooms Rock Cats as Richmond Grabs Series

RICHMOND, VA - Despite being out-hit 9-to-3 by the New Britain Rock Cats, the Richmond Flying Squirrels claimed a, 2-1, victory in game two of a three-game series on Wednesday night at The Diamond. The Squirrels needed just two unearned runs to win their eighth straight contest against New Britain and claim the three-game series with victories in the first two games.

The Rock Cats got started quickly against Richmond right-hander David Mixon in the first inning. Brandon Roberts led off the ballgame with a double down the right-field line to spark the inning. He moved to third on a single from Erik Lis and scored when Yangervis Solarte poked a single into left field.

New Britain right-hander no-hit the Squirrels into the fourth inning, but lost the lead in the frame. With two outs in the inning, Guerra issued back-to-back walks to Brandon Crawford and Michael Ambort. Lis then dropped the ball at first base on a ground ball from Conor Gillaspie that should have ended the inning. The error allowed Crawford to score to tie the game, 1-1. Thomas Neal followed and sent a single through the left-side of the infield to plate Ambort and put Richmond in front, 2-1. Both runs charged to Guerra were unearned.

Mixon (6-3) rebounded from his early trouble and didn't allow another run throughout the night. He lasted seven innings for the win, scattering eight hits, walking none and striking out four.

Andy Sisco handled the eighth inning and retired the lead-off batter in the New Britain ninth inning. He handed it off to closer Rafael Cova who needed just three pitches to record the final two outs and notch his 11th save of the season.

Guerra (1-2) took a hard-luck loss despite going the distance. Over eight innings he allowed just three hits and two runs - both unearned. He walked four batters and struck out three. It marked the second time on the season that a New Britain hurler had turned in a complete game only to lose to the Squirrels and Mixon.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Thursday night at The Diamond. LHP Clayton Tanner (3-4, 3.44) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Tyler Robertson (0-5, 4.66) for New Britain.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

POWER SURGE LIFTS SQUIRRELS OVER CATS, 6-2

Richmond Belts Franchise-Record Three Home Runs in Win

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels cracked three solo-home runs en route to a, 6-2, win over the New Britain Rock Cats in front of 4,819 at The Diamond on Tuesday night.

The Squirrels' offense was sparked by an unlikely source as Richmond grabbed the lead against New Britain right-hander Mike McCardell in the first inning. Skyler Stromsmoe lifted his first home run of the season to right field, the solo-home run putting Richmond in front, 1-0. The home run for Stromsmoe was just the fifth of his professional career.

The long-ball led the way again in the second, as the Squirrels doubled their advantage. Jackson Williams teed off on a 3-2 pitch from McCardell and belted it to left field. His second homer of the season increased the Richmond lead to 2-0.

Brandon Crawford marked the first time in franchise history that the Squirrels had recorded three home runs in the same game when he led off the fourth inning with a blast to right field. Crawford's sixth of the season stretched the Squirrels' advantage to 3-0. Richmond wasn't done in the inning however, as Michael Ambort followed the home run with a single. Thomas Neal then singled into right-center field to put runners at the corners with one out. Clay Timpner forced Neal with a groundout, but Ambort scored to push the Richmond advantage to 4-0.

Richmond finally chased McCardell as they touched him up for two more runs in the sixth inning. Crawford started the uprising with a double into the alley in right-center field. Ambort followed with a single to put two aboard. A batter later, Neal ended a lengthy confrontation with a two-run single back up the middle to plate both runners. The single was the third of the night for Neal and signaled the end of the evening for McCardell.

McCardell (0-6) was charged with six earned runs over 5 1/3 innings of work. He surrendered nine hits, walked none and struck out for as he remained winless on the year.

Meanwhile, Squirrels' right-hander Daryl Maday cruised through his first six innings, shutting out the Rock Cats on just two hits. They were able to scratch across a pair of runs against him before his departure after seven innings. Maday (8-2) claimed his eighth victory of the season, allowing just five hits, walking none and striking out two. His win allowed him to tie Altoona's Jared Hughes for the league lead in victories.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Wednesday night at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (5-3, 3.32) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Deolis Guerra (1-1, 3.07) for New Britain.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

THUNDER THROTTLES SQUIRRELS, TAKE SERIES, 10-2

Trenton Pounds Out 15 Hits in Finale of Three-Game Set

TRENTON, NJ - The Trenton Thunder ran away from the Richmond Flying Squirrels, claiming a lop-sided, 10-2, win in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Waterfront Park. The Thunder also earned the series win with their victory.

The Thunder jumped out front in the third inning, plating a run against Squirrels' right-hander Ronnie Ray. Ray walked the lead-off hitter Justin Snyder and Justin Christian singled behind him to put runners on the corner with nobody out. Austin Krum then sent a fielder's choice grounder to second base that scored Snyder for a 1-0 Trenton lead.

Richmond got even in the top of the fourth with three singles and a run off of right-hander Hector Noesi. Brandon Crawford led off the inning with a single and stole second base. He moved to third on a soft-single to right-center field from Conor Gillaspie an out later. With two outs, Jackson Williams muscled a single into short-right field to plate Crawford and tie the game, 1-1.

Trenton hurried to grab the lead back in the bottom of the inning as they recorded three consectuve hits to chase Ray. Brandon Laird singled to start the inning and Jorge Vazquez singled behind him. Marcos Vechionacci followed with a double that scored Laird to put the Thunder back ahead, 2-1. Ray departed in favor of Felix Romero. Romero got the first out of the inning, but allowed a sacrifice fly to center field to put Trenton in front 3-1.

Ray (0-3) was charged with the three earned runs over 3-plus innings and took the loss for the Squirrels. He gave up seven hits, walked one and recorded no strikeouts.

Darren Ford led off the fifth inning for the Squirrels and pulled them within a run with his second home run of the season. The blast to left field off of Noesi was the Squirrels first home run since May 24th at Binghamton.

The Thunder got the run back against Romero in the sixth, when Romero walked Vechionacci with one out. Two batters later, Snyder singled through the right-side of the infield for a 4-2 advantage.

The Thunder put the game away with six runs in the seventh inning. Most of the carnage was at the hand of Jake Stevens, who surrendered five runs in 2/3 innings of the relief. Wilmin Rodriguez conceded the final run as Trenton opened a 10-2 advantage.

Noesi (2-0) was solid throughout, finally calling it a day after seven innings. He earned the win, allowing two runs on six hits. He walked one, but established a new season-high with nine strikeouts.

The Squirrels will travel back to Richmond on Sunday night and open a three-game series with the New Britain Rock Cats (Minnesota Twins) on Tuesday night at 7:05 PM at The Diamond.

# Squirrels #

SQUIRRELS STRUCK IN NINTH BY THUNDER, 5-4

Trenton Walks Off With Game Two Win

TRENTON, NJ - The Trenton Thunder staged a two-run rally in the ninth inning to claim a walk-off, 5-4, win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Saturday night at Waterfront Park.

The Squirrels nursed a 4-3 lead to the bottom of the ninth inning and called on closer Rafael Cova to close it out, something he had done 10 times before. Daniel Brewer had other plans, as he crushed an elevated-fast ball from Cova leading off the inning and tied the game with a solo-home run to left field. It marked the first blown-save of the season for Cova. The Thunder weren't done, and after Cova had recorded the first two outs of the inning, Justin Snyder singled to spark the game-winning rally. Cova walked Justin Christian and Austin Krum provided the game-winner with a single to right-center field to plate Snyder. Cova (0-2) was charged with the loss for Richmond.

As they did in game one, the Squirrels jumped on top with a run in the first inning. Trenton starter D.J. Williams walked the first two batters of the ballgame, Skyler Stromsmoe and Clay Timpner. Brandon Crawford bounced into a double play, but Stromsmoe moved to third with two outs. Michael Ambort then coaxed a slow-rolling single back up the middle to score the game's first run and give Richmond a 1-0 lead.

Trenton also followed the script from game one when they tied the game with a run in the third. Snyder doubled with one out against Squirrels' righty Mike MacDonald. An out later, he scored on an RBI single from Krum to tie the ballgame, 1-1.

Brandon Laird helped the Thunder grab the lead for the first time when he doubled off the right-center field wall to open the fourth inning. He advanced to third on a wild-pitch from MacDonald and scored when Jorge Vazquez singled to left-center field for a 2-1 lead.

A lead-off walk from Mitchell and some shoddy defense from the Thunder allowed the Squirrels to plate three runs and take the lead in the sixth inning. Mitchell issued the free-pass to start the inning to Crawford then advanced him to second with an errant throw to first on an attempted pick-off. A passed ball on Austin Romine allowed Crawford to third with nobody out. Ambort then rolled a grounder to the shortstop, Luis Nunez. Nunez threw home, but couldn't get Crawford, who slid around the tag to tie the game, 2-2. Conor Gillaspie bounced into a fielder's choice and took Ambort's place on the bases with one out. Thomas Neal then chopped a ball that Nunez misplayed allowing Gillaspie to be safe at second and Neal to reach first. Jackson Williams then lifted a two-run double to put the Squirrels in front, 4-2. Two of the runs were unearned in the inning.

Mitchell departed following the frame, having conceded four runs - two earned - on four hits. He walked four and struck out six. He didn't factor in the decision.

MacDonald lasted 5 2/3 innings, needing Tony Pena Jr. to record the final out in the sixth. He had allowed two runs on eight hits when left. He walked just one and struck out four. The four runs of support he received were the most he had gotten all season in his 11th start.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 1:05 PM on Sunday afternoon at Waterfront Park. RHP Ronnie Ray (0-2, 5.40) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Hector Noesi (1-0, 5.25) for the Thunder.

# Squirrels #

TANNER ENDS SLIDE WITH A GEM, SQUIRRELS WIN, 2-1

Lefty's Strong Start Ends Five-Game Losing-Strreak for Richmond

TRENTON, NJ - The Richmond Flying Squirrels rode a strong pitching performance from left-hander Clayton Tanner to a, 2-1, victory over the Trenton Thunder on Friday night at Waterfront Park. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for Richmond as they claimed the opener of a three-game series.

The Squirrels cracked the scoreboard quickly with a run against Trenton right-hander Lance Pendleton in the first inning. Pendleton walked Clay Timpner with one out. With two outs, Michael Ambort doubled off the wall in right field to bring Timpner around from first base for a 1-0 lead.

Trenton pulled even against Tanner in the third when Tanner walked Justin Snyder with one out. Daniel Brewer then sliced a double to the alley in right-center field. Snyder scored on the first hit of the ballgame for the Thunder to tie the game, 1-1.

Richmond grabbed the lead back in the fourth as they again got to Pendleton. Thomas Neal contributed his second single of the ballgame with one out to get the Squirrels started. Neal was pushed to second when Jackson Williams walked behind him, and scored when Darren Ford shot a single back through the box for a 2-1 lead.

Pendleton (3-3) retired for the night following the fourth with an escalated pitch-count. He had thrown 87 pitches while allowing two earned runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out three while taking his third loss of the season.

The Trenton bullpen held Richmond in check following Pendleton's departure, but Tanner had been on cruise-control since he allowed his lone run in the third. He lasted into the eighth inning, limiting the Thunder to the lone run on three hits. He rolled 16 groundouts in the process, turning in arguably his finest performance of the season.

