Minors Recaps: Squirrels win, P-Nats outslug ‘Cats, Salem routs Keys

Squirrels top Trenton The Richmond Flying Squirrels (23-25) strolled past the Trenton Thunder (24-21), 4-1, behind right-handers Craig Westcott and Austin Fleet at the Diamond on Friday night.  6,679 watched the win for Richmond in the first meeting of the season between the two clubs.

After three scoreless innings, the Squirrels got on the board first against Trenton left-hander Shaeffer Hall in the bottom of the fourth.  Daniel Mayora led off and laced a triple to dead-center field.  Tommy Joseph, playing his first game since May 13th, followed with an RBI double into the left-field corner for a 1-0 lead.  It was Joseph’s second hit of the night.  Chris Dominguez moved Joseph to third with an infield-single and Ehire Adrianza brought him in for a 2-0 advantage with a fielder’s choice groundout. Read more

Minor League Roundup: Salem loses 1-0, ‘Cats brawl, Richmond falls

Salem drops duel A couple righties named Matt were both brilliant on Thursday, but Winston’s Heidenreich narrowly outpitched Salem’s Barnes in the Dash’s 1-0 triumph that helped the visitors avoid being swept at LewisGale Field.

Matt Heidenreich tossed seven scoreless innings for Winston-Salem, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out eight. Matt Barnes dealt five scoreless frames before giving up a run in the top of the sixth, and the lone Dash tally was enough to hand Salem the setback, its second 1-0 loss in the past five games.

Both pitchers were dominant early, as Barnes faced the minimum through three innings while Heidenreich retired 11 of the first 12 he faced. Each club mustered a pair of singles in the fourth, but the two righthanders escaped unscathed and the scoreless stalemate continued into the sixth. Read more

Minor League Roundup: P-Nats shut out, ‘Cats win pitchers’ duel

P-Nats shut out in Wilmington For the second time in three games, the Potomac Nationals were shut out by the Wilmington Blue Rocks in a 3-0 loss this morning.  The Blue Rocks held the P-Nats to just two runs in the three-game sweep.

Potomac had chances early against winless Wilmington starter Tyler Sample.  They put runners on base in five of the six innings against Sample but couldn’t get a runner to third totaling just two hits against the Rocks starter. Read more

Minor League Roundup: Richmond breaks skid, ‘Cats, Sox win

Squirrels get W to break losing skid The Richmond Flying Squirrels (21-24) snapped a four-game losing streak behind eight strong innings from right-hander Chris Heston on Tuesday night at Prince George’s Stadium.

Richmond prevailed, 3-1, over the Bowie Baysox (18-26) as Heston took over the league ERA lead, departing with a mark of just 0.61.  Heston has not allowed an earned run in the month of May, and has allowed just one over his last six starts. Read more

Minor League Roundup: P-Nats blanked, Richmond falls

Wilmington blanks P-Nats Behind a stellar start from Greg Billo, the Wilmington Blue Rocks shut out the Potomac Nationals 7-0 at Frawley Stadium on Monday Night.  The Blue Rocks held the Nationals to just two-hits in their first meeting of the season in Delaware.

Against P-Nats starter Matt Swynenberg, Wilmington opened the scoring in the third inning.  Juan Graterol led off the inning with a double and scored on a Whit Merrifield double to give the Rocks a 1-0 lead.  Brian Fletcher knocked in Merrifield to increase the lead to 2-0 for Wilmington. Read more

Minor League Roundup: Richmond swept, P-Nats, ‘Cats, SalemSox win

Akron completes sweep of Squirrels The Akron Aeros (26-14) completed a three-game sweep of the Richmond Flying Squirrels (20-23) with a, 3-2, victory in front of 3,041 at Canal Park on Sunday afternoon.  It marks the first time the Squirrels have been swept this season.  Richmond also has now equaled their longest losing-skid of the season at three games.

The Aeros once again got out to a quick start, plating a run on four straight hits to start the first inning.  Richmond right-hander Craig Westcott surrendered back-to-back singles to Tim Fedroff and Ben Copeland to start the inning.  Fedroff was thrown out trying to go first-to-third on Copeland’s single to right field, but Copeland took second on the throw.  He scored from there when Adam Abraham lifted a double off the wall in center field.  Squirrels’ center fielder Gary Brown nearly made the catch on the ball as he crashed into the center-field fence.  Brown was unharmed on the play, but the Aeros took a 1-0 lead. Read more

Minor League Roundup: P-Nats rally, Hillcats drop fourth straight, Akron pounds Richmond

P-Nats rally for W The Potomac Nationals scored two runs in the ninth off against the Carolina Mudcats in a 6-5 comeback win at on a Saturday night at the Pfitz.  Kevin Keyes hit a sac fly scoring Zach Walters to send home the crowd of 6,101 fans home happy.

Down 6-5 against Carolina closer Jose Flores who has gone seven-for-seven in save attempts this year, the P-Nats got a lead off walk from Ricky Hague.  Walters drew a walk as well to put runners at first and second with one out.  Michael Taylor hit a soft single into shallow left center that easily scored Hague to tie the ballgame 5-5.  The throw home from Anthony Gallas ended up wide of the plate and allowed Walters to advance to third with one out on the error.  That would be important as on a 2-2 pitch Keyes hit a fly ball to medium centerfield that scored Walters and ended the contest with the Nationals winning 6-5. Read more