Tyler Cyr closed out Richmond’s fourth consecutive victory on Monday Night, a 4-2 win over Bowie in the series opener at The Diamond. Cyr entered with the bases loaded and struck out Mike Yastrzemski to end the game and preserve the win for starting pitcher Cory Taylor. Richmond (8-3) is off to their best start in team history. The series against Bowie (6-4) continues Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m.
The Flying Squirrels struck first off Bowie starting pitcher Michael Kelly in the third inning. Ronnie Jebavy walked to begin the inning and Ali Castillo was hit by an errant fastball that appeared to hit his helmet and hand. Miguel Gomez advanced Jebavy to third base on a fly out and Luigi Rodriguez brought him home with a base to right. Jerry Sands made it a 2-0 lead, grounding in a runner from third base.
Kelly needed 60 pitches to get thought the first three innings in the outing. The former first-round selection worked into the fifth inning but could not last through the frame. Richmond made it a 3-0 advantage, starting with a base hit from Ali Castillo. Castillo’s base hit ricocheted off the pitcher Kelly. After a stolen base, Miguel Gomez lined a base hit to left to force Kelly from the contest. Bowie turned to lefty reliever Luis Gonzalez who allowed an RBI single to Luigi Rodriguez before ending the inning.
Taylor (2-0) tossed 5+ innings to earn the win. Taylor allowed one run on five hits while walking three and striking out three. Taylor threw 81 pitches in his third start of the year
Working with the lead, Cory Taylor lasted into the sixth inning until a pair of walks and a base hit took him out of the contest. Dan Slania inherited the bases loaded, no one out situation in the inning and managed to navigate out of the jam while allowing just one run. The burly righty Slania induced three fly outs, keeping Richmond ahead, 3-1.
Slania lasted a pair of innings and left with his own trouble on the bases. A pair of base hits to start the eighth inning knocked Slania out of the contest for Dusten Knight. Knight stranded both runners to keep Richmond ahead, 3-2.
The Squirrels scored an insurance run in the eighth inning off of reliever Matthew Grimes. John Riley worked a walk to load the bases in the eighth and Jebavy drove home a 4-2 lead via a sacrifice fly.
Cyr recorded the final out to earn the save, entering with the bases loaded. Ray Black struck out two in the ninth but also allowed a base hit and a pair of walks in the effort.
Bowie’s Kelly tossed 4.1 innings and allowed three runs on just four hits. He walked one and struck out three in the defeat.
Game two of the series is Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. Richmond RHP Shaun Anderson (1-1, 3.27) gets the start against Bowie RHP John Means (0-0, 3.97). Tickets and group packages are available by contacting the box office at 804-359-3866 or online at squirrelsbaseball.com.
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Chris Graham