Daniel Turpen recorded the final out in the eighth inning for Richmond, before Rafael Cova entered in the ninth. He walked a man, but slammed the door on Trenton for his 10th save of the season.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Saturday night at Waterfront Park. RHP Mike MacDonald (1-4, 3.99) will make the start for Richmond against RHP DJ Mitchell (4-3, 4.99) for the Thunder.

# Squirrels #

NEITHER RAIN NOR SQUIRRELS CAN PREVENT SENS' SWEEP, 4-3

Richmond's Losing-Streak Extends to Five Games

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels couldn't hold an early lead and endured their fifth consecutive defeat, 4-3, at the hands of the Harrisburg Senators in front of 6,444 on Thursday night at The Diamond. The Senators waited through a 40-minute rain-delay at the outset of the ballgame to complete a three-game sweep of the Squirrels.

The Squirrels opened the scoring in the first inning against Harrisburg right-hander Brad Meyers. Meyers started his night with a walk to Darren Ford. Brandon Crawford followed and moved Ford around to third with a single on the hit-and-run through the left-side of the infield. Conor Gillaspie gave the Squirrels the early lead with a fielder's choice grounder that forced Crawford.

Harrisburg quickly leveled the ballgame with a run against Squirrels' right-hander David Mixon in the second inning. For the third consecutive ballgame, Chris Marrero doubled to start the second frame. He scored to tie the game when Michael Martinez doubled down the right-field line a batter later.

Meyers again got Richmond started in the bottom of the second as he walked the lead-off batter, Clay Timpner. Michael Ambort singled behind him and Tyler La Torre recorded an infield-single to load the bases with nobody out. Ryan Lormand sent a come-backer to the mound that Meyers handled easily but threw wildly to the plate, allowing Timpner to score. Darren Ford brought home Ambort a batter later with a soft-liner that was played into a fielder's choice and Richmond enjoyed a 3-1 advantage.

Meyers' pitch-count ballooned in the second inning, and he was removed following the frame. He was charged with three runs - one earned - on three hits. He walked two and struck out two.

Mixon cruised trouble-free from the second to the sixth, but ran into trouble there. Marrero again sparked the uprising, singling with one out in the inning. Edgardo Baez followed with a single to put two aboard for Martinez. He drilled a three-run home run to right field to turn the game around and hand Harrisburg the lead, 4-3.

Mixon (5-3) lasted six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. Martinez's home run doomed him to his third loss of the season.

Of the six hurlers that Harrisburg used on the night, it was left-hander Chuck James (2-0) that earned the win. He was sensational for four innings, allowing no runs and just one hit. Zech Zinocola worked a scoreless ninth inning for his fourth save of the season.

The Squirrels will open a three-game series against the Trenton Thunder (New York Yankees) on Friday night at Mecer County Waterfront Park in Trenton, NJ. LHP Clayton Tanner (2-4, 3.86) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Lance Pendleton (3-2, 3.54) for Trenton in the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SLUMPING SQUIRRELS DROP FOURTH STRAIGHT, 5-1

Harrisburg Grabs Series at The Diamond

RICHMOND, VA - The Harrisburg Senators stymied the Richmond Flying Squirrels for the second consecutive night, prevailing, 5-1, in game two of a three-games series in front of 3,433 at The Diamond on Wednesday night. With the win, Harrisburg earned the series victory and sent the Squirrels to their fourth straight defeat.

Chris Marrero got the Senators started as he led off the second inning with a double against Richmond starter Daryl Maday. Michael Martinez brought him in with an RBI single for the game's first lead.

The Squirrels tied the game with their only run of the night in the fourth inning. Tyler La Torre singled against Harrisburg right-hander Justin Jones to plate Clay Timpner who had also singled and the game was knotted after four innings.

Harrisburg quickly reclaimed the lead in the fifth when Danny Espinosa sent a solo-home run to left field off Maday for a 2-1 advantage. Maday (7-2) departed to the loss after the inning, suffering his second straight defeat after opening the season with seven consecutive wins.

Wilmin Rodriguez came on in relief for the Senators in the sixth and was quickly tagged for two runs. Edgardo Baez doubled to start the inning and Tim Pahuta also tripled as part of the rally.

The Senators capped the scoring for the night with a run on three hits against Jake Stevens in the seventh inning.

Jones (1-1) held the Squirrels down through six innings for the win. He allowed just the lone run on four hits, walking one and striking out five.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 7:05 on Thursday night at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (5-2, 3.05) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Brad Meyers (1-0, 1.26) for Harrisburg.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SENATORS SHACKLE SQUIRRELS IN GAME ONE, 4-1

Squirrels' Skid Hits Three as Harrisburg Grabs Series-Opener

RICHMOND, VA - The Harrisburg Senators made a four-run second inning stand up for a, 4-1, win in the opener of a three-game series with the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 2,411 on Tuesday night at The Diamond.

The Senators went quietly in the first, but came up swinging against Richmond right-hander Ronnie Ray in the second. Chris Marrero led off the inning with a double to right-center field and scored the game's first run when Marvin Lowrance singled behind him. Michael Martinez followed with a single and Tim Pahuta made it four consecutive hits when he doubled home Lowrance. Jhonatan Solano then grounded into a fielder's choice that brought Martinez in for a 3-0 lead. A batter later, Brad Coon capped the inning with an RBI single back up the middle that plated Solano for a 4-0 cushion.

Ray (0-2) recovered to work through the fifth inning, but he was charged with the loss along with four earned runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out three as he endured his second losing decision of the season.

Meanwhile, Senators' starter Tom Milone cruised into the sixth inning having shut out the Squirrels on just three hits. Richmond finally got to him for a run in the sixth as Conor Gillaspie doubled with one out. Juan Ciriaco followed with an RBI single to trim the Harrisburg advantage to 4-1.

The run in the sixth was the only allowed by Milone (5-1) as he earned his fifth victory of the season over 5 2/3 innings. Milone allowed five hits, walked one and struck out a season-high seven.

Three relievers took it the rest of the way for Harrisburg as Cole Kimball, Adam Carr and Zech Zinicola combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Zinicola handled the ninth inning and was rewarded with his third save of the season.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Wednesday night at 7:05 PM at The Diamond. RHP Daryl Maday (7-1, 1.68) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Jason Jones (0-1, 10.13) for Harrisburg.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

BAYSOX HOLD OFF SQUIRRELS IN GAME THREE, 6-2

Bowie Takes Edge in Four-Game Series

RICHMOND, VA - The Bowie Baysox fended off a late challenge from the Richmond Flying Squirrels for a, 6-2, victory in front of 8,227 on Sunday night at The Diamond.

After two scoreless innings, Bowie struck first in the third against Richmond left-hander Clayton Tanner. Jonathan Tucker bounced a double down the third-base line to start the inning. Carlos Rojas followed with a single to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Danny Figueroa gave Bowie the game's first lead, laying down a bunt-single towards first base. A batter later, Caleb Joseph knocked home Rojas for a 2-0 lead with a single back through the middle.



Meanwhile, Bowie right-hander Tim Bascom was cruising. He allowed just two hits and struck out eight Squirrels while keeping Richmond at bay over his first six innings.

However, Richmond rallied against Bascom in the seventh to tie the game, 2-2. Juan Ciriaco sparked the rally with a one-out single and Conor Gillaspie brought him around from first base with a double to the left-field corner. Andy D'Alessio knotted the game when he brought in Gillaspie with a single through the right side of the infield.

Bascom was charged with two earned runs over 6 2/3 innings, and didn't factor in the decision. Tanner, endured only his troubles in the third inning as he returned to the hill for the first time since May 16th. He worked 5 1/3 innings in his return from the disabled list and also didn't register a decision.

The Baysox won the ballgame with two runs in the eighth inning against reliever Daniel Turpen. Both runs came courtesy of a two-run single from Brandon Waring. Turpen (3-3) was saddled with the loss for Richmond.

Bowie capped the scoring with two more runs against Wilmin Rodriguez in the ninth inning. Pat Egan (5-1) entered for Bascom in the seventh and held off the Squirrels the rest of the way for the win. Ultimately, he turned in 2 1/3 scoreless innings for his fifth win of the season.

The finale of the four-game series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Monday night at The Diamond. RHP Mike MacDonald (1-4, 4.35) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Zach Britton (4-3, 3.38) for the Baysox.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS' BIG INNING KEYS GAME TWO WIN, 7-3

Mixon Earns Fifth Win of the Season

RICHMOND, VA - A six-run fourth inning propelled the Richmond Flying Squirrels to a, 7-3, triumph over the Bowie Baysox in front of 9,377 at The Diamond on Saturday night. The win evened the four-game series at a game apiece.

After three innings of silence offensively, the Squirrels exploded in the fourth against Bowie right-hander Ryohei Tanaka. Brandon Crawford singled back up the middle to start the inning and Thomas Neal replicated the feat behind him. Tanaka then walked Clay Timpner to load the bases with nobody out. A batter later, Conor Gillaspie sliced a bases-clearing double into the left-center field alley for a 3-0 Richmond lead. Another batter later, Andy D'Alessio walked to put two aboard with two outs. Ryan Lormand followed the free-pass with a double to the right field corner that scored both Gillaspie and D'Alessio. Darren Ford capped the rally with an RBI single to left field to bring in Lormand for a 6-0 advantage.

Tanaka (3-5) departed to the loss following Ford's single. He was charged with six runs on five hits, walking two and striking out four. All of the charged runs and hits against him were recorded in the fourth inning, the most productive inning in Squirrels' franchise history.

The Baysox finally got on the board against Richmond right-hander David Mixon in the fifth inning. Steve Lerud belted a solo-home run down the right-field line to cut the Richmond lead to 6-1.

It was the only chink in Mixon's (5-2) armor however, as he worked a strong 6 2/3 innings for the victory. He allowed just five hits and the lone run, walking one and striking out eight.

The Squirrels added their final run on the night against reliever Ryan Ouellette in the sixth inning when Crawford brought in Jackson Williams with a sacrifice fly. Bowie's Brandon Waring capped the scoring with a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left-center field in the ninth inning.

Game three of the series is scheduled for Sunday night at 6:35 PM at The Diamond. RHP Tim Bascom (3-3, 3.16) will make the start for Bowie. Richmond has yet to name a starter for Sunday's game.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

BOWIE BOMBS SQUIRRELS IN OPENER, 10-1

Guzman Drives in Five in Baysox Victory

RICHMOND, VA - Right-hander Chorye Spoone tossed seven strong innings and Joel Guzman drove in five runs as the Bowie Baysox rolled over the Flying Squirrels, 10-1, in front of 5,616 at The Diamond on Friday night.

The Baysox got after Squirrels' right-hander Daryl Maday immediately in the first inning. Matt Angle led off the ballgame with a single back through the middle and moved to second when Ryan Adams singled behind him. Maday issued a four-pitch walk to Caleb Joseph to load the bases with nobody out. Guzman then put Bowie ahead 2-0 when he belted a double off the wall in right-center field to plate both Angle and Adams. A batter later, Robbie Widlansky made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Joseph.

