Squirrels walk-off winners, again

For the second consecutive game, the Flying Squirrels (35-49) defeated the Erie SeaWolves (40-44) in walk-off fashion, this time by a final score of 6-5. Rando Moreno delivered the game-winning hit, his third walk-off hit of the season, and the Squirrels clawed back from an early 4-0 deficit. Richmond reliever Cody Hall earned the win by working the ninth inning and lefty Jarret Martin tossed two solid innings of relief. First baseman K.C Hobson aided the offense with three hits, including his first home run since joining Richmond. The Squirrels completed an abbreviated two-game series sweep of Erie and will travel to Bowie to begin a three-game series on Friday at 6:35 p.m

C.J, Hinojosa (3-5) and Hobson (3-4) each collected three hits in the Richmond victory. Hinojosa scored the wining run in the ninth, reaching first on a single off of closer Bryan Garcia. After Miguel Gomez grounded out and Myles Schroder was intentionally walked, Garcia struck out Brandon Bednar. That brought Moreno to the plate , for his first at bat of the night. Moreno shot a ground ball into center field to score Hinojosa to win the game. Garcia had not allowed a run all season and suffered the defeat.

Erie ambushed Richmond’s Jordan Johnson for four runs in the first inning. Harold Castro was hit by a pitch after falling behind in the count 0-2 to start the game. Kody Eaves followed with a base hit and the runners executed a double steal, moving to second and third. All-Star infielder Dominic Ficociello brought home Castro and Eaves with a double to left center field to plate the first two runs of the game. Miguel Gonzalez kept the attack going with a single and Gabriel Quintana lined a triple passed right fielder Myles Schroder to pull ahead 4-0.

Richmond chipped away at the deficit with a run in the first and another in the second. C.J. Hinojosa ripped a single with one out in the first and Miguel Gomez followed with an RBI triple. Gomez banged a fly ball off the center field wall to make it a 4-1 contest. In the bottom of the second inning, K.C Hobson drilled a solo home run over the right field wall, trimming the deficit, 4-2. It was the first home of the year while wearing a Squirrels uniform for Hobson and the first homer from a Squirrels first baseman since May 5.

The Seawolves returned fire with a solo homer of their own in the top of the third. Miguel Gonzalez blasted a two-out tater off of Johnson to move ahead, 5-2. Richmond made it 5-3 in the bottom of the inning on consecutive singles from Brandon Bednar, Hobson and Dylan Davis.

Erie’s Alexander lasted only four innings in the no-decision. The TCU product allowed four runs on nine hits. He walked none and struck out three on 79 pitches.

Gomez drove in another run in the fourth when he launched a double over the head of Christin Stewart. Gomez’ second extra-base hit of the game brought home Hinojosa, pulling Richmond to within one, 5-4.

Johnson settled in and retired the side on 11 pitchers in the fourth inning. The righty cruised through the sixth and retired the last hitters he faced. Johnson tossed seven innings and allowed five runs on six hits in the no-decision. He walked one and struck out three on 91 pitches.

Jarret Martin turned in a scorless seventh and eighth inning. Cody Hall (2-0) earned the win with a pair of strikeouts in the ninth.