Bryce Johnson threw out Michael A. Taylor at home plate and hit a two-run home run, but the Richmond Flying Squirrels lost, 7-2, to the Harrisburg Senators on Thursday at FNB Field.
With Richmond (32-56, 9-11) trailing, 6-0, in the bottom of the sixth, Luis Garcia hit a fly ball to Johnson in right field with Taylor at third. After Johnson made the catch, he fired a one-hop strike to Hamlet Marte at home plate to nab Taylor trying to tag up and score.
In the seventh, Johnson came to the plate with Johneshwy Fargas at second base. On a 3-2 pitch from Justin Miller, Johnson launched a two-run homer over the right-field fence to cut the Flying Squirrels deficit to 6-2.
The home run extended Johnson’s on-base streak to 12 games. In that span, Johnson has logged a .432 on-base percentage.
Harrisburg (48-41, 6-13) built a six-run lead with a pair of three-run frames. In the second inning, the Senators collected three straight singles against Alfred Gutierrez (Loss, 6-4) to plate the game’s first run. Two batters later with runners on second and third, Taylor knocked a two-run single up the middle to put the Senators on top, 3-0.
Gutierrez lasted four innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out four and walking one.
The Senators added three more against Chase Johnson in the fifth. Following singles from Taylor and Ian Sagdal, Tres Barrara bounced into an RBI fielder’s choice to extend Harrisburg’s lead to 4-0. After a wild pitch moved Sagdal to third and Barrera to second, Dante Bichette, Jr. singled to right to make it a 6-0 game.
Austin Voth (Win, 1-0) tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six and walking one in his first Double-A start since 2017.
Harrisburg tacked on its final run in the eighth on an RBI single from Garcia.
The loss dropped the Flying Squirrels’ record to 23 games under .500 for the first time in franchise history.
The Flying Squirrels continue their series with the Harrisburg Senators on Friday, when left-hander Garrett Williams (3-7, 3.59 ERA) is slated to face right-hander Tyler Mapes (3-5, 5.52 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., and coverage begins with the Flying Squirrels Pregame Warmup at 6:30 p.m. on Sports Radio 910 the Fan and 105.1 FM.
Richmond returns to The Diamond following the six-game road trip on July 18 to begin a six-game homestand featuring three games against the Erie SeaWolves and three games against the Bowie Baysox.
After a seven-game road trip, the Flying Squirrels return to Richmond on Thursday, July 18 to open a series against the Erie SeaWolves. Tickets are available now at SquirrelsBaseball.com, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels offices.
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