Maday settled in and didn't allow another hit through the fifth inning. However, Bowie right-hander Chorye Spoone had been cruising from the outset, allowing just a lone base hit and no runs over his first five innings.

Spoone finally proved mortal when he walked Darren Ford leading off the Richmond sixth inning. Ford took second on a wild pitch and third when Brandon Crawford grounded out. Thomas Neal then brought in Ford to cut the lead to 3-1 with a groundout to the shortstop.

Maday (7-1) departed after six innings to his first loss of the season. Although he didn't allow a hit past the first inning, he was charged with three earned runs on the three hits he allowed in the first inning.

The Baysox promptly responded as Tony Pena Jr. entered in relief in the seventh inning. Matt Tucker singled with one out and Carlos Rojas singled behind him to put two aboard. Bowie then successfully orchestrated a safety-squeeze bunt and Angle bunted home Tucker. Adams followed with an RBI single to left field and Joseph capped the scoring with an RBI single to right-center field. Pena was charged with three earned runs in the inning.

Spoone (3-5) worked through the seventh for his third win of the season. He allowed just a lone run on three hits, walked two and struck out six.

Bowie punctuated the victory with four runs against Richmond reliever Andy Sisco in the ninth inning. The inning included a three-run double from Guzman, who drove in five runs in the Baysox win.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday night at 6:35 PM at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (4-2, 3.27) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Ryohei Tanaka (3-4, 3.61) for the Baysox.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS TURN TABLES, ROUT B-METS IN FINALE 11-4

Richmond Establishes New Season-Highs for Runs and Hits

BINGHAMTON, NY - The Richmond Flying Squirrels returned the favor to Binghamton in the finale of a four-game series, routing the B-Mets, 11-4, on Thursday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium. The Squirrels established season-highs for runs in a single game with 11 and hits with 19 as they salvaged a split in the series.

Juan Ciriaco led off the second inning with a single off of Binghamton right-hander Chris Schwinden, sparking a three-run uprising that gave Richmond a 3-0 lead. Conor Gillaspie followed with a single and Schwinden walked Andy D'Alessio to load the bases with nobody out. Schwinden recovered to strike out Tyler La Torre, but Ronnie Ray followed and ripped a bases-clearing double to center field.

Richmond tacked on a run in the third when Thomas Neal led off with his second double of the ballgame. Clay Timpner followed and singled him to third. Ciriaco bounced into a double play, but Neal scored on the play to give the Squirrels a 4-0 lead.

Darren Ford lashed a double down the left-field line with one out in the fourth as Richmond again got after Schwinden. Brandon Crawford followed with a single to left-center to score Ford for a 5-0 lead.

On the hill, Ray had cruised through the first three innings before Nick Evans sent a solo-home run to right field leading off the fourth. Evans eighth home run of the season pulled the B-Mets within 5-1.

However, Ray would answer at the plate in the fifth against reliever Roy Merritt. Gillaspie singled with one out and D'Alessio doubled behind him to put runners at second and third. La Torre was intentionally passed to load the bases with Ray coming up. He roped a single into left-center field, plating two runs for a 7-1 lead. On the day, Ray drove in five runs, tying the franchise record established by Neal against Reading on April 23rd.

Ray departed in the bottom of the fifth inning, one out shy of being eligible for the win. He worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing a lone run on six hits. He walked none and struck out three. Scwhinden (1-1) took the loss for Binghamton, allowing five runs on 10 hits over four innings.

The B-Mets rallied for three runs against Daniel Turpen in the sixth inning to pull within three runs. Eric Campbell highlighted the inning with a two-run home run to left field.

Richmond grabbed the momentum right back however, scoring four times in the seventh to increase the lead to 11-4. La Torre contributed an RBI single and Timpner plated two runs with a single against reliever Emary Frederick in the inning.

Jake Stevens (2-1) worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief and was awarded the win for Richmond. Felix Romero worked a scoreless ninth inning in a non-save situation.

Gillaspie finished the ballgame 5-for-5 with five singles. His five singles were the most recorded in a game this season for a Richmond hitter. Gillaspie and D'Alessio each scored three times in the ballgame.

The Squirrels return to Richmond to open a four-game series with the Bowie Baysox at 7:05 PM on Friday night at The Diamond. RHP Daryl Maday (7-0, 1.36) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Chorye Spoone (2-5, 4.89) for Bowie.

# Squirrels #

SQUIRRELS TAKE IT ON THE CHIN FROM B-METS AGAIN, 9-1

Five-Run First Inning Does in Richmond

BINGHAMTON, NY - For the second consecutive night, the Binghamton Mets had their way with the Flying Squirrels, dumping Richmond, 9-1, in game three of a four-game series on Wednesday night at NYSEG Stadium.

Squirrels' starter Mike MacDonald endured a disastrous first inning, as the B-Mets came out swinging to plate five runs in the frame. Kirk Nieuwenhuis got the trouble started with a lead-off double. Luis Hernandez singled behind him and Nick Evans bounced into fielder's choice that allowed him to score the game's first run. Marshall Hubbard then cracked a single and Eric Campbell followed with a single to score Evans. D.J. Wabick made it three consecutive singles to load the bases, still with one out. Omir Santos then sent a groundball to first base that Juan Ciriaco threw into left field, allowing two more runs to score. Jose Coronado followed and capped the five-run inning with an RBI single for a 5-0 B-Mets' lead.

The B-Mets picked up right where they left off in the second inning. Hernandez led off the inning and curled a solo-home run around the right-field foul pole for a 6-0 lead. Evans reached on an error on Brandon Crawford and later scored on another RBI single from Eric Campbell.

MacDonald (1-4) was lifted after Campbell's single, lasting just an inning plus. It marked the shortest outing of the season for a Richmond starter as he lost for the fourth time. The final line for MacDonald included seven runs - five earned - on eight hits. He walked one and struck out none.

Richmond got on the board against Binghamton starter Eric Niesen without the benefit of a hit in the third inning. Nick Noonan walked to lead off the inning and moved to third when Niesen threw away a sacrifice bunt from Craig Whitaker. Darren Ford brought him in with a sacrifice fly.

Niesen allowed just that unearned run, departing after 3 1/3 innings due to a lowered pitch count. He did not allow a hit, walking three and striking out one.

Whitaker stayed on the mound after taking over for MacDonald in the second and allowed a solo-home run to Nieuwenhuis in the third. The blast to right-center field bumped the lead to 8-1. Binghamton tacked on an unearned run against Whitaker in the fourth for a 9-1 advantage.

Right-hander Edgar Ramirez (2-0) came on in relief of Niesen in the fourth inning and ultimately was awarded the win for Binghamton. He worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out two.

The finale of the four-game series is scheduled for 10:35 am on Thursday morning at NYSEG Stadium. RHP Ronnie Ray (0-1, 5.70) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Chris Schwinden (1-0, 1.50) for Binghamton.

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B-METS BULLY SQUIRRELS IN GAME TWO, 10-0

Kunz Pitches Gem in Lop-Sided Loss

BINGHAMTON, NY - Binghamton right-hander Eddie Kunz stymied Richmond into the eighth inning and the B-Mets pounded the Flying Squirrels, 10-0, in game two of a four-game series on Tuesday night in front of 2,389 at NYSEG Stadium. The loss was the most lop-sided of the season for Richmond, as Binghamton racked up the most runs allowed in a single game by Squirrels pitching.

The Squirrels found themselves in an early hole as the B-Mets started quickly against Craig Clark in the first inning. Kirk Nieuwenhuis singled to start the threat and Clark walked both Luis Hernandez and Nick Evans to load the bases. Eric Campbell followed and sent a single back up the middle that scored two runs. Darren Ford misplayed the ball in center field, allowing Evans to move to third. He scored a batter later to give Binghamton a 3-0 lead when Mike Nickeas bounced out to third base. Two of three runs charged to Clark were earned.

The B-Mets widened the gap and chased Clark with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Clark issued his fourth walk of the ballgame to start the inning, putting Carlos Guzman aboard. Two outs later, Nieuwenhuis blasted his fifth home run of the season to right-center field for a 5-0 lead.

Clark (2-3) departed following the home run, lasting just 3 2/3 innings. He endured the loss, allowing five runs - four earned - on five hits. He walked four and struck out two as he lost for the third time on the year.

Binghamton blew the game open with a five-run fifth inning. All the runs were charged to reliever Felix Romero. The inning included an RBI double for Hector Pellot, and two-run doubles from Hernandez and Campbell. Campbell finished the ballgame with four runs driven in.

All the while, Kunz (4-3) was outstanding, turning in 7 2/3 scoreless innings - the longest outing of his career - to earn the win. He allowed just four hits, walked two and struck out five as he lasted into the eighth inning.

Game three of the four-game series is scheduled for 6:35 PM on Wednesday night at NYSEG Stadium. RHP Mike MacDonald (1-3, 3.35) will make the start for Richmond against a yet to be determined starter for the B-Mets.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS SURVIVE B-METS IN OPENER, 3-2

Neal and Crawford Homer in Richmond Victory

BINGHAMTON, NY - The Richmond Flying Squirrels snuck past the Binghamton Mets, 3-2, in the opener of a four-game series in front of 1,580 at NYSEG Stadium on Monday night.

Thomas Neal put the Squirrels ahead quickly in the top of the first inning. With two outs, he hammered his third home run of the season to left-center field off of B-Mets' left-hander Mike Antonini and Richmond led, 1-0.

Antonini settled in nicely, but Richmond was able to tack on a run against him in the sixth. Neal supplied the spark, singling with one out. He was pushed to third when Clay Timpner bounced a ground-rule double over the wall in left-center field. Juan Ciriaco then sent a sacrifice fly to right field bringing in Neal for a 2-0 advantage.

Squirrels' starter David Mixon was outstanding through five innings, and had shut out the B-Mets on one hit. However, he seemingly ran out of steam in the sixth, issuing a one-out walk to Luis Hernandez. He struck out Nick Evans, but each of the next three hitters recorded a single. Marshall Hubbard singled to put runners at the corners, and Mike Nickeas brought home Hernandez with a single to left field. Carlos Guzman followed and laced a single into right-center field to tie the game, 2-2.

Mixon departed following Guzman's single and Craig Whitaker cleaned up the sixth. Mixon didn't factor in the decision, working 5 2/3 innings and allowing the two runs on four hits. Antonini left after the sixth and also didn't earn a decision. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits, walking none and striking out six.

Brandon Crawford delivered the lead back to the Squirrels as he led off the eighth inning against right-hander Josh Stinson. Crawford sent an opposite-field home run to left field, his fifth home run of the season, giving Richmond a 3-2 lead. Stinson (2-1) endured the loss for Binghamton.

Left-hander Jake Stevens had worked the seventh inning for Richmond, and he recorded the first two outs of the eighth inning, although he did allow a double to Nick Evans in the frame. Rafael Cova entered to record the final out in the inning, flying out Guzman to end the threat. Stevens (1-1) was awarded the win for Richmond.

Cova continued and worked around an inning-opening single in the ninth to close out the win, recording his ninth save of the season. It marked the first save since May 7th for Cova.

