Diego Rincones launched a late, two-run homer to give the Richmond Flying Squirrels an 8-7 win over the Somerset Patriots on Sunday night at The Diamond.
Richmond (37-29) gathered 11 home runs over the six-game series against Somerset (40-25) and have won four of their last five games.
Trailing by one run with two outs and a runner at first, Rincones obliterated a two-run home run to left field against Somerset reliever Ron Marinaccio (Loss, 1-1) to put the Flying Squirrels ahead, 8-7. It was the second consecutive game with a home run for Rincones.
R.J. Dabovich (Save, 5) faced the top of the Somerset order in the ninth and induced three straight flyouts to secure the series win for Richmond.
Somerset took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Michael Beltre bounced an RBI groundout with the bases loaded, scoring Diego Castillo from third base.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Frankie Tostado worked a five-pitch walk against Ken Waldichuk and brought home Heliot Ramos to even the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the first.
The Patriots struck back with three runs in the second inning and took a 4-1 lead. With the bases loaded and one out, a passed ball scored Max Burt. Oswald Peraza followed with an RBI single. On a double-steal attempt, Peraza was tagged out at second and Castillo scored on the play to extend Somerset’s advantage.
In the top of the fifth inning, Beltre sent an RBI groundout that widened the lead to 5-1.
After a walk to Will Wilson and a double by David Villar with one out, Sandro Fabian propelled a three-run homer to left field and cut the deficit to 5-4. It was Fabian’s eighth home run of the season.
Somerset responded with a two-run homer from Oswaldo Cabrera, making it 7-4 in the seventh inning off Ronnie Williams. Williams finished the night with 3.2 innings of work, allowing three runs, five hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
With Simon Whiteman aboard in the seventh inning, Ramos cranked his 10th home run of the season, a two-run blast to right field, to put the Flying Squirrels within a run.
Raffi Vizcaíno (Win, 2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning and allowed one hit.
Richmond starter Luis Amaya allowed four runs (three earned) off three hits and walked four batters.
The Flying Squirrels are off Monday before embarking on a six-game road trip against the Akron RubberDucks from July 20-26. Left-hander Michael Plassmeyer (3-4, 3.99) will start on Tuesday for Richmond. Akron has yet to announce their starting pitcher.
The Flying Squirrels return to The Diamond on Tuesday, July 27 for the first game of a two-week homestand against the Bowie Baysox and the Reading Fightin Phils. On July 27, Richmond celebrates all things sports with Sports Appreciation Night and the first 1,000 fans 15 and older can receive a connectable-base bobblehead of mixed nut racer John Walnut presented by Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Tickets 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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Chris Graham
