Squirrels drop series finale to Senators in extras

The Flying Squirrels (41-41) fell, 7-6, to the Harrisburg Senators (44-40) Tuesday night in extra innings at FNB Field. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Senators outfielder Zach Collier drove in the winning run on a sacrifice fly deep enough to score Drew Ward from third. Richmond lost the final three games of the series after winning the first two. The Flying Squirrels will return to The Diamond on Wednesday, July 4 for an Independence Day weekend celebration.

Harrisburg jumped on Squirrels starter Chase Johnson scoring six runs in the first inning forcing the righty out of the game with two outs in the opening frame. Johnson allowed six runs to score but only three were earned. Two costly throwing errors by Ryan Howard and Jonah Arenado allowed three unearned runs to come across and the Sens led 6-0 after one.

Carlos Diaz entered in the first inning and secured the final out of the frame. Diaz went on to work 3.0 scoreless innings for the Squirrels. The lefty retired eight consecutive Senators between the second and the fourth innings. Diaz handed the ball off to Garrett Williams with two outs in the fourth inning with runners on second and third. Williams struck out big leaguer Matt Adams on four pitches to keep Diaz’s line scoreless. Diaz tossed 3.0 innings allowing just two hits with two strikeouts.

The Squirrels rallied back in the fifth inning scoring five runs off of Senators starter Tyler Mapes. Two RBI sacrifice flies from Ryan Howard and Aramis Garcia, an RBI double from Dylan Davis, and a two-run home run from Jerry Sands brought the Squirrels within a run.

Williams held the Senators scoreless in his appearance working a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth to keep the Squirrels within one run. The lefty tossed 1.1 hitless innings with one strikeout. Dan Slania followed suit working back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the sixth and seventh innings.

Richmond tied the game up in the top of the seventh inning on a solo home run off the bat of Dylan Davis. Davis’ eighth home run of the season and just the third allowed by Derek Self this season evened up the score 6-6.

Dillon McNamara worked out of a bases loaded jam with one out in the eighth inning with a strikeout to Osvaldo Abreu and a fly out from pinch hitter Austin Davidson. Both teams would go down in order in the ninth inning to force extra innings.

The Squirrels managed to get the go-ahead run to third base with two outs in the top of the tenth but Dakota Bacus (1-1) got Matt Lipka to strikeout to end the inning. Squirrels outfielder Caleb Gindl (0-1) came in to pitch in the bottom of the 10th and allowed the winning run to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Zach Collier to score Drew Ward from third.

The Flying Squirrels return home to The Diamond on Wednesday to open up a five-game series against the Akron RubberDucks beginning at 6:35 p.m. RHP Jake McCasland (2-1, 3.91) makes the start for Richmond against Senators RHP Aaron Civale (4-2, 2.64). The Flying Squirrels will return to The Diamond on Wednesday, July 4 for an Independence Day celebration. Tickets can be purchased online over the phone by calling 804-359-3866 (FUNN).