Game two of the four-game series is scheduled for 6:35 PM on Tuesday night at NYSEG Stadium. LHP Craig Clark (2-2, 3.46) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Eddie Kunz (3-2, 6.21) for the B-Mets.

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Stats and Box Score

D'ALESSIO DELIVERS IN RETURN AS SQUIRRELS ROLL, 6-0

Maday Earns Seventh Victory to Tie League-Lead

READING, PA - Daryl Maday worked seven scoreless innings and Andy D'Alessio drove in four runs as the Flying Squirrels rolled over the Reading Phillies, 6-0, in front of 6,966 on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium. The shutout marked the league-best seventh of the season for the Squirrels, as they salvaged the final game of a three-game series.

Maday (7-0) matched Altoona's Jared Hughes for the Eastern League lead with his seventh win of the season. He turned in a seven-inning masterpiece, allowing just four hits and walking two. He struck out five and did not allow an R-Phil past second base during his outing.

Andy D'Alessio returned from the disabled list in style, and gave Richmond the game's first lead in the second inning. In his first at-bat since May 3rd, he drilled an offering from Reading right-hander Phillippe Aumont over the wall in right-center field for a 1-0 Richmond lead.

The Squirrels tacked a run onto their lead in the third when Aumont walked Darren Ford with one out. Ford promptly stole second base and came in when Conor Gillaspie flared a single to left field to give Richmond a 2-0 advantage.

Richmond added two more to their lead and chased Aumont in the fifth. Ford led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a two-base throwing error charged to Aumont. Aumont then walked Brandon Crawford to put runners on the corners. Gillaspie then sent a swinging-bunt single up the third-base line that scored Ford. Aumont was lifted from the ballgame in favor of Tyson Brummett with two runners on and nobody out. Brummett popped out Thomas Neal, but then conceded an RBI single to D'Alessio, scoring Crawford to run the Richmond lead to 4-0.

Aumont (1-4) was charged with the four earned runs over four-plus innings of work. He allowed six hits, walked four and struck out just one as he endured his fourth loss of the season.

D'Alessio supplied two insurance runs for Richmond in the top of the ninth inning, cracking a double off of Matt German that scored Gillaspie and Neal. D'Alessio's four hits and RBIs both established career-highs.

Tony Pena Jr. worked through the final two innings on the hill for the Squirrels without allowing a run or a hit.

The Flying Squirrels travel to Binghamton, NY, to open a four-game series with the Binghamton Mets (New York Mets) on Monday night at 6:35 PM at NYSEG Stadium. RHP David Mixon (4-2, 3.28) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Mike Antonini (3-4, 4.84) for Binghamton.

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SPIDALE SINKS SQUIRRELS IN GAME TWO, 4-3

R-Phils Fend Off Richmond's Comeback Attempt to Claim Series

READING, PA - The Reading Phillies survived a Flying Squirrels comeback attempt to claim game two of a three-game series, 4-3, in front of 8,713 on Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Squirrels fought out of a 3-0 hole to tie the game in the seventh inning. However, in the eighth Michael Spidale belted the third home run of the night for the R-Phils, taking Squirrels' reliever Daniel Turpen deep to left field. Spidale's second home run of the season doomed Turpen (3-2) to his second loss of the season.

After a scoreless first inning, Tagg Bozied delivered the lead to the R-Phils with a solo-home run off of Squirrels' starter Ronnie Ray in the second inning. The line-shot to left field led off the inning. Matt Rizzotti followed with a double to left-center field. He was sacrificed to third and scored for a 2-0 lead when Tuffy Gosewich bounced into a double play.

Rizzotti struck again in the fourth when he faced Ray for the second time. Batting with one out, he drilled a high-arching solo-home run to right field, increasing Reading's lead to 3-0.

The Squirrels finally got to Reading starter Jason Anderson in the fifth inning. Jackson Williams singled with one out and a batter later Anderson walked Ray to put two aboard. Darren Ford sent a single back through the middle to plate Williams and cut the Reading lead to 3-1. Ray was out on the play to end the inning attempting to go first to third.

Ray worked 4 2/3 innings, and didn't factor in the decision after allowing three runs on four hits. Anderson also didn't factor in the decision, allowing a lone run on four hits over five innings.

Richmond inched closer as right-hander Michael Stutes entered in relief in the sixth inning. Brandon Crawford belted a triple off the wall in center field to start the inning and scored when Thomas Neal grounded out behind him.

Stutes also conceded the game-tying run in the seventh inning. Conor Gillaspie led off the inning with a single and moved to second when Nick Noonan walked a batter later. Matt Klimas then pinch-hit and tied the game, 3-3, with a single through the middle that scored Gillaspie. Klimas recorded his first RBI of the season on his first hit of the year, but Noonan was out on the base paths for the second out of the inning. The rally stalled after that despite Ford walking behind Klimas.

Left-hander Sergio Escalona (1-4) claimed the victory for the R-Phils, working a scoreless inning and a third. Right-hander John Ennis earned his first save of the season, working a scoreless ninth as Reading claimed the series.

The finale of the three-game series is scheduled for 1:05 PM on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium. RHP Daryl Maday (6-0, 1.57) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Phillippe Aumont (1-3, 5.94) for the R-Phils.

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SQUIRRELS COME UP SHORT IN BASEBALLTOWN, 7-3

R-Phils Snap Three-Game Slide with Win in Opener

READING, PA - The Reading Phillies grabbed the opener of a three-game series with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 7-3, in front of 9,784 on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Squirrels got after R-Phils' right-hander Vance Worley quickly in the first inning. With one out, Brandon Crawford singled up the middle. Conor Gillaspie followed a double to the alley in left-center field that scored Crawford from first base with the game's first run. A batter later, Clay Timpner plated Gillaspie with an RBI single through the right side of the infield and the Squirrels held a 2-0 lead.

Reading responded against Squirrels' right-hander Mike MacDonald in the second. Matt Rizzotti started the inning with a single and remained at first as the next two batters were retired. With two outs, Ozzie Chavez ripped a double to left-center field that brought Rizzotti around to cut the Richmond lead in half. Freddy Galvis followed with an RBI single to tie the game, 2-2.

MacDonald was right back in trouble in the third when Quintin Berry led off the inning with an infield-single. He promptly swiped second base and came in to give Reading the lead when Domonic Brown stroked a double off the wall in right-center field. Rizzotti followed with a double to the left-field corner and Brown came around for a 4-2 lead. Michael Spidale followed with a single to score the third run of the inning and a throwing error on Crawford allowed a fourth run in for a 6-2 lead.

Juan Ciriaco led off the Richmond fourth with a triple and Nick Noonan brought him home with a sacrifice fly to shave a run off of Reading's advantage.

MacDonald (1-3) began the fifth inning, but walked the first two batters before being lifted. He took the loss, turning in four-plus innings, allowing six runs - five earned - on nine hits. He walked two and struck out two in his third loss of the season. Wilmin Rodriguez entered in relief and completed the fifth for MacDonald.

Worley (3-2) settled in to work a strong seven innings for the win. He allowed three runs on six hits, walking three and striking out four. Matt German handled a scoreless eighth inning and Michael Schwimer took the ninth, as Reading snapped a three-game losing streak.

Reading capped the scoring with their final run in the eighth inning. Rafael Cova was charged with the final run of the night, snapping a personal 11 2/3 scoreless innings string for the right-hander.

Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for 6:05 PM at FirstEnergy Stadium on Saturday night. RHP Ronnie Ray (0-1, 5.68) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Jason Anderson (0-0, 1.80) for Reading.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS SNAP SKID AT FOUR WITH WIN IN FINALE, 5-1

Crawford’s Inside-the-Park Home Run Highlights Four-Run Eighth Inning

RICHMOND, VA - A four-run eighth inning that included an inside-the-park home run from Brandon Crawford carried the Flying Squirrels to a, 5-1, victory over the Erie SeaWolves in front of 4,069 on Thursday morning at The Diamond. The win in both the series-finale with Erie and the final game of a seven-game home stand snapped a four-game losing streak for Richmond.

With the game tied in the bottom the eighth inning, the Squirrels rallied with two outs. Erie starter Thad Weber was still in the ballgame as Tyler La Torre sparked Richmond with a one-hop double off the wall in right field. Nick Noonan pinch-ran for him and scored the eventual game-winning run when Juan Ciriaco sent a single to left field. However, the Squirrels would punctuate the victory. Weber walked Darren Ford to put runners at the corners and the SeaWolves went to the bullpen for Zach Simons. Brandon Crawford then lifted a high-fly ball to center field that Wilkin Ramirez didn't see off the bat. When Ramirez couldn't make the play, Crawford raced all the way around with a three-run inside-the-park home run that finished off the SeaWolves.

The Squirrels got out of the gates quickly against Erie right-hander Thad Weber in the first inning. Ford led off the inning with a triple to the alley in right-center field. He scored a batter later when Thomas Neal bounced into a double play to give Richmond an early 1-0 advantage.

Erie drew even with an unearned run against Squirrels' left-hander Craig Clark in the third inning. With one out in the inning, Justin Henry reached and advanced to second base when Ciriaco committed a two-base throwing error. Shawn Roof followed with an RBI single to knot the score, 1-1.

The unearned run was the only blemish on the day for Clark, who worked briskly through 5 2/3 innings. He didn't factor in the decision despite allowing just four hits, walking two and striking out four.

Tony Pena Jr. (3-0) took over for Clark in the sixth and dominated the rest of the way. He fanned seven SeaWolves over 3 1/3 innings, allowing just two singles as he earned his third win of the season.

Weber (2-4) took the loss for Erie, ultimately allowing four earned runs over 7 2/3 innings. He surrendered five hits, walked three and struck out two.

The Squirrels will travel to Reading, PA, to open a three-game series with the R-Phils at FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday night at 7:05. RHP Mike MacDonald (1-2, 2.48) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Vance Worley (2-2, 4.33) for Reading.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

CURVE HOLD OFF CHARGING SQUIRRELS IN FINALE, 7-6

Altoona Earns Series-Split to Regain First Place

RICHMOND, VA - The Altoona Curve withstood a furious comeback attempt in front of a capacity crowd of 9,560 and claimed the finale of a four-game series, 7-6, on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond.

A sloppy second inning from the Squirrels helped the Curve take an early 3-0 lead. Josh Harrison dropped down a bunt-single to start the frame and went to second when Richmond starter Clayton Tanner threw wildly to first on the play. Miles Durham followed with a single to right-center field that scored Harrison for the game's first lead. Alex Presley then sent a single to left-center that Darren Ford misplayed, allowing Durham to third and Presley to second behind him. Kris Watts bounced to second base to bring home Altoona's second run and move Presley to third. With the infield drawn in, Curve hurler Derek Hankins sent a ground ball to first base that Clay Timpner couldn't handle, allowing Presley to plate the third run of the inning. Richmond committed three errors in the inning as Altoona took a 3-0 lead.

The troubles mounted for Tanner (3-3) in the third when he walked Harrison with one out. Durham followed and walloped Tanner's first pitch over the wall in left field, the two-run blast giving the Curve a 5-0 advantage. Tanner was chased in the inning, lasting just 2 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season. He endured the loss, his third of the year.

