The Flying Squirrels (37-35) and Baysox (33-40) split a pair of games on Saturday night with Bowie winning the opener 9-4 and Richmond taking the evening affair, 5-1. Richmond native Connor Overton made his first professional appearance at The Diamond and tossed four solid innings to lead Richmond in game two. The Squirrels allowed a season-high 16 hits in the game one defeat. The two teams wrap up the three-day, four game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. Sunday in Funnville includes a live appearance from Dinosaur Train’s Buddy the T-Rex. Gates open at 12 p.m.
Game One
The first game of Saturday’s twin bill featured sunshine for the first time on the Squirrels current homestand. It also featured four early two-out runs from the Bowie Baysox. Richmond starting pitcher Garrett Williams walked the first batter of the game on four pitches, but picked up a double play and appeared to be on his way to an easy inning. Corban Joseph extend the first on a seeing-eye single into right field and Adrian Rodriguez followed suit, placing runners on first and third. Ryan Mountcastle kept the ball rolling on a flare RBI single to center and Anderson Feliz added another base hit, moving the Baysox ahead, 2-0. Williams tossed 24 pitches in the first frame.
Richmond countered with a run in the bottom of the first off lefty spot starter Luis Ysla.Ysla punched out the first two batters he faced before Jerry Sands launched a deep drive over the left field fence. Sands’ team-leading 11th homer of the year cut the deficit to 2-1.
Williams scuffled again in the top of the second, allowing another pair of runs – both with two outs. Myers lined a single into left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Ryan McKenna brought Myers home with a base hit to left for a 3-1 advantage. Joseph also contributed a base hit into left field to make it a 4-1 contest.
Williams worked around a pair of base hits in the third inning and returned to start the fourth frame but was lifted after he walked Myers to begin the inning. Will LaMarche entered to replace Williams and could not keep Myers on base. McKenna executed a sacrifice bunt that was tossed away up the first base line and a wild pitch followed to score Myers. Rodriguez then drilled a two-run shot, highlighting a three-run inning.
Ysla continued to move through the Flying Squirrels order. Making just his second start of the season, the former san Francisco Giants prospect dealt five innings to earn win. Ysla (4-2) struck out seven and allowed just the one run on Sands one hit.
Richmond created some noise offensively in the seventh and final inning. Luigi Rodriguez smacked s three-run homer over the centerfield wall to make it a 9-4 contest. It was the eighth homer of the season for Luigi and his fourth in eight days.
Game 2
The Flying Squirrels rallied for four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning in game two, breaking a 1-1 stalemate. Caleb Gindl fired up the offense with a base hit into right field and pinch runner Matt Lipka motored to third on a single from Jonah Arenado that glanced off the glove of the third baseman. Pinch hitter Ali Castillo worked a walk to load the bases. Both Luigi Rodriguez and CJ Hinojosa each brought home a run with bases loaded walks and Miguel Gomez guided a two-run single into centerfield to complete the scoring.
The late inning surge made a winner out of Dillon McNamara. McNamara (2-2) worked a pair of innings and retired all six batters he faced. The righty backed up a solid start for Richmond native Connor Overton. The Atlee product worked a career-high four innings and allowed just one run on five hits in a no-decision. Overton – added to the roster from San Jose prior to the game – allowed just a solo home run to Anthony Santander in the first inning. Santander drilled a ball deep over the right centerfield fence for his third long ball of the year and a 1-0 Bowie lead.
Overton used 17 pitches in the first inning and labored through the second. The righty loaded the bases on a base hit and a walk but then struck out Ryan McKenna to end the inning and keep the game 1-0.
Knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa kept Richmond off the board over the first three innings. In his first appearance of the year, Gamboa pitched around a two-out double from Miguel Gomez in the first and consecutive singles (Jerry Sands, Caleb Gindl) in the second. With Sands and Gindl on to star the second, Gamboa punched out the next three hitters to retire the side.
Richmond managed to tie the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Dylan Davis opened the frame with a double inside the bag at third base. Jerry Sands then advanced Davis on a flyball and Jonah Arenado brought him home with a base hit into left field, tying the game, 1-1. Gamboa walked the next batter Jeff Arnold and was pulled from the contest after 66 pitches. Reliever Reid Love entered and retired Dillon Dobson on a comebacker to end the inning and line on Gamboa (3.2IP, 7H, R, BB, 5K).
The Flying Squirrels homestand concludes Sunday at The Diamond against the Bowie Baysox. Right-hander Jake McCasland (2-1, 3.52) will make a spot start for the Flying Squirrels. Bowie has not yet announced their starter for tomorrow. Sunday in Funnville is Dino Day with an appearance from the Dinosaur Train presented by Community Idea Stations. It’s also a Kids Club Sunday and Kids Run the Bases after the game. Tickets can be purchased online over the phone by calling 804-359-3866 (FUNN).
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