Squirrels drop third straight in Akron, 5-3

The Richmond Flying Squirrels dropped their third consecutive game is a 5-3 loss to the Akron RubberDucks on Friday night at Canal Park.

The Flying Squirrels (38-31) left 12 on the bases while going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. After a late rally by the Richmond, the RubberDucks (41-27) scored in the seventh and eighth to take the game.

With two outs and a runner at first in the seventh, Frankie Tostado blasted a two-run home run to tie the game, 3-3. It was Tostado’s ninth home run of the season.

Daniel Schneemann recaptured the lead for Akron, 4-3, with a two-out RBI single in the seventh inning off Raffi Vizcaíno (Loss, 2-1). Patrick Ruotolo came into the game after the scoring play and induced a flyout to end the frame.

After Ike Freeman reached on a fielding error in the eighth and advanced to third, Steven Kwan bounced an RBI single and extended Akron’s lead to 5-3.

Juan Mota (Save, 5) entered in the eighth inning and retired all five batters he faced to secure the Akron win.

In the first inning with the bases loaded, Diego Rincones skied a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Simon Whiteman from third and opened Richmond with a 1-0 lead. It was the fifth RBI for Rincones over the series.

Akron evened the contest, 1-1, off an RBI triple from Andruw Monasterio during the bottom of the first inning.

The RubberDucks widened their lead to 3-1 in the second off a two-run home run from Clark Scolamiero with Trenton Toplikar on the mound. It was Scolamiero’s first home run with Akron this season.

Toplikar finished the night with 4.0 innings of work, allowing three runs off four hits and three walks while tying a season-high eight strikeouts.

Akron starter Tanner Tully allowed one run off five hits through 5.0 innings and two walks with five strikeouts. Jake Miednik (Win, 2-0) allowed two runs over 1.1 innings.

Saturday’s contest between the Flying Squirrels and the RubberDucks is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Right-handed pitcher Aaron Blair will make his season debut for Richmond opposed by left-hander Logan Allen (0-0, 1.08) for Akron.

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.