Hankins set the Squirrels aside in the first three innings, before they finally got to him for a run in the fourth. Hankins sparked the inning when he walked Roger Kieschnick to start the inning. Kieschnick advanced to third on a passed ball and a groundout and scored Richmond's first run on a double from Jackson Williams.

The Curve tacked the run right back on to their lead against reliever Felix Romero in the fifth. Romero opened the frame with a walk to Matt Hague, and Harrison singled behind him to push him to third. A ground ball to second base from Presley brought him in for a 6-1 Curve lead.

Altoona added another run in the sixth inning, recording three consecutive singles against reliever Daniel Turpen. Harrison supplied the third hit in that string, driving in Jordy Mercer who had supplied the first.

An error that allowed Kieschnick to reach leading off the seventh inning led to Richmond scoring two unearned runs against Hankins and trimming the lead to four runs, 7-3. Hankins (3-1) departed following the inning, conceding three runs - one earned - on six hits. He walked two and struck out two, earning his third victory of the season.

The two unearned runs against Hankins were the first in a furious comeback attempt for Richmond. They added two more to cut the lead to two runs in the eighth inning. Reliever Dustin Molleken was charged with both runs, the first of which scored on an RBI double from Nick Noonan. Tony Pena Jr. lifted a sacrifice fly to score the fifth run of the ballgame for Richmond.

Richmond nearly completed the comeback when back-to-back doubles in the ninth inning against Curve closer Daniel Moskos brought them within a lone run. Timpner supplied the first double and Gillaspie brought him in to bring the score to 7-6. Moskos recovered to struck out Williams and pop out Noonan to end the ballgame. Moskos earned his eighth save of the season as the Curve earned a split of the four-game series.

The Flying Squirrels will enjoy a day off on Monday before opening a three-game series against the Erie SeaWolves (Detroit Tigers) at 7:05 PM on Tuesday night at The Diamond. RHP Daryl Maday (6-0, 1.54) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Andy Oliver (3-1, 4.28) for Erie.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

FORD DRIVES CURVE PAST SQUIRRELS IN GAME THREE, 9-2

Switch-Hitter Homers from Both Sides of the Plate in Altoona Win

RICHMOND, VA - The Altoona Curve put small-ball aside for an evening and blasted three home runs in a lop-sided, 9-2, win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of a capacity crowd of 9,560 on Saturday night at The Diamond. Shelby Ford homered twice and drove in five runs in the first victory of the series for Altoona.

For the first time in the series, the Flying Squirrels struck first, plating a run in the bottom of the third inning against Curve starter Jared Hughes. Hughes hit Jackson Williams to start the inning, and Nick Noonan singled him to third base. Tyler La Torre, pinch-hitting for Squirrels' starter Mike MacDonald, bounced an RBI groundout to give Richmond a 1-0 lead.

MacDonald, returning from the Disabled List to make the start, worked three scoreless innings before reaching a lowered pitch count and departing to a no-decision.

Altoona struck quickly against the Richmond bullpen, grabbing the lead in the fourth inning. Left-hander Andy Sisco entered in relief for the Squirrels and walked Miles Durham with one out in the inning. Ford followed with a long two-run home run to left field to give the Curve the edge, 2-1.

The Curve doubled their total in the fifth, getting two more against Sisco. Jim Negrych singled with one out in the frame and Hector Gimenez drilled a two-run home run to left field for a 4-1 lead. It was Gimenez's fourth home run of the season against Richmond.

Sisco (0-2) allowed four total runs over two innings of relief. He was tagged with his second loss of the season, giving up his first two home runs of the season in the process.

Meanwhile, Hughes was rock-solid outside of the third inning. He allowed just one more run - unearned - in the sixth inning. He departed to his league-leading seventh win of the season after seven innings. He conceded just four hits, walking two and striking out four.

The Curve threw the knock-out punch with a five-run outburst in the seventh inning. All the runs were charged to Squirrels' reliever Craig Whitaker. The rally included a pair of RBI groundouts and was punctuated with Ford's second home run of the night, a three-run shot to right field. Ford finished the ballgame three-for-four with a pair of home runs and five runs batted in.

The final game of the four-game series is scheduled for 2:05 PM on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. LHP Clayton Tanner (2-3, 3.15) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Derek Hankins (2-1, 1.95) for Altoona.

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Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS DROP CURVE 4-2, TAKE OVER TOP SPOT IN WEST

Mixon Earns Fourth Win Over Seven Strong Innings

BOWIE, MD - The Richmond Flying Squirrels used a four-run fifth inning to defeat the Altoona Curve, 4-2, in the opener of a four-game series in front of 4,971 on Thursday night at The Diamond. With the victory, the Squirrels pulled ahead of Altoona into first place in the West Division for the first time in franchise history.

The Curve jumped out front quickly, as Chase d'Arnaud singled to start the ballgame against Squirrels' starter David Mixon. He moved to second when Gorkys Hernandez bounced out. He then stole third base before Matt Hague singled back up the middle with two outs to score him and give Altoona the early 1-0 lead.

Mixon settled in, and Curve starter Tim Alderson kept Richmond at bay for four innings before Altoona tacked a run on in the fifth. Alex Presley reached on an infield-single to begin the inning. Alderson bunted him to second and he scored from there on an infield-single from d'Arnaud to give Altoona a 2-0 lead.

Alderson cracked in the fifth, and Richmond pounced on him for the lead. The righty walked Tyler La Torre to begin the inning, and an out later Nick Noonan singled. Mixon then legged out a bunt-single back to the mound to load the bases. Alderson walked Ford to force home La Torre and Brandon Crawford sent a sacrifice-fly to right field to plate Noonan and tie the game, 2-2. Thomas Neal gave the Squirrels the lead when he singled home Mixon through the right side of the infield. Roger Kieschnick capped the rally when he beat out an infield-single allowing Ford to score for a 4-2 lead.

Alderson (2-1) departed following Kieschnick's single, having conceded four earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. He allowed seven hits, walked two and struck out four. He endured his first defeat of the season.

Mixon (4-1) continued to get stronger as the game went along. Ultimately, he earned the victory over seven innings, allowing just two runs on four hits, walking one and fanning a season-high nine.

Daniel Turpen worked a perfect eighth inning and recorded the first two outs in the ninth before a pair of two-out hits for Altoona prompted a move to Jake Stevens out of the Richmond bullpen. The left-hander entered and earned his second save of the season on two pitches, flying out Presley to left field to end the ballgame.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Friday night at 7:05 PM at The Diamond. LHP Craig Clark (1-2, 4.76) will make the start for Richmond against LHP Rudy Owens (3-1, 3.74) for Altoona.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SQUIRRELS BLANK BAYSOX FOR SERIES WIN, 5-0

Kieschnick Supplies Offense as Richmond Rolls in Finale

BOWIE, MD - Roger Keischnick homered twice and the Flying Squirrels posted their league-best sixth shutout of the season as Richmond rolled over the Bowie Baysox, 5-0, in the finale of a three-game series on Wednesday afternoon at Prince George's Stadium.

For the second consecutive day, Kiechnick delivered the lead to Richmond with a two-run home run in the first inning. With Brandon Crawford aboard via a single, Kieschnick belted a 3-1 pitch from Bowie starter Ryohei Tanaka over the wall in right-center field for a 2-0 lead. Kieschnick also blasted a two-run homer in the first inning on Tuesday night.

Daryl Maday battled while conceding five hits and two walks through the first four innings, but kept Bowie at bay, and the Squirrels carried their lead into the fifth inning.

With Tanaka still on the hill, Kieschnick struck again. Thomas Neal had bunted his way aboard with one down when Kieschnick wrapped a low-flying two-run home run just inside the right-field foul pole to double Richmond's advantage to 4-0. Kieschnick became just the second Flying Squirrel to record multi-homer game, joining Neal who accomplished the feat against Reading at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Squirrels tacked on a final run against Tanaka before he departed in the sixth inning. Tanaka hit Jackson Williams with a pitch to start the inning, and Williams moved around to third on a pair of ground-outs. Darren Ford brought him in for a 5-0 lead and chased Tanaka with an infield-single back up the middle.

Tanaka (2-4) endured the loss, conceding five earned runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. The defeat marked his fourth consecutive loss, and second to Richmond.

Meanwhile, Maday (6-0) settled in nicely and worked perfect innings in the fourth and fifth. Ultimately, he lasted through 5 2/3 innings, keeping the Baysox off the scoreboard on just five hits and two walks. He struck out three as he earned his sixth consecutive win, tying him for the league-lead in wins with Altoona's Jared Hughes.

Andy Sisco, Rafael Cova and Wilmin Rodriguez combined to complete Richmond's league-leading sixth shutout of the season. Bowie stranded 15 runners in the win for the Squirrels, which netted them the series victory two games to one.

The Flying Squirrels will open a four-game series at The Diamond in Richmond against the Altoona Curve on Thursday night at 7:05 PM. RHP David Mixon (3-1, 2.27) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Tim Alderson (2-0, 6.14) for Altoona.

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BOWIE OUTLASTS SQUIRRELS IN GAME TWO, 6-5

Baysox Snap Five-Game Skid to Level Series

BOWIE, MD - The Bowie Baysox held off the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 6-5, in game two of a three-game series on Tuesday night at Prince George's Stadium.

A first-inning error on Bowie shortstop Pedro Florimon opened the door for Richmond to grab the early advantage. With two outs, Thomas Neal reached on that error giving Roger Kieschnick the chance to bat. He delivered an opposite-field two-run homer to left-center field giving Richmond a 2-0 lead. The runs charged to Bowie starter Chorye Spoone were unearned.

Bowie shaved a run off the Richmond lead in the second when Joel Guzman doubled on one-hop off the wall in center field. He advanced to third on a Clayton Tanner wild pitch and scored on a ground-out from Robbie Widlansky to cut the lead to one, 2-1.

The Squirrels immediately got the run back in the third when Nick Noonan and Darren Ford recorded back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Spoone recovered to strike out Brandon Crawford, but Neal lined a sacrifice-fly to right-center field to score Noonan and rebuild the two-run lead, 3-1.

The lead was short-lived, as Bowie staged a prolonged two-out rally in the bottom of the inning. Paco Figueroa sparked the uprising with a two-out bunt-single. Ryan Adams recorded a single behind him and Tyler Henson ripped a run-scoring single through the left-side of the infield to plate Figueroa. Guzman then cracked his second double of the ballgame, bringing home both runners with a shot down the third-base line. Brandon Waring followed with a double to right-center field, bringing home the fourth run of the inning, and giving Bowie a 5-3 advantage.

Tanner (2-3) survived the third, but departed after allowing two men to reach in the fourth. He recorded his shortest outing of the season, lasting 3 1/3 innings and allowing five earned runs on seven hits. He endured his third loss of the season.

The Squirrels got a run back against Spoone prior to his exit in the fifth inning. Ford singled to start the inning and Crawford walked to push him into scoring position. Kieschnick added a third RBI with a single to score him through the right-side of the infield to make it a 5-4 Bowie lead.

Spoone left following the fifth, allowing four runs - two earned - on five hits. He walked three and struck out four as he snapped a personal four-game losing streak with the win, his second of the season.

