Matt Gage tossed six innings and allowed just one run to help Richmond (20-32) avoid a series sweep and split a doubleheader with Hartford (25-27) on Thursday morning at Dunkin’ Donuts Park.
Both contests finished with a final score of 2-1. Hartford took the first game, the resumption of Wednesday’s suspended game, while Richmond snagged the seven inning series finale. Miguel Gomez had a hit on the first contest, but went hitless in the second game to have his hitting streak come to an end at 14. Richmond returns home on Friday for a three game series against the Trenton Thunder. A full promotional rundown can be found here.
Suspended Game from May 31
The Flying Squirrels and Hartford Yard Goats resumed Wednesday’s contest on Thursday morning, tied 1-1 in the fifth inning. Hartford restarted the game with RHP Matt Pierpont on the mound and Richmond countered with RHP Collin Balester.
The Goats grabbed a 2-1 lead off of Balester with a solo home run from Anthony Phillips in the bottom of the fifth. Phillips lined a shot over the right field wall to give Hartford their first lead of the game. Balester (1-2), was sharp in the rest of his outing, tossing three innings in the defeat. The righty allowed only the one run on one hit over three innings of work. He walked one and struck out two.
Pierpont (3-1) also worked three solid innings and earned the win for Hartford. He allowed one hit and walked one The Squirrels threatened to score with a walk and a base hit from Ali Castillo in the sixth, but stranded them both. Shane Broyles entered to pitch the ninth inning and he worked around a leadoff single from Miguel Gomez to earn the save. Gomez’ single advanced his hitting streak to a team-high 14 games.
Prior to the rain’s arrival, Slade Heathcott shook the Squirrels offensive woes with a solo home run to leadoff the contest. Heatchcott worked starting pitcher Sam Howard into a 2-1 count and then smacked a line drive over the left center field fence for an early 1-0 lead. Howard managed to retire the next nine Squirrels hitters he faced.
Heathcott’s homer provided a slight cushion for starting pitcher Cory Taylor. Taylor faced one over the minimum through the first three innings despite a pair of walks. Richmond turned an odd 7-2 double play to end the second inning with Eliezer Zambrano covering third base on a fly ball into foul ground in left field. Ali Castillo made the catch on the ball and the Hartford runner Dillon Thomas tried to tag from second to third base. Thomas was greeted by Zambrano to end the inning. Taylor retired the side in the third inning and needed only 41 pitches through the first three innings.
Hartford tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ashley Graeter reached on a single that cut through the glove of first baseman Brandon Bednar. Graeter advanced to second on a single and scored on a dropped fly ball to shallow right field. Taylor was able the escape the inning without further damage.
The tarp was placed on the field in between the fourth and fifth innings and at 9:34 p.m., the contest was suspended.
Game 2
The Squirrels pushed across a run in the first inning and another in the fourth off of starter Yency Almonte to avoid the series sweep in game two on Thursday.
Slade Heatchcott worked a walk to begin the game and Ali Castillo move him to second with a bloop base hit to center field. With two outs, Hunter Cole lined a single to left field to score Heatchott for the game’s first run.
Matt Gage, making his ninth start of the season, fired a quality start for Richmond. Gage worked around a walk in the first inning and ended the frame with a strikeout. Hartford put a pair of runners on to start the second inning and put them in motion with Jan Vazquez at the plate. Vazquez lined the pitch to the shortstop Moreno, who then stepped on the second base bag and threw to first base to complete the rare triple play. It was the first triple play for Richmond since Joe Panik turned one behind Scott Shuman at The Diamond on May 23, 2013.
Hunter Cole delivered again against Almonte in the fourth inning. Cole lined a solo home run, his third of the season, over the left field wall for a 2-0 lead. Almonte (2-2) suffered the loss with five innings pitched. He allowed two runs on four hits.
The Yard Goats struck for a run off of Gage with a pair of hits in the fourth inning. Drew Weeks doubled down the left field line to open the frame and Dillon Thomas brought him home with a base hit. Gage struck out the next batter Jan Vazquez to end the inning with the lead, 2-1.
Gage (l2-4) lasted six innings to earn his second win of the year. The lefty scattered six hits and struck out three before handing the ball to Tyler Cyr. Cyr closed out the game and earned his fourth save of the season.
The Flying Squirrels return home on Friday for a three game series against the Trenton Thunder. Friday will be a Free Shirt Friday and Happy Hour with gates opening at 6 p.m. RHP Jordan Johnson (2-3, 3.15) will start for Richmond against Trenton LHP Justus Sheffield (4-2, 4.28). Flying Squirrels individual tickets, mini plans and group packages are on sale by contacting the Richmond box office at 804-359-FUNN or online at www.squirrelsbaseball.com
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