Flying Squirrels pound Fightin Phils, 14-5, to record sixth straight win

The Richmond Flying Squirrels powered a 14-5 victory over the Reading Fightin Phils on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Flying Squirrels (35-36, 2-0), the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, recorded a season-high eight extra-base hits against the Fightin Phils (28-42, 0-2), the Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Richmond has now won six consecutive games.

Tied 5-5 in the top of the seventh, Vaun Brown launched a two-run homer to to give Richmond the lead back. After a pair of walks, Carter Williams reached on a fielder’s choice and a Reading throwing error scored a run to push the Flying Squirrels in front by three runs.

Later in the inning, Logan Wyatt and Wade Meckler each drove two-run doubles to move the Flying Squirrels ahead, 12-5.

With the bases loaded and one out in the eighth, Wyatt bounced into an RBI groundout to up the advantage to 13-5. Wyatt finished the game with a season-high four RBIs and two runs in a 2-for-5 performance.

After back-to-back hits in the ninth, Brown hit an RBI double to move the Flying Squirrels lead to 14-5. Brown drove in three runs and recorded two extra-base hits.

Reliever Wil Jensen (Save, 1) racked up four strikeouts over three scoreless innings to close out the victory and picked up his first professional save.

Richmond piled four runs in the top of the third inning to jump ahead, 4-0. Marco Luciano hit an RBI double, his 10th double of the season, and Shane Matheny drove him in with a double.

In the next at-bat, Andy Thomas demolished a two-run homer to right-center field to give Richmond a four-run lead. He has collected nine RBIs over his last four games.

Reading responded in the bottom of the third when Cody Roberts launched a two-run homer, closing the score to 4-2. Richmond starter Carson Seymour held the Fightin Phils scoreless in the rest of his outing, totaling four innings with two hits allowed and four strikeouts.

Wyatt padded the Flying Squirrels lead to 5-2 with a solo home run to right field in the top of the sixth against Reading reliever Matt Seelinger (Loss, 1-1).

With runners at first and second and two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Ethan Wilson clobbered a two-RBI triple against Matt Frisbee (Win, 6-0) and a Richmond throwing error plated Wilson to even the score, 5-5.

The Flying Squirrels will take on the Fightin Phils Friday with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. Right-hander Landen Roupp (0-0, 1.95) will take the hill for Richmond opposed by Reading right-hander Griff McGarry (0-0, 3.86).