Bowie tacked that run back on against Felix Romero in the fifth, when Henson doubled to start the inning and came around a batter later on a sacrifice-fly from Waring.

Richmond then replaced that run with one of their own in the seventh against reliever Eduardo Gamboa. Juan Ciriaco doubled with two outs and scored on an error on the shortstop Florimon on a ground-ball from Conor Gillaspie. The Baysox commited three errors in the inning as the Squirrels pulled back within a run at 6-5.

Pedro Beato held the Squirrels at bay for the final two innings as he preserved the victory and earned his first save of the season.

The final game of the three-game series is scheduled for 11:05 am on Wednesday morning at Prince George's Stadium. RHP Daryl Maday (5-0,1.78) will make the start for the Flying Squirrels against RHP Ryohei Tanaka (2-3, 3.63) for the Baysox.

# Squirrels #

Stats and Box Score

SCRAPPY SQUIRRELS RALLY BACK TO TAKE GAME ONE, 5-4

Richmond Wins for First Time When Trailing After Five Innings

BOWIE, MD - The Richmond Flying Squirrels fought out of a four-run hole to claim their series-opener with the Bowie Baysox, 5-4, on Monday night at Prince George's Stadium.

Starters Steve Johnson and Ronnie Ray traded scoreless innings into the fourth, where Ray was the first to find trouble. Making a spot-start, the right-hander conceded a flare-single to Paco Figueroa and walked Steve Lerud and Joel Guzman to load the bases. The Squirrels went to the bullpen for side-armer Craig Whitaker, who entered to face Miguel Abreu. Abreu worked the count to 3-1 before he pulled a fast ball out of the park to left field, the grand slam giving the Baysox a 4-0 lead. The grand slam was the first in Flying Squirrels' history.

Johnson continued to cruise, and worked six scoreless innings, striking out six. He received a no-decision despite his sterling efforts.

Following Johnson's exit, the Squirrels came racing back in the top of the seventh. They staged an uprising against righty Patrick Egan, starting with a lead-off single from Conor Gillaspie. Jackson Williams followed with an infield-single. Nick Noonan forced Williams at second to put runners at the corners with one out. Egan then issued back-to-back walks to Darren Ford and Brandon Crawford to push home Gillaspie. The bases remained loaded for Thomas Neal, who launched a high-arching three-run triple off the base of the wall in left-center field to clear the bases and tie the game, 4-4.

With Egan still in the ballgame, Richmond rallied to plate the game-winning run in the ninth inning. With two outs, Egan walked Ford. Crawford followed with a line-shot back to the mound that glanced off Egan then ricocheted off the second base bag and into center field. Ford tore around second towards third base, and when Jonathan Tucker bobbled the baseball, Ford raced in with the winning run. Tucker was charged with an error on the play. Egan (2-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing five runs - four earned - over three innings of relief.

Tony Pena Jr. (2-0) earned the win for Richmond, working a scoreless inning in the eighth and recording the first two outs in the ninth. He was removed after a two-out walk in the ninth in favor of Jake Stevens. Stevens earned the save, flying out Tucker to right field to end the ballgame. The win marked the first time in franchise history the Squirrels won a game after trailing through five innings, and sent Bowie to their fifth consecutive loss.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM at Prince George's Stadium. LHP Clayton Tanner (2-2, 2.03) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Chorye Spoone (1-4, 6.21) for Bowie.

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Stats and Box Score

ONE IS ENOUGH AS SQUIRRELS HURLERS DOMINATE GAME TWO, 1-0

Harrisburg One-Hit by Richmond as Squirrels Grab Road Series

HARRISBURG, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels used superior pitching and a solo-home run from Michael Ambort to down the Harrisburg Senators, 1-0, on Saturday night at Metro Bank Park. The Senators sent just one over the minimum to the plate as they were one-hit by Richmond as the Flying Squirrels claimed the series with their fifth shutout of the season.

Ambort's blast came with two outs recorded in the top of the eighth inning as he hooked a low-flying solo-home run off of reliever Yunior Novoa into the bleacher seats in left field. His first home run of the season was the only tally recorded in the low-scoring affair. The loss was hung on Novoa (0-3), his third of the season.

Pitching dominated the ballgame, as starters and right-handers David Mixon for Richmond and Brad Meyers for Harrisburg traded scoreless innings through the first three innings. Meyers struck out six over three innings, while Mixon faced the minimum through his first three innings.

Meyers worked two more scoreless innings before calling it a night after five. He struck out nine, while allowing just four hits, but didn't factor in the decision. Ultimately, Harrisburg pitchers struck out 15 Flying Squirrels, establishing a new franchise-record in the department for Richmond.

Mixon did him two better, facing just one over the minimum in seven innings of near perfect service. He matched a season-high for a Squirrels hurler, striking out eight, while walking one and allowing just one hit. Mixon (3-1) was the rightful winner, turning in his second scoreless seven-inning outing of the season.

Tony Pena Jr. came out to lock down the win for Richmond. He turned in two perfect innings of relief for his fourth save of the season, retiring all six batters he faced and recording a pair of strikeouts.

The third and final game of the three-game series is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Sunday afternoon at Metro Bank Park. The Mother's Day matchup will feature LHP Craig Clark (1-2, 4.63) making the start for Richmond against RHP Jeff Mandel (0-4, 4.21) for Harrisburg.

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TURNING TWO TURNS INTO WIN FOR SQUIRRELS, 5-3

Richmond Records Franchise-Record Six Double Plays in Series-Opening Triumph

HARRISBURG, PA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels claimed the opener of a three-game series with the Harrisburg Senators, 5-3, on Friday night at Metro Bank Park due in large part to recording a franchise-record six double-plays. The Squirrels, who lead the Eastern League with 40 double plays, recorded a double play in each of the final six innings in the ballgame.

Harrisburg grabbed the early advantage against reigning Eastern League Pitcher of the Week Daryl Maday as Maday plunked Danny Espinosa with his second pitch of the ballgame. Espinosa came around for a 1-0 lead a batter later when Leonard Davis tripled to the right-field corner. Davis came in to make it 2-0 when Jesus Valdez lifted a sacrifice-fly to right field.

However, the Flying Squirrels struck right back against Harrisburg starter Erik Arneson in the top of the third. With one out, Clay Timpner sent a single to the right side. Conor Gillaspie followed with a massive two-run home run to right field that tied the score. The blast, which cleared the video board, was the fourth of the season for Gillaspie, who leads the club in bother homers and RBIs with 17. Jackson Williams followed the homer with a double into the left-field corner and Maday aided his own cause with a flare-single to right field that scored him for a 3-2 lead.

The Senators pulled even with a run off Maday in the third inning as Espinosa led off the inning with a single. Michael Martinez singled behind him to put two aboard and the pair was bunted to third. Espinosa scored to tie the game on an RBI ground-out from Valdez.

Richmond grabbed the lead right back in the fourth as newcomer Juan Ciriaco sent a double off the wall in left-center field with one out. Maday attempted to bunt him to third, but first baseman Bill Rhinehart made an ill-fated decision to throw to third. His throw was wild, and Ciriaco came around on the error for a 4-3 lead.

Maday (5-0) surrendered the three runs over five innings, but was the winner, claiming his fifth consecutive win as his record remained unblemished. The righty allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out two. Arneson (0-2) was tagged with the loss, allowing four earned runs on eight hits over four innings.

Richmond added a run to their lead in the seventh against reliever Mike MacDougal. Darren Ford sparked the rally with a lead-off double and came around a batter later when Thomas Neal singled back up the middle for a 5-3 cushion.

Game two of the series is scheduled for 7:00 PM on Saturday night at Metro Bank Park. RHP David Mixon (2-1, 2.83) will make the start for Richmond against a yet to be determined starter for Harrisburg.

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Stats and Box Score

GIMENEZ'S HOMERS ENOUGH FOR ALTOONA, 5-2

Curve Catcher Slugs Two Homers to Sink Squirrels in Game Three

RICHMOND, VA - Hector Gimenez powered the Altoona Curve to a 5-2 win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 3,773 at The Diamond on Wednesday night. Gimenez belted two home runs in the ballgame, notched four hits overall and drove in three runs in the win.

With the game tied, 2-2, in the top of the seventh inning, Gimenez delivered what would ultimately become the game-winning run with a home run to left field off of Squirrels' reliever Jake Stevens. The switch-hitter belted the solo-shot, which relegated Stevens (0-1) to the loss, batting right-handed.

With the score 3-2, Gimenez iced the ballgame with a home run batting left-handed against reliever Tony Pena Jr. in the ninth inning. With Alex Presley aboard, Gimenez crunched a two-run drive to right field, stretching the Curve lead to 5-2. That score held for the Curve as left-hander Daniel Moskos entered and earned his sixth save of the season by extinguishing a rally for Richmond and recording the final two outs of the ballgame.

As they did in game two, the Curve got out quickly in the first inning, this time against Richmond right-hander Mike MacDonald. Chase d'Arnaud got the Curve started with a lead-off double just fair inside the third-base line. Gorkys Hernandez singled behind him to put runners on the corners with nobody out before Jordy Mercer delivered the first run of the ballgame with a sacrifice fly to center field. Hernandez moved to second on a ground-out and scored for a 2-0 lead when Jim Negrych delivered a two-out single to right field.

Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf, making a Major League rehab start for Altoona held the Flying Squirrels at bay without a hit for the first three innings. Ultimately, he worked 4 1/3 frames, conceding two hits but no runs. He did not factor in the decision, but looked sharp attempting to return from a bout with back spasms.

MacDonald settled in to work five innings, but suffered a hamstring cramp as he came out for the sixth inning and was removed from the ballgame. He allowed just the two runs in the first inning on six hits, walking none and striking out five. He also didn't factor in the decision.

The Flying Squirrels worked to tie the ballgame in the sixth inning with a pair of runs off Jared Hughes. Roger Kieschnick brought home the first run with an RBI double off the wall in left-center field that scored Thomas Neal. Clay Timpner followed with an RBI single to score Kieschnick to tie the game, 2-2. The single and RBI extended Timpner's hit-streak and RBI-streak, each now reaching seven games.

Hughes (5-1) recovered to earn the win in relief, earning his fifth over four innings. He allowed the two runs on six hits.

The final game of the four-game series with Altoona is scheduled for 10:35 am on Thursday morning at The Diamond. LHP Clayton Tanner (2-2, 2.16) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Derek Hankins (2-0, 1.62 for the Curve.

# Squirrels #

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SURGING SQUIRRELS SWEEP BAYSOX WITH SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN, 4-1

Maday Earns Fourth Consecutive Win With Six Strong Innings

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels ran their win-streak to six games and completed a three-game sweep of the Bowie Baysox with a 4-1 triumph in front of 6,419 at The Diamond on Sunday afternoon.

Scoreless into the third inning, the Flying Squirrels struck first with the game's first run off Bowie starter Ryohei Tanaka (2-2). Nick Noonan gave Richmond the lead with a solo-home run to right field, his first of the season.

