Caleb Gindl rocked a go-ahead, two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to move the Flying Squirrels (48-54) past the Reading Fightin Phils (48-55) 3-1 on Thursday at The Diamond. Gindl’s second home run of the year backed a quality, seven-inning start for Richmond RHP Mike Connolly. The Squirrels have now won consecutive games for the second time this month and attempt to make it three straight wins on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Friday in Funnville is a Free Shirt Friday & Richmond Best Happy Hour. The first 1,500 fans (15+) will receive a free Richmond Lawmakers Throwback T-Shirt Giveaway presented by Tingen & Williams.
Gindl and Luigi Rodriguez each homered in the win, providing all the offense for Richmond. Rodriguez crushed his team-leading 12th home run in the first inning and Mike Conolly tossed a season-high seven innings to lead the Squirrels. Reliever Garrett Williams (3-7) earned the win by pitching a scoreless eighth inning and Patirck Ruotolo nailed down his fourth save with an uneventful ninth.
Reading struck first with a solo home off RHP Mike Connolly in the first inning. With one-out, former first-round pick Cornelius Randolph launched a solo home run deep over the right field fence for a 1-0 Reading lead. Connolly then retired the next two batters and finished the top of the first with 12 pitches thrown.
Connolly and Seabold both cruised following the early home runs. Connolly walked the first batter in the second inning before retiring the next nine Reading batters. Jianido Tromp disrupted the strong stretch from Connolly, but it didn’t do the Phils much good as Conolly induced a double play and then set the side down in order 1-2-3 in the sixth.
Seabold meanwhile stymied the Squirrels over seven solid innings of work. Following the Rodriguez home run in the first, Seabold allowed just a triple in the second and a pair of singles in the fourth. Seabold, in just his sixth start at Double-A
The Squirrels and Connolly escaped a tight spot in the top of the seventh to keep the game tied, 1-1. Darick Hall tripled out to left field and Deivi Grullon lined a base hit, placing runners on the corners with no one out. Connolly then dug down and grounded out the next two hitters before striking out Heiker menses to end the threat and his outing. Connolly worked a season-high seven innings and allowed just one run on five hits. Unfortunately for Connolly, he received a no-decision while tossing 87 pitches in the effort.
The Flying Squirrels continue the four-game series against Reading on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander Conner Menez (3-3, 4.08) is slated to make the start for Richmond against Reading RHP Franklyn Kilome(4-6, 4.24). Friday in Funnville is a Free Shirt Friday & Richmond Best Happy Hour. The first 1,500 fans (15+) will receive a free Richmond Lawmakers Throwback T-Shirt Giveaway presented by Tingen & Williams. Tickets and information can be found at www.squirrelsbaseball.com or by calling 804-359-FUNN (3884)
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