The Richmond Flying Squirrels swept a pair of games against the Reading Fightin Phils on Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Richmond (14-9) snagged game one, 2-1, along with a 6-4 win in game two against Reading (4-19). It was the second double-header of the series.
Game 1
A go-ahead home run from Shane Matheny guided the Flying Squirrels to a 2-1 victory over the Fightin Phils in game one of the double-header.
After back-to-back base hits to begin the ballgame, David Villar drove in Andy Sugilio with an RBI single, giving a 1-0 lead to Richmond.
Reading (4-18) answered back in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single by Daniel Brito off Richmond starter Caleb Kilian to tie the game, 1-1.
In the fourth inning, the Flying Squirrels took back the lead, 2-1, with Matheny’s first Double-A home run. Matheny has collected three hits and four runs through four games on the road trip.
In his Double-A debut, Kilian went 4.0 innings and allowed one run on six hits with three strikeouts.
Ronnie Williams (Win, 3-0) replaced Kilian and finished the remainder of the game, throwing 3.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Fightin Phils starter Ethan Lindow (Loss, 0-1) threw 5.0 innings, allowing two runs off five hits while tying a season-high six strikeouts.
Game 2
A five-run third inning boosted the Flying Squirrels to a 6-4 win in game two and a double-header sweep against the Fightin Phils.
Matheny started the scoring with an RBI double off Reading starter James McArthur (Loss, 0-3). Ronnie Freeman followed up with an RBI single and Frankie Tostado smashed a two-RBI triple. Ryan Howard capped off the scoring train with an RBI single that drove in Tostado and gave Richmond a 5-0 lead.
Jacob Heyward punched a solo home run in the fourth inning to push Richmond’s lead to 6-0. Heyward has three home runs on the season and two in the current series.
Reading struck back with a four-run fifth inning. With the bases loaded, Jorge Bonifacio hit a two-RBI single to cut the deficit to 6-2. Madison Stokes reached on a fielding error that scored one and Dalton Guthrie bounced an RBI groundout, putting the Fightin Phils within two.
In his fourth start of the year, Sean Hjelle (Win, 2-0) pitched 5.0 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs (three earned) with three strikeouts.
Matt Seelinger struck out the side in the sixth inning during his only inning of work.
In his first save opportunity of the year, Joey Marciano (Save, 1) retired the side in order.
The Flying Squirrels will wrap up the series against the Fightin Phils Sunday with a first pitch scheduled for 6:45 p.m. Right-hander Matt Frisbee (3-1, 1.64) is expected to start for Richmond opposed by right-hander Colton Eastman (0-3, 6.39) for Reading.
The Flying Squirrels return to The Diamond from June 1 through June 13 for a 12-game homestand against the Altoona Curve and the Harrisburg Senators. The home series begin Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. against Altoona with the Johnny Cashew bobbleracer giveaway presented by Pepsi, followed by a 12:05 p.m. “Business Person’s Special” presented by Enterprise Rent-A-Car on Wednesday afternoon.
Tickets for all games of the upcoming homestand are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels offices.
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