The lead expanded when the Squirrels erupted for three additional runs off Tanaka in the fourth. Tanaka sparked the inning when he walked Brandon Crawford to start the frame. A batter later, Roger Kieschnick singled to put runners at the corners with one out. Clay Timpner then drilled a two-run double to the alley in right-center field, scoring both runners and putting Richmond in front, 3-0. An out later, Tyler La Torre made it 4-0 with a line-drive single to center field to score Timpner.

Meanwhile, Richmond starter Daryl Maday (4-0) continued his early-season brilliance. He kept Bowie at bay through the first five innings, scattering seven hits in the process. The Baysox did pick up their first run against Maday in the sixth inning, when Miguel Abreu brought in Brandon Waring with an RBI ground-out to cut Richmond's lead to 4-1. Maday departed to the victory following the inning, having allowed just the lone run on nine hits. The victory ran Maday's personal win-streak to four.

The Flying Squirrels' bullpen was phenomenal behind Maday, as left-hander Andy Sisco and right-hander Tony Pena Jr. combined for three scoreless innings. Sisco fired two of those innings, striking out four in the process and Pena Jr. earned his third save of the season by handling the ninth including two strikeouts.

Richmond did not strand a single base runner in the ballgame, establishing a franchise record that will never be broken.

The Flying Squirrels open a four-game series against the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates) at 7:05 PM on Monday night at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (2-1, 2.66) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Tim Alderson (2-0, 5.49) for Altoona.

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Stats and Box Score

MACDONALD MESMORIZES BAYSOX, SQUIRRELS ROLL 2-0

Righty Fires Seven Scoreless Innings as Richmond Wins Fourth Straight

RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Flying Squirrels (12-9) rode seven shutout innings from starter Mike MacDonald to a 2-0 series-opening victory over the Bowie Baysox (12-10) in front of 7,646 at The Diamond on Friday night. The win stretched the Flying Squirrels win-streak to four games overall and also gives them four straight victories at The Diamond.

Pitching dominated the early portion of the ballgame, but Richmond was able to break through against Bowie right-hander Steve Johnson in the third inning. Johnson issued a lead-off walk to Jackson Williams. Williams then scored all the way from first base when Clay Timpner lifted an RBI double over the head of Baysox left fielder Tyler Henson to give the Flying Squirrels a 1-0 lead.

The Squirrels tacked on their second and final run against Johnson in the sixth inning when Roger Kieschnick delivered a one-out single. A batter later, Nick Noonan doubled down the first-base line to score him, and the Squirrels led 2-0.

Meanwhile, MacDonald (1-2) was magnificent for seven innings, putting Richmond on course for its fourth shutout of the season. The right-hander allowed just two hits - one a bunt single - while matching a career-high with eight strikeouts. He walked one, but cruised to his first win of the season, also establishing his longest start of the year.

Following MacDonald's departure, the bullpen took Richmond the rest of the way. Right-hander Ronnie Ray faced the minimum in a scoreless eighth before turning it over to right-hander Rafael Cova. Cova earned his league-leading seventh save of the season, nailing down the win with the help of a highlight-reel double-play behind him in the ninth.

Johnson (0-2) was the hard-luck loser, rebounding from a 39-pitch third inning to work through six innings. He allowed two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out two.

Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for Saturday night at 6:35 PM at The Diamond. LHP Clayton Tanner (1-2, 2.25) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Chorye Spoone (1-2, 5.21) for Bowie. # Squirrels #

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FLYING SQUIRRELS NINTH-INNING RALLY NETS SWEEP

Neal's Three-Run Double Gives Richmond a Dramatic Finish to Winning Road Trip

NEW BRITAIN, CT – Down to the team’s final strike in the top of the ninth inning, Flying Squirrels outfielder Thomas Neal roped a double down the left field line with the bases loaded to help rally the club past the New Britain Rock Cats 5-3 in the finale of a three-game series on Wednesday afternoon at New Britain Stadium. The win gave Richmond a second straight series sweep over New Britain as well as its first winning road trip, taking four of six games.

Trailing 3-2 in the top of the ninth, Nick Noonan drew a one-out walk off of New Britain reliever Santos Arias (0-4). After Clay Timpner popped out in foul ground to third baseman Juan Portes for the second out in the inning, Darren Ford pulled a base hit through the left side of the infield. Brandon Crawford then drew a walk to load the bases and set the stage for Neal. The 22-year-old followed by slapping a two-strike pitch down the left field line to give Richmond the 5-3 lead.

Richmond worked out of trouble in the bottom of the ninth inning to preserve the win. Daniel Turpen (1-1), who came on to get the final out in the bottom of the eighth, walked Juan Portes and gave up a base hit to Steve Singleton to open the last of the ninth. Tony Pena Jr. came on to relieve Turpen. The second passed ball of the day on Jackson Williams enabled the runners to take second and third. After retiring Danny Lehmann, Pena walked Joe Benson to load the bases. The infielder-turned-pitcher proceeded to get Ben Revere to pop out to third, and he struck out Estarlin De Los Santos to end the game and record his second save.

The Flying Squirrels (11-9) jumped out to the early lead in the top of the second inning against Rock Cats’ spot starter Cole DeVries. With runners at second and third and one out, Noonan drove in Conor Gillaspie on a ground ball to the right side of the infield giving Richmond a 1-0 lead. Timpner added to the lead with a base hit into left-center field scoring Andy D’Alessio. Timpner was thrown out at second base on the play, ending the inning for the Flying Squirrels.

The Rock Cats (4-15) answered in the bottom of the third inning as De Los Santos drove in a pair of runs with a double down the right field line to even the score at 2-2. New Britain took a 3-2 lead three innings later as Mark Dolenc scored on the first Williams passed ball.

The Flying Squirrels find themselves two games over the .500 mark for the first time this season after beginning the season 1-6. Following a scheduled off day on Thursday, the Flying Squirrels will open a seven-game homestand with a three-game series against the Bowie Baysox on Friday night. RHP Mike MacDonald (0-2, 3.38) gets the start for Richmond opposite Bowie RHP Steve Johnson (0-1, 4.74). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Gates will open at a special time as the Flying Squirrels will sign autographs on the main concourse from 5:30 – 5:55 PM. The first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a Flying Squirrels Inaugural Season Team Photo courtesy of Coke Zero. The series opener will also feature a performance by Reggy the Purple Party Dude. Tickets for Friday night and all other Flying Squirrels home games can be purchased by going online to www.squirrelsbaseball.com, calling (804) 359-FUNN, or by visiting the box office located at The Diamond.

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SQUIRRELS SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER FROM ROCK CATS

Maday, Mixon Pitch Richmond Back Over .500

NEW BRITAIN, CT – The Richmond Flying Squirrels got outstanding starting efforts for right-handers Daryl Maday and David Mixon en route to a doubleheader sweep of the New Britain Rock Cats on Tuesday night at New Britain Stadium, winning game one 3-1 and taking game two 2-0.

Maday (3-0), who entered game one of the doubleheader having not allowed a run in 16 2/3 innings, saw his streak end at 17 in the bottom of the first inning as Rene Tosoni doubled home Ben Revere with a 1-0 Rock Cats' lead. After allowing a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second inning, the 24-year-old retired the next eight batters he faced. Maday finished the night giving up just the lone run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two.

Richmond's offense came to life in the top of the third inning. With Clay Timpner aboard via a leadoff walk, Brandon Crawford launched his second home run of the season to right-center field off of New Britain starter Tyler Robertson (0-1) to put the Flying Squirrels ahead 2-1. The Squirrels added an insurance run in the seventh inning on a two-out RBI single off of the bat of Conor Gillaspie.

Left-hander Jake Stevens and right-hander Rafael Cova combined on 1 1/3 innings of perfect relief with Cova recording his Eastern League-leading sixth save in the process.

Mixon (2-1) worked around a first-inning jam and cruised the rest of the way in the game two victory. After giving up a leadoff double to Ben Revere, Mixon fielded a come-backer to the mound off of the bat of Mark Dolenc and caught Revere in a run down. Both Revere and Dolenc ended up on second with Revere being ruled out. The Richmond starter then caught a break as the next batter, Rene Tosoni, hit a ball that caromed high off of the first base bag and was gloved by first basemen Andy D'Alessio. The bounce kept Dolenc at third and limited Tosoni to an infield single instead of a run-scoring double. Whit Robbins followed by hitting into a 4-6-3 double play ending the threat.

Mixon breezed through the next six innings as he allowed only two base runners - a Dolenc leadoff single in the fourth and a one-out walk to Robbins in the same frame - the rest of the way. The 25-year-old struck out five while issuing the lone walk. He retired the final 11 batters he faced.

The Flying Squirrels offense secured all of the runs it would need against New Britain starter Mike McCardell (0-2) in the top of the first inning. After Crawford drew a one-out walk, Thomas Neal drove him in with a RBI double to left field.

Richmond manufactured its other run in the top of the third inning. After Skyler Stromsmoe doubled to left-center, Darren Ford advanced him to third base with a sacrifice bunt. Stromsmoe then scored on a Crawford sacrifice fly to center field giving the Squirrels a 2-0 advantage.

The Flying Squirrels (10-9) will aim for the sweep of the Rock Cats (4-14) and a winning road trip on Wednesday morning as LHP Craig Clark (1-1, 3.07) gets the start for Richmond against RHP Deolis Guerra (1-1, 3.50) for New Britain. First pitch is scheduled for 10:35 AM at New Britain Stadium.

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R-PHILS ONE-HIT SQUIRRELS, TAKE FINALE 2-0

Aumont Throws Six No-Hit Innings

READING, PA – Reading starter Phillippe Aumont no-hit the Flying Squirrels for six innings as the Phillies blanked Richmond 2-0 on one hit in the series finale at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the R-Phils claimed the series, taking two of the three games over the weekend.

A fielding error opened the door for the R-Phils in the first inning, as they broke on top against Squirrels’ starter Clayton Tanner. Second baseman Nick Noonan threw wide of the bag on a ground-ball from Freddy Galvis with one down in the inning, allowing Galvis to reach. He took second on another ground-ball to second and advanced to third on a wild pitch from Tanner. Michael Spidale then delivered the lead to Reading with a hot-shot to third, which glanced off the mitt of Conor Gillaspie for an infield-single, and brought home Galvis for a 1-0 lead.

As Tanner (1-2) labored in the early going, Aumont was in control. He breezed through four perfect innings at the outset, striking out three and taking a perfect game bid into the fifth inning. He lost the bid for a perfect game by walking Conor Gillaspie to open the fifth inning, but took care of Gillaspie with a double-play ball off the bat of Michael Ambort. He faced the minimum through five innings, taking a no-hit bid into the sixth.

Aumont continued with the no-hit bid through six innings, but then retired for the day, reaching his pitch count. Chance Chapman entered in relief and recorded the first two outs in succession in the seventh. With two outs, Gillaspie rolled a single through the right side of the infield.to break up the no-hit bid, but Chapman worked through the inning without allowing Richmond to tie the game. Aumont (1-1) earned his first victory of the season, allowing no hits or runs in six innings, walking two and striking out four.

Reading doubled their lead with a run off of reliever Andy Sisco in the bottom of the seventh inning. Sisco walked Galvis with one out, and Dominic Brown promptly brought him home for a 2-0 advantage with a triple down the right field line.

