Strong outing from Frisbee, bullpen lifts Squirrels to W

With a strong start by Matt Frisbee and scoreless frames from the bullpen, the Richmond Flying Squirrels notched a 2-1 win to close out the series against the Reading Fightin Phils Sunday night at The Diamond.

The Flying Squirrels (42-42) split the series with the Fightin Phils (33-51) and stepped back to .500 for the year.

Richmond charged ahead, 1-0, in the first inning. Bryan Torres doubled and later scored on an RBI doubly by Diego Rincones. The hit extended Torres’ hit streak to 13 consecutive games.

After Mitchell Tolman led off the fourth inning with a double, Jacob Heyward traded places with him on an RBI double that moved the Flying Squirrels’ lead to 2-0.

Reading closed back within a run at 2-1 with a solo homer by Jack Conley in the fifth inning.

Matt Seelinger started the seventh inning out of the bullpen and allowed two walks with a strikeout. Ryan Walker entered and retired the next two batters to work out of the jam.

In the top of the ninth inning, Patrick Ruotolo (Save, 6) allowed a single to Chris Cornelius with two outs but Torres threw him out attempting to steal second to end the game.

With his return to Richmond, Matt Frisbee (Win, 5-1) totaled 6.0 innings of work and allowed  one run on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts. Frisbee faced the Fightin Phils three times this season and picked up a win in each outing.

Reading starter Francisco Morales (Loss, 2-10) pitched 6.0 innings, allowing two runs, four hits and four walks with nine strikeouts against the Flying Squirrels.

The Flying Squirrels are off Monday before heading on the road for a six-game series against the Bowie Baysox from August 10-15. Right-hander Trenton Toplikar (1-6, 5.07) will make the start for Richmond on Tuesday with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. from Prince George’s Stadium. Bowie has yet to announce their starting pitcher.

The team comes back to Richmond from Aug. 17-22 for a six-game series against the Erie SeaWolves (Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers). On Tuesday, Aug. 17, the Flying Squirrels are hosting Tribute to the Peanut Night where the team celebrates Virginia’s most famous nut, the peanut. The night will feature peanut prizes and a peanut butter drive. Plus, the first 1,000 fans 15 & older receive a connectable-base bobblehead of mixed nut racer Peanut presented by Virginia Peanut Growers Association. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with a first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-3866 or in person at the Flying Squirrels offices.