Right-hander Michael Schwimer worked the final two innings for Reading, walking the first two batters in the eighth inning, but working around trouble and not allowing any hits as he earned his second save of the season.

Richmond is scheduled to open a three-game series with the New Britain Rock Cats at New Britain Stadium on Monday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Daryl Maday (2-0, 0.96) will make the start for the Flying Squirrels against RHP Mike McCardell (0-1, 4.60) for the Rock Cats.

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SOLO-SHOTS SHOOT DOWN SQUIRRELS, 3-2

Reading Snaps Richmond Win-Streak, Evens Series

READING, PA – Back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning lifted the Reading Phillies to a 3-2 triumph over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 8,082 at FirstEnergy Stadium on Saturday night. The victory for Reading snapped a four-game win-streak for Richmond and allowed the R-Phils to pull even in the three-game series.

The R-Phils grabbed the lead with a run off of Squirrels’ starter Mike MacDonald in the second inning. Brian Stavisky led off the inning with a single and advanced hurriedly to second when MacDonald delivered a wild pitch. Stavisky moved to third on a ground-out from Brandon Pinckney and scored to give Reading a 1-0 lead when Kevin Nelson sent a single to right-center field.

Reading starter Vance Worley was in command early, fanning seven over the first five innings while keeping the Flying Squirrels at bay. However, Conor Gillaspie got Richmond started as they finally got to the right-hander in the sixth. Gillaspie sliced a double into the gap in left-center field to open the inning. Michael Ambort followed with a bouncer to the right side which was thrown away by Ozzie Chavez, allowing Gillaspie to score to tie the game and sending Ambort to second base. He advanced to third on a wild pitch from Worley and scored to give the Flying Squirrels a 2-1 lead when Roger Kieschnick lifted a sacrifice-fly to left field.

MacDonald settled in and pitched effectively through the sixth inning. However, he ran into problems in the seventh as Reading grabbed the lead back courtesy of back-to-back solo-home runs from Stavisky and Pinckney. Stavisky sent his first home run of the season to right-center field to tie the game, and Pinckney pulled his second of the season to left field to give Reading a 3-2 lead they never relinquished. MacDonald (0-2) endured his second loss of the season despite turning in a quality start over 6 1/3 innings.

Michael Stutes (2-0), who had relieved Worley after six innings, worked two scoreless innings for his second victory of the season. Sergio Escalona worked a perfect ninth inning for his third save of the season.

The series finale of the three-game set is scheduled for 1:05 PM on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium. LHP Clayton Tanner (1-1, 2.81) will make the start for the Flying Squirrels against RHP Phillippe Aumont (0-1, 4.60) for the R-Phils.

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NEAL POWERS SQUIRRELS PAST R-PHILS IN OPENER, 5-3

Five RBIs Tie Career-High as Richmond Takes Game One

READING, PA – Thomas Neal belted two home runs and drove in five runs as the Flying Squirrels turned back the Reading Phillies, 5-3, in the opener of a three-game series at FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday night. Neal tied a career-high with the five RBIs, as Richmond won for the seventh time in their last eight games.

A pair of Philadelphia Phillies’ right-handers on Major League rehabilitation assignments kept the Flying Squirrels at bay through the first four innings. Joe Blanton made the start and worked through the first three innings. Although he didn’t concede a run, Richmond did compile four hits against him including a lead-off double from left-hander Craig Clark in the third inning. Brad Lidge, Philadelphia’s closer, worked the fourth, allowing a hit to Skyler Stromsmoe and walking Tyler La Torre, but emerging from the inning unscathed.

Clark matched the big leaguers through three innings, but the R-Phils broke on top when organizational top-prospect Dominic Brown sent a low-flying solo-homer to right field leading off the fourth. Brown’s first home run of the season gave Reading a 1-0 advantage.

The Reading lead did not last long following the departure of Lidge. Right-hander Drew Naylor entered and with one out in the fifth, conceded a single to Brandon Crawford. Neal followed and drilled a two-run home run to left-center field on a breaking-ball from Naylor. Neal’s first home run at the Double-A level gave the Flying Squirrels their first lead, 2-1.

Clark conceded the game-tying run before departing in the sixth inning with the game knotted, 2-2. Clark did not factor in the decision, working 5 2/3 innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits. Craig Whitaker (1-0) relieved him and finished the sixth inning. He earned the win for Richmond, working just a third of an inning.

With Naylor (1-2) still on the mound in the seventh, the Flying Squirrels grabbed control of the ballgame. Pinch-hitter Clay Timpner and Darren Ford led off the inning with back-to-back singles, setting the stage for Neal again. Neal followed with a bullet over the wall in left field, his three-run home run giving Richmond a 5-2 advantage. It marked the third time in his professional career that he had multiple home runs in the same game. Naylor was doomed to his second loss of the season, although he recovered to finish the game on the hill for the R-Phils.

Michael Spidale homered off of Richmond reliever Jake Stevens in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Reading would get no closer than 5-3. Tony Pena Jr. worked a scoreless eighth inning, and Rafael Cova nailed down the win and his fifth save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium at 6:05 PM. RHP Mike MacDonald (0-1, 3.00) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Drew Naylor (1-1, 3.09) for Reading.

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SQUIRRELS 1ST WEEK AT THE DIAMOND CLOSES IN STYLE, 5-4

Squirrels Complete Three-Game Sweep of Rock Cats

RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Flying Squirrels capped a phenomenal opening home stand in dramatic fashion, completing a three-game sweep of the New Britain Rock Cats with a come-from-behind 5-4 victory in front of 2,814 at The Diamond on Wednesday night.

The Squirrels had lost the lead for the first time when the Rock Cats pulled in front with two runs in the seventh inning, and they trailed 4-3 entering the bottom of the eighth inning. The game-winning rally was sparked when right-hander Cole Devries hit Michael Ambort with a breaking ball with one out. Roger Kieschnick then drilled an opposite-field triple into the alley in left-center field. Ambort motored all the way around from first base on the triple to tie the ballgame. A batter later, Andy D’Alessio supplied the game-winning single, pulling it through the right side of the infield to bring in Kieschnick with the winning run. Devries (0-3) was tagged with the loss for New Britain.

Darren Ford got the Squirrels off to a quick start against New Britain starter Mike McCardell. Ford slugged his first home run of the season leading off the ballgame offensively for the Squirrels, giving Richmond a 1-0 lead with a drive to straight-away left field.

Just as rapidly, the Rock Cats responded with a run of their own in the top of the second off of Squirrels’ starter David Mixon. The right-hander walked Whit Robbins to lead off the inning. Robbins moved around to third on a single from Steve Singleton and scored on a Joe Benson sacrifice fly to tie the ballgame, 1-1.

Ford put the Flying Squirrels back ahead in the bottom of the second when he rifled a single back off the hip of McCardell to score Andy D’Alessio who had doubled with one out in the frame. Richmond pounded out six hits over their first two offensive innings, but settled for a 2-1 advantage.

The Rock Cats drew even and chased Mixon in the sixth, as Estarlin De Los Santos supplied a one-out single. Robbins singled behind him, signaling Mixon’s departure as he was replaced by right-hander Daniel Turpen. Turpen hit Juan Portes to load the bases and a wild pitch with Singleton at the plate allowed De Los Santos to stroll in and tie the game, 2-2. Mixon didn’t factor in the decision, working 5 2/3 innings and allowing two earned runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Once again, the Flying Squirrels responded quickly, plating another go-ahead run in the bottom of the inning. Kieschnick opened the rally with a single off of McCardell and came home to give the Squirrels the lead back when Jackson Williams doubled behind him. McCardell departed to a no-decision following six innings of work. He was charged with three earned runs on 10 hits.

New Britain attempted to make a winner of McCardell when they briefly grabbed the lead with a two-run uprising in the seventh inning. Turpen began the frame on the mound and conceded back-to-back one-out singles to Danny Lehmann and Yancarlos Ortiz. He was relieved by Jake Stevens, and Stevens conceded two more singles in succession, including a two-run single to De Los Santos to give the Rock Cats the lead.

Rafael Cova nailed down the win and his fourth save of the year with a scoreless inning in the ninth. Right-hander Mitch Lively (1-0) was awarded the victory after he worked a scoreless inning of relief in the eighth, preceding the game-winning rally in the bottom of the inning.

The Flying Squirrels will enjoy a league-wide off day before beginning a three-game road series against the Reading Phillies at FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday night at 7:05 PM. LHP Craig Clark (1-1, 3.00) is slated to make the start for Richmond against RHP Joe Blanton (0-0, ---), making a Major League rehabilitation start for Reading.

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MASTERPIECE FROM MADAY CARRIES SQUIRRELS, 4-1

Right-Hander Wins for Second Time at The Diamond

RICHMOND, VA – Richmond right-hander Daryl Maday turned in an eight-inning masterpiece as the Flying Squirrels raced past the New Britain Rock Cats, 4-1, in front of 3,435 at The Diamond on Tuesday night. With the victory, Richmond claims the three-game series from New Britain and will have their second opportunity of the home stand for a series sweep in Wednesday’s finale.

Pitching dominated the early portion of the ballgame as Maday and New Britain starter Tyler Robertson battled through five scoreless innings. Maday worked briskly, facing the minimum through five innings despite allowing a lone single to Alexander Sota in the third inning. Robertson’s road wasn’t as smooth as he fought back excellent scoring chances for the Squirrels in both the third and fifth innings. In both frames, Richmond had a runner to third with less than two outs and failed to break through.

Robertson departed to a no-decision after his five scoreless innings of work, and Richmond was finally able to break through against the bullpen, plating a pair of runs off of Spencer Steedley in the sixth inning. Steedley got himself into trouble with a pair of two-out walks issued to Thomas Neal and Conor Gillaspie. Michael Ambort brought both home for a 2-0 lead when he rifled a double over the head of center fielder Ben Revere. Steedley (1-1) was tagged with the loss for New Britain.

Richmond also recorded two runs off of Steedley’s successor Henry Arias in the seventh. Again a walk opened the door, as Arias put Jackson Williams aboard to lead off the inning. Nick Noonan followed with a single to right field and Williams scored on a throwing error as Chris Parmalee tried to cut him down at third base. Sharlon Schoop followed with an RBI single to cap the scoring for Richmond, the Flying Squirrels resting on a 4-0 advantage.

Meanwhile, Maday (2-0) continued to cruise. He breezed through eight scoreless innings, running a personal scoreless string to 16 2/3 innings while winning for the second straight start at The Diamond. His start now represents the longest outing in franchise history, and also establishes a new career-high for the right-hander.

New Britain capped the scoring with a run against left-hander Andy Sisco in the ninth inning. However, that run came home when Sisco got a double-play ball off the bat of Steve Singleton with the bases loaded and nobody out. Sisco then closed out the win by retiring Rene Tosoni, as the Flying Squirrels improved to 5-1 on their first home stand at The Diamond.

The finale of the three-game series with the Rock Cats is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Wednesday night at The Diamond. RHP David Mixon (1-1, 4.09) will make the start for Richmond against RHP Mike McCardell for New Britain.

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